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Alumnus posts big Super Bowl win — in the ad game

Commercial earns Trojan $1 million prize in Doritos ‘Crash the Super Bowl’ contest

Commercial
Middle Seat is one of two commercials by USC School of Cinematic Arts alums to make the finals of Doritos’ annual Crash the Super Bowl competition.

USC graduate Scott Zabielski scored a $1 million prize Sunday as a commercial he created won Doritos’ annual “Crash the Super Bowl” contest.

The commercial, Middle Seat, follows an airline passenger’s quest to keep the next seat empty until the seemingly perfect seat companion goes by:

“My favorite kind of comedy is the stuff you watch and say that’s so true — stuff that you can really relate to,” Zabielski told KTLA.

Zabielski, who lives in Los Angeles, made the commercial with the help of fellow USC School of Cinematic Arts graduates Genevieve Younce Zabielski, Chris McKinley, Andrew Huebscher, Jason Cochard and Shelley LaRue. His young son also appears in the spot.

The contest drew nearly 4,900 submissions from 29 countries. The winner was determined by an online vote from among 10 finalists. Another team of USC graduates, Dave Horowitz and Nick Sivakumaran, was also among the finalists:

Graham Talbot’s ad When Pigs Fly also aired during the game; Talbot, of Maple Ridge, B.C., won $50,000:

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Alumnus posts big Super Bowl win — in the ad game

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