After a three-year absence, CarMax is back in the Super Bowl ad lineup with a spot that envisions a customer getting a dramatic slow clap after making his purchase and — as a special treat — a version of the ad features puppies.

The spot that airs during the game will be 30 second, however the extended version, above, is 45 seconds. The premise is the same: As the customer leaves the lot, he peers out of his window to see various people offering the slow clap. As the effect piles on, it gets more and more silly. For instance, a fireman rescues an old man as he gives his slow clap. Actor Sean Astin also offers a visual nod to his role in the 1993 sports tearjerker Rudy.

The slow clap has been a cause célèbre on the Internet for some time. Ridiculed by critic Roger Ebert as an "ancient cliche" in 2004, the gesture is now also a vehicle for sarcasm on the Internet, best epitomized by the following popular GIF from Citizen Kane:

For CarMax, the dual interpretation might have appeal for Gen Yers, Xers and Boomers. It also might prompt some imitative slow clapping in the millions of homes that are expected to tune into the game.

That effect might be stronger if CarMax held off on releasing the ads until Super Bowl Sunday. Laura Donahue, VP of marketing at CarMax, says, like an increasing number of marketers, though, she thought the brand would get more ROI if it pre-released the ad.

To maximize the effect, CarMax has also created a version of the ad featuring puppies. The ad, which recreates the original, shot-for-shot, was filmed in a Brooklyn studio with reps from the American Human Society on hand. "It was a really fun day," Donahue says.