The U.S. Secret Service appears to be having a transformation under the new Trump administration.
The embattled agency was portrayed amid a backdrop of iconic American moments in a video recruiting advertisement to play at Sunday’s Super Bowl LIX pre-game show.
Blockbuster movie director Michael Bay was tapped to create the one-minute ad that reportedly cost an estimated $2 million to produce, according to CNN.
“The ad time is being donated, so the Secret Service will not have to pay an additional fee. Ad buys during Super Bowl Sunday typically cost millions of dollars, with a 30-second ad airing on television costing up to $8 million this year,” the outlet reported.
(Video Credit: The DailyFAFO)
Following a series of dismal agency failures last year as two attempts were made on President Donald Trump’s life as he ran for office, the Secret Service ad focused on its role in past years, even noting that the New Orleans’ Superdome stadium was being secured by agents.
Footage and images in the ad included those of former Presidents John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan as well as President Abraham Lincoln, who ironically signed the legislation creating the Secret Service on the day he was assassinated.
The ad will be the property of the Secret Service for the next five years, according to CNN which noted the agency will use it to drive recruitment efforts.
Secret Service Director Sean Curran told CNN through a spokesperson that he “empowered the team to identify a novel and expedient approach that leveraged one of the most recognizable Directors to produce a representation of the men and women behind the Secret Service within nine days while ensuring compliance with requisite rules.”
“As Director, my focus will always be to lean forward to meet the needs of our workforce,” he added.
Meanwhile, Bay was seen shaking the president’s hand last week as he boarded Air Force One. The “Transformers” and “Pearl Harbor” director was believed to be on-site at Joint Base Andrews to capture footage for the ad which reportedly took less than two weeks to complete.
“I came up with the concept for the PSA that America was founded on the idea of freedom,” Bay told CNN in a statement. “Throughout our short but powerful history as Americans, we have always stepped forward in time of need. This was a spot to honor the true silent heroes who protect the leaders of our democracy.”
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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