US News

Clint scores for Detroit

Clint Eastwood scored one of the few touchdowns in last night’s advertising Super Bowl.

The big-screen tough guy delivered a stirring endorsement of Chrylser, Dodge, Jeep — and Motown as a whole — standing out in what was a decidedly ho-hum night for Madison Avenue.

“The game was much more interesting than the ads which is really too bad,” said Phyllis Dealy of the branding specialist firm Woods Witt Dealy & Sons. “I’m a sucker for the ‘America will rise again’ story. So how can I not root for America or Clint Eastwood or Detroit?”

Eastwood’s spot came just before the start of the third quarter. The Oscar winner told viewers that better days are ahead: “Yeah. It’s halftime, America. And our second half’s about to begin.”

“Chrysler just won the Super Bowl,” said Matt MacDonald, executive creative director of JWT New York. “If there was anyone worthy of giving America a halftime speech, it would be Clint — right from the heart and from the gut.”

Meanwhile, other ads tapped into America’s idealized past — from the ’90s and ’80s all the way back to Prohibition.

Budweiser cast its beer as the first beverage sipped after the 21st Amendment was passed.

“Prohibition taps into the nostalgia trend. I liked it,” said Sara Arnell, CEO of Arnell Group. “It spoke to authenticity and longevity.”

Matthew Broderick and Jerry Seinfeld, of ’80s and ’90s fame, were also notable ad stars.

Pitching for Honda, Broderick reprised his calling-in-sick schtick from the 1986 comedy classic “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”

A valet delivered the ad’s money moment, droning “Broderick, Broderick” in an homage to actor Ben Stein’s “Bueller, Bueller” line.

Seinfeld revived his beloved sitcom persona in an Acura spot, bringing along “Soup Nazi” actor Larry Thomas and “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno for the ride.

In the spot, Seinfeld did all he could to buy the first Acura NSX but had to bribe the guy first in line.

The funnyman was ultimately foiled by the “Tonight Show” host. “Leno!” hisses Seinfeld, his fist clenched, echoing his old “Newman!” line.

And sex appeal took its usual place on Super Sunday’s grand stage, most notably with Victoria’s Secret model Adriana Lima pitching for Teleflora and soccer hunk David Beckham fronting for H&M.

GoDaddy.com drew yawns despite employing racing babe Danica Patrick and sexy trainer Jillian Michaels.

“I think the joke has gotten a little stale and I’m not sure anyone is racing to their iPad to see ‘the sequel’ that lives on the brand’s Web site,” said Jarrod Moses, CEO of United Entertainment Group.