Pepsi ran a commercial during the Superbowl that featured a littel bit of skating and surfing. The idea was to contrast the old days and modern takes on different phenomenon. I think there’s even some footage of Gumby on skateboard. I know there is old and more recent episodes of Gumby riding a skateboard. It’s hard to tell because it looks like it’s been cropped at his front ankle.
Pepsi Superbolw commercial with skateboarding.
Because it will likely eventually get taken down, even though everyone is supposed to love free publicity, we’re starting with an animation of the skateboard footage, then on to some stills and finally the video.
So who is the pool skater? Any guesses other than Jay Adams? I’m surprised they didn’t drag out any old Pepsi team skateboard footage, you’ve got to believe there is some archived somewhere.
Here’s the modern footage. I can’t identify this guy. UPDATE: It’s Neal Hendrix. See the comments.
Here’s the vintage surf footage.
Here’s what is supposed to be the updated footage, although it’s too small to see the board size. I wouldn’t think there would be any reason this type of riding wasn’t happening during the same time period that the previous footage was shot.
Here’s a still of Gumby in action. In motion, he’s gliding along the floor with one foot stationary and the other looks like it was used to push. There’s no winter scenery, so I’m voting for skateboard footage with the board cropped out so it wouldn’t distract from the subject.
Finally, here’s the entire commercial, as long as it lasts on YouTube. I’m surprised Bob Dylan agreed to this. Let’s go get cokes!
18 comments
Scotty
I know this is a late comment, Yes Gumby did skateboard in a few of his shows but most of the time Gumby would slip around magically on one foot place firmly on the ground, That’s what he is doing in the clip they used. Not sure if they actually cropped off the bottom or if they were just starting to zoom in on Gumby.
Jayaram Krishnaswamy
Will you please stop tagging my name to your web site. Thanks
joe spier
This is for Mac. Any luck on those photos of the Newington Skatepark?
TK
It’s Alva – they flipped it for the flow of the commercial.
Livmo
Weird that they mirrored the clips. Bryce is correct with the Alva ID, yet what’s he doing posting on SnA at 3:30AM? Get to bed son.
bk
Well, believe it or not he was a surfer and had light hair from time to time as well. I’m willing to bet on that trademark style.
houseofneil
That doesn’t look like TA at all. Hair is too light and the face doesn’t look right.
Concretin Nik
Hey Neal, did you ever get the CD of photos and Concretins t-shirt from the desk at the hotel in Louisville (last time the DewTour rolled through)? You know from that weird dude kinda out of the blue? *shuffles foot*
bk
The old schooler in the pool is Tony Alva. Just look at the style and rear foot placement. The footage is mirrored as well and was more than likely supplied by Ray Flores. Both he and TA were sponsored by Pepsi during the 70s skateboarding boom.
Kilwag
Hey Estes, I misspelled it on purpose in hopes that the NFL and/or Pepsi wouldn’t complain, so I wouldn’t get kicked off YouTube again. I still wanted people to be able to tell what it was from. As I’m typing this, I realize that was probably futile.
Neal Hendrix
First of all, I am a fan of the site, keep up the good work…
Secondly, I am the vert skater in the Pepsi ad. I think being one of the only vert skaters with out an energy drink is what caused the opportunity to fall into my lap. The footage is from the Baltimore stop of the Dew Tour in 2008 and for some reason the entire clip is mirrored (I have no idea why)
I thought the ad turned out pretty cool, and I was pretty honored to share the screen with a couple of legends (Bruce Lee, Bob Dylan). Believe me, I am entertained by the irony of their idea of a “new generation” skateboarder being a 35 year old vert skater.
I am not sure who is in the old clip, I was wondering myself. I will email the ad agency people I have been working with and see if I can find out.
The footage was not shot for the ad, it is just a stock clip from the Dew Tour event. When they originally contacted me about using a clip of me, I put them in contact with a couple of my friends (skate industry guys) hoping that they would be able to use clips they had. For a while it looked like a different clip was going to be used, then they decided that the skate clip had to be HD and shot on film, my buddy got aced out of the deal and they got this stock footage of me from the Dew Tour. I was hoping the other clip got used, mostly so my buddy got hooked up, but I wasn’t bummed on the clip they chose.
The funny thing is, all of this was coming together, and constantly changing all the way up until FRIDAY before the game.
Sometimes skateboarding takes you down strange roads…..
Neal
Estes' Ghost
Gotta love Kilwags spelling of “Pepsi Superbolw commercial with skateboarding.” proof he was UII and without the D.
jeff
I’m Gumby Damn It!!!
“Let’s go get Cokes”
Your killin’ me.
Emily
Alright if anyone cares, it’s definitely Neal Hendrix in the current skating clip. The clip is from the AST tour in Baltimore last year. I went to ast.com (allisports.com) and found this picture. He’s wearing the same shirt, helmet, etc.
http://www.allisports.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/display_photo/images/1418-niel_hendrix_sktvrtfinal_balti_08_0.jpg
skaterhusseindave
I thought maybe the blond kid was Arthur Lake, but I can’t remember which way he rode.
Emily
My guess was going to be Neal Hendrix, too. He’s wearing a gray helmet and Neal normally wears the matte green or gray.
Concretin Nik
Kickflipper style looks like Neil Hendrix… just guessin’
Mac
My guess on the 70’s blonde kid in the pool would be a very young Gregg Weaver. Weaver was goofy as well.