Howdy Sound Delivers Full Service Audio for This High-Power Super Bowl Ad

“It was clear from the storyboards that this wasn't going to be your typical truck commercial,” says Howdy Sound's Dusty Albertz, when we get together to discuss his work on Goldilocks, the new Super Bowl LIX ad starring Hollywood favourite, Glen Powell.

The 60-second ad was debuted during the big game broadcast on February 9th, and the high-octane silliness of the spot set tongues wagging online. 

Dusty tells me how, after reviewing the initial brief, he began assessing what audio post production the ad required. Heavily invested in the world of automotive commercials, he tapped into previous experiences working with Ram, Dodge and GMC, to accurately weigh up the demands of this latest project.

“In addition to the dynamic sound design and mix a Ram commercial always calls for, we were going to need to craft cinematic sound design for fantasy creatures (a fire breathing dragon and truck-driving bears), our hero wielding chainsaws, and an epic truck jump over an erupting volcano," he says, reflecting on the spot's specific sonic requirements.

During the initial planning phase he also noted that, due to the humourous nature of the script, this ad fell into the comedy category, something that would have a lot of influence over the character of the sound design. 

Not an easy brief, then, especially for someone overseeing the entire audio post production singlehandedly. For Dusty, this meant delivering sound design, audio editing, music editing, sound mixing and final mastering – not to mention all the admin that comes with post production. 

Even though this sounds like a lot of work for one person, agency producers continue to come back to Howdy Sound, appreciative of the streamlined, one-man-band of it all. Plus, as many professionals in this industry know, sometimes too many cooks spoil the broth.

Speaking to Dusty about his craft, it's not hard to see why agencies and brands want to work with him – the adept dexterity of his craft is palpable.

Given the various moving parts and extremely high expectations of this particular project - the Super Bowl is the biggest event in TV advertising after all - it was important to take a careful and considered initial approach at the very start of the creative process. 

“I started thinking about the biggest set pieces first,” he recalls. “I knew the fire breathing dragon and volcano jump were going to take a lot of experimenting to get right. Bringing the trucks to life and nailing that authentic RAM power is always a heavy lift. I primarily draw upon my 15 years of experience in this field. I lean heavily on the audio intuition and taste I've cultivated over those years.”

Prior to founding his own company, Dusty spent over a decade working as a sound mixer, so this isn’t his first Super Bowl rodeo – but it is one of the biggest.

“This is my fifth spot that has aired during the game; my eighth overall if we include the ones that aired during the Super Bowl pregame show,” Dusty tells me. “But this one definitely has the highest stakes. One of the world's most legendary truck brands, a :60 media buy rather than your typical :30, an A-list actor and director, featuring an iconic Van Halen song. A lot of the industry's most important ears were critically analysing my work before the spot even aired.”

Despite the high stakes, this project proved to be an extremely enjoyable experience. Reflecting on working with Glen Powell and David Leitch, the director and stunt specialist best known for John Wick and Deadpool 2, Dusty tells me how one of his favourite moments was the voice over session with the two of them.

"It was a lot of fun,” he smiles. “Both Glen and David are consummate professionals and really bought in to help elevate the project in whatever way they could.”

“If there's one moment I'm particularly happy with, it's when Glen gags after smelling the porridge. It's a small one compared to powerful trucks and erupting volcanos, but that was really fun to craft and I'm so glad we didn't overlook it.”

Howdy Sound’s work in audio post-production played a pivotal role in shaping the success of this Super Bowl ad. From the roaring dragon to the truck’s thunderous engine, Dusty's meticulous attention to sound design and his ability to craft moments of both power and humour helped ensure the ad’s memorable impact.

For Dusty, this spot was more than just another high-profile project — it was an opportunity to showcase his unique ability to manage and execute all aspects of audio post-production singlehandedly. “I'm honestly quite happy with how the whole mix plays. I think we accomplished what we set out for which was a classic Ram mix with premiere sound and a lot of memorable character,” he says proudly. 

As the spotlight shines on the Goldilocks work, one thing is certain: with his years of experience and his intuitive ear, Dusty has once again proven why agencies and brands continue to trust him with their most ambitious projects. Whether it’s the excitement of the Super Bowl or the subtleties of an actor’s performance, Howdy Sound is what brings these cinematic moments to life — louder, clearer, and more unforgettable than ever.