What commercial was Jane Krakowski in?
Unpacking the surprising advertising spots of Jane Krakowski
(By Carmichael Phillip)
Early commercial work: the Nestlé cookie mix ad
When looking into her earliest ad appearances, one of the first known commercials featuring Jane Krakowski is for a Nestlé cookie-mix brand from around 1979. In that advertisement we see a very young Krakowski — well before her breakout television roles — appearing in a domestic-style ad setting, promoting a product aimed at home baking.
This commercial stands out for a couple of reasons: firstly because it places her in the ad-world before her major acting credits, and secondly because it illustrates how many performers begin with seemingly small / consumer‐goods spots that often go overlooked.
While details such as how widely it aired, which market it ran in, and how long the campaign lasted are harder to verify, its existence is cited as an early example of her work in advertising. The YouTube upload of the spot gives us a glimpse of her presence in that era.
1980s brand tie-ins: Cling Free & others
Among the ad campaigns that have been cited for Krakowski is one for Cling Free — a fabric softener product — around 1981. According to a Reddit thread chronicling vintage ads, a user commented:
This brand tie-in illustrates how Krakowski did not only appear in high-profile TV spots later in her career, but also in everyday consumer-product ads. It’s telling about the breadth of commercial work many actors undertake early on. Her participation here may have been regional or limited in run, but it adds to the narrative that her commercial résumé was active.
Beyond that, she has been associated with other brand‐commercial work (for example a bathing-beauty hair‐care brand spot for Herbal Essences) in which she appears in a national network commercial context.
These campaigns reflect her versatility and the ways in which her early career included both acting and advertising.
High-profile cameo: the Booking.com Super Bowl ad
Perhaps the most prominent commercial appearance of Jane Krakowski in recent years is for the travel site Booking.com. This particular spot aired during the Super Bowl (LVIII, 2024) and features Krakowski alongside her former co-star Tina Fey and Glenn Close, among others. The ad teased the idea of “there are so many Tina Feys I could be” and cast Krakowski in the role of “Splurgy Tina” in a humorous concept about traveling and self-reinvention.
This commercial is significant for several reasons:
It placed Krakowski back in a high‐visibility space (the Super Bowl being among the most watched television events).
It leveraged her association with Tina Fey via their shared history on 30 Rock, giving the ad an extra layer of nostalgia for fans.
It shows that her commercial work evolved from early consumer product ads into more expansive brand campaigns with broad reach.
Why it matters: what the commercial history tells us
Understanding Jane Krakowski’s involvement in commercials is more than just a trivia tick-box; it helps illustrate the trajectory of an actor’s career and the diverse income/visibility streams within the entertainment industry. Here’s what her commercial history underscores:
Career‐building via advertising: Actors often start or supplement their careers with commercials. The Nestlé and Cling Free ads show early work that likely helped Krakowski gain experience and exposure.
Brand alignment and evolution: As she progressed, the brands tied to her changed — from home goods to travel, reflecting shifts in market positioning and audience.
Visibility & branding benefit: The Booking.com Super Bowl ad demonstrates how an actor’s commercial work can achieve high visibility, reinforce personal brand identity, and tap into one’s television/film legacy (in this case, via 30 Rock).
Longevity and reinvention: The spread of her commercial work from the late 1970s/early 1980s to 2024 exemplifies how a performer can remain relevant across decades and mediums.
For fans of Krakowski or those studying the entertainment industry, her commercial portfolio is a useful case study in how actors diversify and sustain their visibility beyond just scripted roles.
In summary, if someone asks, “What commercial was Jane Krakowski in?” — the answer is many. From a late-1970s Nestlé cookie mix spot, through 1980s consumer goods ads like Cling Free, to a major 2024 Super Bowl commercial for Booking.com, Jane Krakowski’s commercial appearances chart the arc of a career that spans both acting and advertising. Each campaign offers its own story about timing, brand partnerships, and the role of commercials in a performer’s career.
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