Buick will run its first-ever Superbowl commercial, featuring a new convertible

Buick will air the company's first-ever Superbowl advertisement this year, featuring the New York Giant's Odell Beckham Jr. and actor and swimsuit model Emily Ratajkowski ("Gone Girl").

The ad will also feature the new Buick Cascada convertible, the first drop-top model from the company in more than 20 years.

Buick's sales expanded by 6% to 1.2 million units last year, in keeping with a banner year for the global automotive industry. This was largely due to growing demand in China, however; stateside, Buick's sales fell by 3%.

The Cascada constitutes the latest effort in a continuing campaign by Buick to shed its rather stodgy reputation. Along with the Cascada, Buick will introduce this year the Envision crossover and a redesigned LaCrosse sedan.

The Associated Press reported this morning:

In 2014, the brand launched the "That's not a Buick" U.S. ad campaign portraying the cars and SUVs as sporty luxury vehicles preferred by younger people. It followed years of ads that featured golfer Tiger Woods and basketball star Shaquille O'Neal. The image-changing campaign is starting to work, according to GM. The average age of a Buick buyer was 66.2 in 2000, but that fell to around 58 last year, the company said.

The ad will run during Superbowl 50, to take place on Feb. 7.