matt2/8/2010
Super Bowl Ads, 2010. My 2 cents.
In no particular order, here’s my cynical review of the Super Bowl ads. This year, the game was better than the ads.
Use this handy embed to remind yourselves of the commercials:
Budweiser: Fences – lame excuse to simply use the Clydesdales. Next time, have a point.
Budweiser: Bridge – follows the classic Super Bowl story model. Clever, but not revolutionary.
Bud Light: Stranded – obvious play on lost phenomenon. Humorous & clever…unless you don’t watch Lost.
Audi: Green Car – Love Cheap Trick’s Dream Police play for the theme song. Nice use of humor to make the point. And the car is cool looking.
Boost Mobile: Shuffle – so sad.
Bridgestone: Whale of a Tale – Nice nod to The Hangover…but what was the ad for again?
Bridgestone: Your Tires or Your Life – completely unexpected funny. One of my favorites.
Cars.com: Timothy Richmond – I was waiting for it to end with “I don’t drink beer, but when I do it is Dos Equis." My wife liked it, though.
Career builder – too many men in tighty-whities and fart jokes. Get a real job teenagers.
Dodge: Man’s Last Stand – smart idea. Some things are just sacred to a man–like his car.
Coke: Sleepwalker – made me chuckle.
Google: Parisian Love – smart use of story-telling as a great way to show how the product actually works…in case you didn’t know.
Denny’s: Chickens – shut those damn chickens up. I don’t need to be reminded that eggs actually come out of a chicken.
Dockers: Men without pants – again, too many men in tighty-whities
Doritos – Coffin spot, dumb. Underdog, expected. House Rules – funny.
E-Trade – talking babies are a classic. Nice job re-invigorating an old standby.
I’m done with go-daddy. The concept of having an ad send me to a website might have worked 5 years ago. No more.
Hyundai: 10 Years/Favre – smart. Appropriate for the buy. The creative actually fit the message of longevity.
Snickers: Betty White – Would have been better if it wasn’t leaked to every morning show and website before the game. Not funny the 25th time.
Monster: Fiddling Beaver – my kids liked it.
FloTV: Moments – Engaging. Showed the product well. The Who was a nice fit, too. The other FloTV spot, on the other hand, was co cliché…even with a cameo by Jim Nance.
VW: Punch Dub – where were the VW bugs? Saved by the ending with Stevie.
The go-daddy spots looked like bad late night infomercials.
I think the Google ad wins by far. So poignant, and simple. Just like Google. I’m a Google cheerleader though, so maybe I’m biased. The funniest commercial award has to go to Denny’s screaming chickens, with a close runner-up in the Emerald/Pop-Secret commercial.
I have to agree with you on the Career Builders and Dockers ads. Was it just me, or was the punch line of every other ad nudity or people getting slapped in the head? Do we really need to use such dumb humor to appeal to the masses that tune in for the Superbowl?
The Google ad was simple, but I loved it. My absolute favorite, however, was the NFL ad that showed Reggie Bush’s touchdown against the Dolphins in slow motion. Gave me chills.
dug the leno/oprah/letterman spot. separately, did anyone notice the unfortunate doubling up of spot themes? early on, the betty white/abe vigoda spots with them getting hit all football-style immediately followed by the (dumb) tim tebow spot where he takes his mom out. later, a career builder spot featuring a pants-less office immediately followed by the dockers “i wear no pants” spot.
The Google ad was my favorite – but maybe that’s due to my emotional/girly nature. The Doritos coffin ad made me laugh out loud, but I’m not sure why.
Leave it to Google to make everyone else forgettable. That’s what they do.
Other observations:
1) Does Joe Montana seriously wear those terrible Skechers Shape-Ups? Really?
2) Was the Tim Tebow ad that offensive? How did this get more anticipatory/inflammatory press than the tasteless (and not tantalizing) GoDaddy ads? Danica Patrick and her car have totally jumped the shark.
3) The Dove Men’s ad was really well done. Maybe it’s because the guy reminds me of me. And I desperately need those products.
Agreed on the reggie bush commercial. The Google ad was well done just not sure why google needs an ad.
I can’t believe roundup weedkiller had an ad, seemed strange, especially with 2 feet of snow outside.
I love the look of the new Honda Accord commercials, just a cool style of animation.
SnackAttack samurai was the only good doritos one, the denny’s chickens were great, and the Audi Green commercial made me chuckle a little. But overall the ads were pretty underwhelming and left me wondering how people get away with pitching such bad ideas.
I just lol’ed at Jack’s inquiry about Joe Montana. I thought the same thing, and on top of that, thought it was funny that it was only his voice-over. I hope that wasn’t even his voice.
Google Ad was the most effective (as is everything Google).
Loved the TruTV ad with Troy Polamalu: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFzIdZbypNk
deep thoughts on superbowl ads.
“Dodge: Man’s Last Stand” has left me wondering – 2010 superbowl ads seem to be revealing a universal theme, border-lining on epidemic even, that men are ONLY wearing tighty whitey’s and no pants in 2010 (Dockers, CareerBuilder) so why is our Dodge everyman so drained by his domestic partner’s request for him to keep his underpants off the ground and in the hamper, when it seems he could simply keep his pants off the ground by not wearing any at all?
Dodge everyman, you have a few things to learn from sensitive, but manly Dove Everyman!
I completely agree with everyone on the Google ad, it was perfect. Just. Like. Google.
I also loved the Kia Sorrento ad where the toys take the car for a joyride, and not just because the sock monkey gets an embroidered tattoo (that was only 64% of it). It was fun, memorable, and made me want to actually drive a Kia. For a second.
oh yea, thanks Trevor. Jay and Dave together…there is a chance for peace in the world. But I guess only if Oprah moderates.
There were ads during the Superbowl?
