Who Is The Guy With The Sledgehammer In Kawasaki's 2024 Super Bowl Commercial?

Kawasaki crafted a memorable and funny 2024 Superbowl ad featuring a nod to an infamous hairstyle of the late '80s. With the tagline "business in the front" and "party in the back," Kawasaki's Ridge Side x Side looks to combine work with fun in the outdoors. In the commercial, every living thing that comes within close proximity to the Ridge — human or animal — suddenly sports a rapidly growing mullet. The most notable scene includes a familiar face splitting a boulder in half with a sledgehammer before succumbing to the contagious mullet growth.

While more difficult to recognize with hair, just before the Ridge gets within mullet range, you might recognize the famous WWE wrestler "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. Austin has appeared to his fans without hair since the mid-'90s, so it's quite a departure when he's abruptly standing there with long blond hair waving in the wind. 

Apparently, the unconventional spirit of the Kawasaki Ridge is so powerful that it can even impart hair where there was none before.

While many of his younger fans have only seen Stone Cold with a shaved head, longtime wrestling fans may remember a time when he had a lot more hair. In fact, before menacing goatee and bald scalp, he went by the name "Stunning Steve" and had shoulder-length blond hair. If you look at his earlier wrestling photos, he appears to showcase a genuine mullet — which doesn't differ from the Kawasaki ad all that much, to be honest.

Once upon a time, the mullet was a bold fashion statement that tended to advertise a particular philosophy. The mullet recognized the two sides of a person: the one who needed a more professional look for face-to-face business and the one who refused to give up the carefree side of youth. It was an atypical style that became mainstream in the late '80s and is immortalized in hilarious photos for the amusement of younger generations.

Perhaps this Kawasaki commercial is trying to evoke both a rebel attitude and a return to roots. Showcasing the outrageous hair of the latter 20th century and returning Austin to his early "Stunning Steve" days are both very symbolic gestures. Of course, in case you dare chuckle at Austin's new locks, remember that he splits a giant boulder in half with nothing but a sledgehammer in the ad.

With a track record that includes the famous Ninja motorcycle, Kawasaki has been priming audiences with quick sneak peeks and a trickle of information for months about their new Ridge. As such, this new Superbowl ad will likely gain traction, with audiences eager to get a better look at the new side-by-side. 

Kawasaki is looking to crush competitors like Yamaha and Polaris with the Side x Side, and they just might be getting an edge. According to Motorcycles Data, Kawasaki sales saw an uptick of 7.9% in the U.S. If you doubt the company's ability to deliver, take a look at some of the best Kawasaki motorcycles ever made and how they influenced the industry.