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Michael Bay Sues Advertising Agency Over Cadillac Super Bowl Commercial
Michael Bay is suing advertising agency Mischief @ No Fixed Address and its chief creative officer, Greg “Towriss” (often referred to as Towriss), alleging a “bait and switch” over a Cadillac Super Bowl commercial. The director claims he was promised the job, began pre-production work, and then was abruptly dropped.
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on February 6, 2024, details Bay’s claims that he was led to believe he was hired to direct a commercial for Cadillac’s upcoming electric vehicle, the Lyriq, to air during Super Bowl LVIII.
Bay claims he was clear with Towriss that he was developing films for major studios like Apple, Amazon, Global, and Paramount Pictures, but was willing to prioritize the Cadillac commercial. He alleges Towriss responded positively, stating, “OK, let’s get to work, I will let everyone know,” referring to the agency.
Based on this understanding, Bay says he began hiring staff, operating under a preliminary budget of $2 million for production and $1 million for post-production. His team secured the only available Formula 1 car in the United States – the one used in the 2023 film F1: Drive to Survive – and was preparing to film on the Mojave Airport runway as early as December 11, 2025.
However, on December 6, 2023, a freelance producer reportedly informed Bay that the agency had decided to “go in a different direction” and use another director. The commercial ultimately was directed by Melina matsoukas.
Bay responded directly to Towriss, expressing his dissatisfaction. According to the lawsuit, Towriss replied in a text message, “I’m not at all happy with how this played out. I will be looking for a future project to bring you with no agency in the middle.”
The lawsuit further alleges that the final Cadillac commercial incorporates elements originally proposed by Bay, including “shimmering” and “highly reflective gold chrome” aesthetics.
The suit claims that the agency specifically sought out Bay for the project and that he explicitly asked Towriss if he was being hired.
Bay is seeking at least $1.5 million in compensatory damages, representing his director’s fee and the costs incurred by his team during pre-production, and also punitive damages. The claims include breach of verbal contract, breach of implied-in-fact contract, and fraud.
Sources:
* https://deadline.com/2024/02/michael-bay-sues-mischief-cadillac-super-bowl-commercial-1234905449/
* https://www.thewrap.com/michael-bay-sues-cadillac-ad-agency-super-bowl-commercial/
Key Changes & Verifications:
* Date of Filing: Corrected the filing date to February 6, 2024.
* Agency Name: Clarified the agency name as Mischief
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