I'm not the biggest football fan unless we're talking about the Florida Gators, so I really wasn't all that excited for the Super Bowl last night. At least not about the actually football game part of it, (which really didn't end up being all that bad). I was, however, totally psyched for what I consider to be the main event of Super Bowl Sunday, and I know I'm not alone here...the ads.Ah, those :30 and :60 budget-busters that all the advertising nerds like me look forward to each year. Honestly, during the actual game, which I watched from the comfort of my couch with my husband, I had my book out and got some reading time in, but as the music signaled a commercial break approaching, I put down my book, got out my notepad, and got ready for some great commercials.
According to USA Today, about 28 advertisers bought a record $206 million dollars' worth of commercial time. They paid a record $3 million per 30-second slot — or $100,000 a second — for their moment of Super Bowl glory. Nearly 100 million viewers nationally watched at least some part of the game and its 52 commercials.
Now normally, I would scoff at spending that amount of money on one commercial. But these days, it might not be the worst idea in the world. Super Bowl ads have always been popular, true, but these days, think how many people (myself included) are blogging about them, posting/watching the YouTubes, watching them on Hulu, etc. etc. Sure you paid for one :30 spot, but in these days of Tivo, it just might be one of the few times you can get people to not only watch your ad once, but watch it again and again and share it with their friends and colleagues. That being said, you won't be seeing a Perceptivity Studio Super Bowl spot anytime soon, but it does rationalize that ridiculous $206 million number just a bit more than it used to.
But I digress. Despite the huge budgets, I wasn't terribly impressed this year. Sure there were a few good commercials, but I don't think that any of this year's ads will make the all-time best list. So in lieu of recapping all of them, I've decided to give out my awards for the best and worst of the night. If you want to see more, Hulu has them all posted:
The Perceptivity Studio Best in Show: Coca Cola's "Heist"
This one isn't getting the best reviews out there, but I really loved this sweet Coke ad that featured a gang of insects absconding with a sleeping picnicker's Coke bottle to the music of Peter and the Wolf. Was it the most effective ad? Definitely not. But it made me smile, and it was the one ad that I personally will remember from this Super Bowl.
Runner Up: Monster.com's "Double Take"
This one is getting good reviews, and I really enjoyed it as well. The plight of the everyman in corporate America with the snooty, good for nothing boss is dramatized by showing the boss in his pristine over-the-top office with a large moose head mounted on the wall, then taking us around the other side of the wall where the moose's other end hovers above some poor Joe's desk. Not sure it's the most timely of messages (because really, if you have job security right now, who cares if you have a moose a** above your desk!), but still a good one.
Most Timely Message: Hyundai's "Contract"
On the flip side, the Hyundai "Contract" spot was not all that memorable or special, but its message will probably be very effective for them. Buy a Hyundai, and if you lose your job, return it with no adverse affect to your credit. With the economy in a less than favorable state right now, this just might make more people consider buying a Hyundai. And their Hyundai Genesis "Angry Bosses" spot made me giggle a bit too, noting that "winning one little award will suddenly make everyone get your name right (it's Hyundai, like Sunday)." Their spots averaged out to a good mix of humor and concern.
Runner Up: E*Trade's "Wings"
Acknowledging the bad economy, E*Trade welcomes people to use their service to "learn to fly again." I'm not a big fan of the talking babies though, so despite the good timing, I didn't love this one. But after re-watching it a few more times, I must admit the cute little singing baby is growing on me!
Biggest Laugh: Doritos "Crystal Ball"
This one wasn't created by the pros, it was created by two unemployed brothers, who won $1 million from Doritos for winning an online contest and ended up creating the best-liked ad in the Super Bowl according to the USA Today Ad Meter. Was it the best ad? No. It relied on the old slapstick "getting hit in the crotch" shtick that has happened in many Super Bowl ads before it. But despite its cliche humor, you have to admit this one was funny. And honestly a bit scary for my industry!
Lamest Attempt at Humor: Castrol Oil "Edge Monkeys"
Who decided that chimpanzees were so funny? Funny monkeys are another Super Bowl stand-by, but this one didn't work quite as well for me. Grease monkeys, haha, get it? And the gratuitous monkey kiss at the end? Yuck.
Runner Up: Pepsi's "Pepsuber"
While SNL was fantastic during the election, it's not doing so well outside of the fantastic Tina/Sarah impersonation. This one was just lame, and a big disappointment considering how good Pepsi's ads have traditionally been.
Most Amibivalent Reaction: Pepsi "Refresh Anthem"
While it was decidedly better than "Pepsuber" I'm still a bit undecided on the "Refresh Anthem" ad. Is Will.i.am really the Bob Dylan of our generation? Sure I loved his "Yes We Can" Obama video, but I don't know if I agree with that comparison, though some of the other then-now comparisons were quite good. The jury's still out on this one. I think Pepsi missed a big opportunity to really show off their new branding.
Biggest Letdown: Budweiser Clydesdales
The Budweiser Clydesdales have been a standard for good Super Bowl ads in years past, and I just wasn't all that impressed with this year's trio of horsey goodness, which tried to be a bit too cute for my taste. Of the three, "Circus" was probably the best, though it reminded me more of the Britney Spears music video of the same name than it tore at my heartstrings. Maybe next year will be better for the Clydesdales, but until then, I will leave you with the unforgettable 2002 "Respect" spot, which still brings tears to my eyes.
So what did you think? What were your favorites? Least favorites? Were you disappointed with the overall quality of this year's commercials like I was? Leave a comment and let me know!
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