The Late Show Unveils 'The Most Emotionally Manipulative Super Bowl Ad Ever'

We all know how shamelessly Super Bowl ads tug on the heartstrings. Brands will use every tactic at their disposal to emotionally manipulate viewers into buying their products - cute animals, disabled children, national pride, you name it.

And those cynical marketing tactics haven't gone unnoticed by The Late Show host, Stephen Colbert, who last night unveiled one of the best parodies we've seen. 

Titled The Most Emotionally Manipulative Super Bowl Ad Ever, the spot mashes together every cliche in the book in a way that's hilarious but also heart-rending, and ties in brilliantly with the product it's promoting (revealed at the end). See how many references you can spot - an obvious one is Nationwide's 2015 campaign, Boy, below.

One scene shows a fatigues-clad soldier returning home to his family and going in for a hug, at which point he transforms into a golden retriever, whose best friend is a penguin in a wheelchair, watching 'that' scene from Toy Story 3. Viewers are asked 'Are you crying yet? Well, strap in' before the action moves onto the ludicrous story of a Mexican grandmother who, ever since she lost her husband in the war, puts a bean in a jar.

There's a death-related denouement, the grand product reveal, and arguably the only tagline they could ever have chosen: 'Weep, you bastards!' So go on, reach for the tissues. We mean, napkins.