Super Bowl? Super Commercials!

The Super Bowl. It’s the one time a year advertisers know you will not fast-forward through the commercials and will therefore invest millions of dollars for a 30 second commercial. So, was that money well spent? Let’s break down the winners by category.

Cheekiest Jab at a Competitor
Chevy Silverado – 2012
2012 Apocalypse + Barry Manilow’s Look’s Like We Made It + the less-than-subtle “Dave didn’t drive the longest lasting most dependable truck on the road” = perfection.
Check it out here.

The Award for “Yes, we remember what you did last year”
Volkswagen – The Dog Strikes Back
The commercial– with the dog being too fat to chase the car, so he goes on a diet and is then able to chase after it – was effective enough itself. Everyone loves dogs, dance songs, and successful diet stories, but throwing in Vader and Co. watching the commercial felt a little… desperate.
Check it out here.

Best Reason Not To Turn Your Back To Your Dog
Doritos – Man’s Best Friend
“You didn’t see nuthin” Oh, but we did see something… and we liked it.
Check it out here.

Best Way To Bring The History Lesson Home
Budweiser – Return of the King
Prohibition wasn’t just some vocab word in history books – it was 13 years without Budweiser. The longing (though not melodramatic) music along with the sepia-dusted images bring a new understanding to what our grandparents had to suffer through.
Check it out here.

Best “When Are They Making That Detroit Movie?”
Chrysler – It’s Halftime in America
Clint Eastwood certainly hit all the right notes with his reassurance of what America was, is, and can (will?) be. It’s what everyone is talking about and is already being parodied on Youtube (click here for you who were thinking of another raspy-throated movie hero). Audiences were also reminded of last year’s Detroit-themed ad with Eminem, which offered another inspiring look at the valiant city. With the beautiful images and powerful music used in these commercials, one really does wonder if there is an epic movie right around the corner.
Check it out here.

Best Glee Fan Pandering
Hyundai – All for One
Not too ba ba-ba-ba ba-ba bad.
Check it out here.

Best Reliance on a Cult Favorite
Honda CRV – Matthew’s Day Off
Relying entirely on a specific demographic fan-base, Honda either hit a homerun or struck out pathetically (depending on your 80′s movie recollection) with a modern day take on grown up Farris Bueller.
Check it out here.

Best “Isn’t Sex Supposed to Sell?”
GoDaddy: (any of them)
Remember the years when GoDaddy.com commercials were scandalous? Remember when it was getting complaints from parent groups and passed around in emails? This is not one of those years.
Runner Up
H&M – David Beckham Bodywear
This commercial’s only success lies in reminding everyone that men don’t buy their own underwear; women (their moms, their wives) buy it for them. So how do you sell men’s underwear? Appeal to women.
Check it out here.

Most Confusing Message (outside of what they are selling)
Audi – Vampire Party
No, it wasn’t bring-your-preteen-to-work day when they created this vampire-themed commercial, but it feels like it for about 30 long seconds. We then see that the LED lights are killing the vampires off. The message is to cheer for the death of the vampire-mania in our culture, but putting them in a commercial just keeps it alive.
Check it out here.

Best Attempt To Make Me Think That Adding a Pen To an Already Large Phone is Somehow Awesome
Samsung – I Believe in a Thing Called Love
I guess you really would have to love this phone if it’s as wide/clunky as is seems and includes (requires?) a pen. In some ways, an accessory seems like a step back, but does not loving this ad mean not believing in love?
Check it out here.

There were well over 100 commercials during Sunday night’s game; we know we probably left out a few good ones, so let us know your favorites in the comments below!

- Jordan Lints

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February 7th, 2012 | Dan | Comments Off |