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Rating the 2008 Super Bowl Commercials

Posted 04 Feb 2008 in pop culture

I work in the advertising business. And I have a love-hate relationship with it. But my disdain for corporate hucksterism goes out the window every year when it’s time for “the Big Game.” I don’t watch pro football and couldn’t care less who’s playing, but I tune in every year to watch the pinnacle of television advertising – the Super Bowl commericals.

This year’s crop was pretty clever, for the most part. But many just didn’t elevate their concepts beyond what I’d expect in a regular advertising campaign. Come on, folks, this is the freakin’ Super Bowl! It’s time to step up! Your client is ponying up the big money, you better come up with a memorable concept that will stack up to iconic spots like the Apple’s “1984,” Budweiser’s frogs and their “whazzup?” guys, and Coca-Cola’s “Mean Joe Greene.”

A few did. Most didn’t. Here’s my take on things.

Best

  • Coca-Cola – It’s Mine: Pardon the pun, but I liked the uplifting nature of this spot. A memorable tussle between giant parade balloons of Family Guy‘s Stewie and Underdog, with Charlie Brown finally winning in the end. A Coke and a smile, indeed. Home run.

  • Tide To Go – Talking Stain: What a perfect little way to demonstrate the need for the product. Seamless CG. It remains to be seen if this idea will be big enough to be a campaign, but it’s a vast improvement on their other ads.

  • Pepsi Stuff – Magnetic Attraction: The celebrity is literally sucked through the air, paying off the copy in a memorable way. The more I see Justin Timberlake do comedy, the more I like the guy. And that’s saying a lot ’cause I hate his music. But I applaud his willingness to make fun of himself. Plus, the addition of Adam Samburg adds “Dick In A Box” laughs to this one.

  • Bridgestone – Unexpected Obstacles: Similar kudos to Simmons for allowing himself to be the target of everybody’s derision in this clever variation Bridgestone’s other “Scream” spot that aired earlier in the game.

Worst

  • Gatorade – Man’s Best Friend: Did the Gatorade brand manager forget the concept of “appetite appeal?” I get the joke, but 30 seconds of a dog lapping up water really didn’t make me want to try the product. After all, dogs gladly drink out of the toilet.
  • Amp – Jump Start: Absolutely gross. An overweight guy with jumper cables attached to his nipples? Gag.

  • Careerbuilder.com – Queen of Hearts: Another gross out, and a bad pun, too. Next!

  • Planter’s – Perfume: Rubbing cashews on her pulse points makes men fall all over an ugly girl with a unibrow? Sorry, doesn’t pass my B.S. test, even for a funny spot.

Clever But Forgettable

  • Bud Light – Breathe Fire & Flying: Cute, but not breakthrough ideas.

  • Bud Light – Wheel Suck: Made me laugh out loud. But haven’t we had enough cavemen lately? Too reminiscent of Geico.

  • Budweiser – Clydesdale Team: A nice feel-good, but the use of Rocky music was just a little too expected for me.

  • CareerBuilder.com – Firefly: Attention-grabbing and funny, but no reason for me to pick CareerBuilder over any other resume site.

  • GoDaddy.com – Exposure: Although I’m all for crass humor, and really enjoyed the edgy nature of their previous boobtacular spoof on Super Bowl “wardrobe malfunctions,” this one took beaver jokes just a bit too far. Poor use of a celebrity, too. Anybody could have been in that spot. If you’re gonna leverage a name like Danica Patrick, there should be some reason for the connection.

Special mention

  • Audi – Truth in Engineering: In addition to being a clever parody on the “horse head in the bed” scene from the Godfather movie, this spot stuck out to me because of just how damn cool the new Audi R8 looks. I’m in lust!
  • Geico – Cavemen: A fun poke in the eye at ABC for messing up Geico’s concept with their badly-executed TV spinoff.
  • Sobe – Thrillicious: I didn’t recognize smokin’ hot Naomi Campbell, but enjoyed the dancing lizards’ play on Michael Jackson’s memorable music video. I’m afraid Geico may have the corner on lizards in the public’s perception, but this may be a successful opening salvo at reclaiming the spokesreptile for the Sobe brand.
  • NFL – We Are Americans: Wonderfully patriotic. We don’t see things like this very often. I loved it.


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Posted by FullMetalPatriot
12th gen. American, Constitutionalist, Harley-riding Texan, gun owner & NRA member, blogger, illustrator, Florida Gator alumnus. #TCOT

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