The big question around my house was not who was going to win the replay of the NY football Giants - how many years has it been since there was anything but a football Giants in NY? – and the New England Patriots. It was what were the commercials going to be like.
While the game ended up being wonderful, I was sound asleep before the final scoring by both teams was done. I really wanted to watch the episode of “House” that had been advertised throughout the game as coming up after but I am not even sure we managed to get it recorded, if it was on.
I sat down to watch the game with my marketing major cap on and thinking of all the papers I had written in college regarding the placements and sponsorships and good or bad ideas. I love the commercials but am truly appalled at the money spent on them.
In the mid to late 80s and early 90s, you could almost always count on a Mac commercial to be new, pushing the edge and on during the Super Bowl. This year, Apple introduced the new Mac Air Book – I would love one of these computers – earlier this year. The ad did air but it was the same one that has already been on with the computer in an envelope.
Budwiser did not do a Bud Bowl ad this year. I use to love these as they ran throughout the game and were actually mirroring the game in that the beer bottles played football. Anheser-Busch did have a commercial that was a “series” commercial. It was for Bud Light and was all these super powers that suddenly came with the beer. Not spectacular and not the best use of their money in my mind but they were entertaining.
The Audi ad with the old man in bed that had a tag line about putting old luxury on notice was eye grabbing. No one, until the end, could figure out what it was for. It had my 17 year old drooling for a new Audi and definitely will appeal to young professionals.
EnAble from PepsiCo had a great hook. The subsidiary or department – I didn’t get a good feel for what it was – helps placing people with different abilities. The logo has braille that comes under each letter. The ad was silent. Captions ran. There was some sign language. It showed that we all are the same, while different. It was one of my favorite ads of the night. One reason for favorite status is because I only saw it once. The other is I thought it was unique.
If I never see another Taco Bell ad, it will be way too soon. I am not running out to buy 99 cent whatever they were and talking numbers don’t move me – cute or not. I also thought the Fiesta Platter ad was a bit odd but I was happy to see a different ad.
While I didn’t see the connection between the new hybrid Yukon and the beginning of the ad, I was intrigued by the ad as it had a pencil drawing animation of a man pushing a boulder up a hill. I thought the wording and animation were wonderfully done.
The careerbuilder.com ads were great! First off, I thought they were for the competitor – monster.com – as that is who I am use to seeing with Super Bowl ads so placement may not have been the best but the ads themselves were well done.
The e*trade ads with the baby at the keyboard were interesting. I stopped to watch and by that point in the night, I was pretty well done watching much of anything. I particularly liked the one with the clown in the background which was ad 2.
I also missed one Coke ad but really loved the one with James McCarville and former US Senator Bill Frist in it. Not only did it show the sights of Washington, DC, it also played to the political junkies out there taking a break for the day from a presidential nomination process that seems to be going on forever.
I could go on and on, mentioning Overstock.com, FedEx and others, but I will stop here. The game was better than the commercials this year!
