Did Amazon leave a clue about HQ2 in Alexa Super Bowl commercial?
— -- It's a question not even Amazon's Alexa has the answer to: Just where does the online retailer plan to build its second headquarters?
But the company's Super Bowl commercial Sunday had some viewers' tongues wagging -- and not because of the featured celebrities.
In the Amazon ad, the device apparently loses its voice as it is giving a woman the temperature in Austin, Texas. Thankfully, the company has a backup plan and several stars -- from rapper Cardi B to actor Anthony Hopkins -- rush to the rescue, lending their distinct voices as "replacements" till the problem is fixed.
Viewers, however, found themselves scratching their heads after the first few seconds of the commercial. Of all the cities in these United States, why would Amazon pick Austin, Texas?
Amazon has already acknowledged Austin is one of 20 cities on the short list being considered for its second headquarters.
In September 2017, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos laid out the terms of the project called HQ2. In the plan, Amazon said it wanted a metropolitan location that had at least 1 million residents.
Bezos also promised that the company would invest $5 billion in the new location and that 50,000 people would be hired to work at the new site. The location of HQ2 is expected to be announced this year.
As for the rumors, Amazon told ABC News today: "The Alexa Super Bowl commercial and HQ2 are completely unrelated."
