The two-minute Chrysler Super Bowl ad featuring Clint Eastwood touting the rebound of the auto industry is back after it had been removed from YouTube.
The clip had been removed from YouTube apparently because of a copyright claim by the NFL, according to language that appeared when trying to play the clip.
But an NFL spokesman denied that the NFL sought the ad's removal, USA Today and the Detroit Free Press reported on Monday.
"The NFL did not file a copyright complaint about this ad with Google. We have asked Google to reinstate the ad immediately. Google is looking into why the ad was removed," the spokesman said, according to the newspaper.
Chrysler's "Halftime in America" commercial is rolling on TV news programs and can be found on other YouTube accounts, but the car company's official YouTube account displays this message: "This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by NFL Properties LLC."
Shown shortly after Madonna's halftime performance, it began with the silhouette of Eastwood, walking in the dark and recognizable by his gravelly voice.
"It's halftime. Both teams are in their locker room discussing what they can do to win this game," he says. "It's halftime in America, too."
He continues, "People are out of work and they are hurting. They are all wondering what they are going to do to make a comeback. And we're all scared because this isn't a game." He says, "The people in Detroit know a little something about this. They almost lost everything. But we all pulled together. Now Motor City is fighting again."
The Baltimore Sun noted that the much talked-about ad was again playing on Chrysler's website.
With 30 second spots selling for $3.5 million, the commercial cost Chrysler an estimated $14 million and was kept under wraps by the automaker, which, with the help of the Obama administration, has come back from the dead after being counted out in 2009.
The ad is below:
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