I have to admit, I generally watch the biggest football game of the year only for the commercials.
Sometimes they're funny—sometimes touching, audacious, political, mawkish clever, (often chauvinistic)...
This year's, I have to say, were somewhat of a letdown.
By far, the biggest advertisers were car companies, including: Acura, Audi, Cadillac, Hyundai, Toyota and Volkswagon. Other industries that invested $3.5 million for 30-second slots (according to a New York Times article published Friday) were: Internet sites, food companies and movies.
And, of course, there were the Super Bowl mainstays like Anheuser-Busch (Bud and Bud Lite) and Coca-Cola.
My favorite didn't come until after Madonna's half-time show. It was a Bud Lite ad, featuring a dog named "Weego," who would run and grab a beer for anyone who called out "Here Weego."
Maybe I don't have the most sophisticated sense of humor; but everyone in my family laughed. And we all loved the plug for adopting rescue dogs at the end of the commercial.
Which was your favorite Super Bowl advertisement this year?
Which was your favorite Super Bowl commercial ever? (Watch the youtube video embedded above to refresh your memory.)
And vote for which company you think is the symbol of Super Bowl advertising in our poll.
Krista Madsen
11:41 am on Monday, February 6, 2012
Dare I say, none of the above?! No ad stood out to me. I agree with your "something of a letdown" assessment.
Nancy
11:48 am on Monday, February 6, 2012
the M&M's
Krista Madsen
12:03 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012
Yes! I forgot that one. Naked M&Ms are funny
Lisa Buchman
11:54 am on Monday, February 6, 2012
Hands-down favorite - the chubby dog who got in shape to run alongside the Volkswagen. Least favorite - I don't even remember the product, but the woman who said Valentine's Day was simple - get flowers and "you shall receive." Buy roses and...? I found that offensive.
Francis T McVetty
4:11 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012
Lisa, It maybe offensive, but it rings true in this day and age. How many times has it worked? Come on, you know it does.
Lizzie Hedrick
5:11 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012
Francis, an article in the NY Times today (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/06/business/media/super-bowl-commercials-from-charming-to-smarmy.html) pointed to the tendency of super bowl ads to exploit women and cater more to "male values." I may take a shellacking for posting this comment, but clearly a known (MALE) writer for the NY Times agrees. It's 2012.
Carole Sax
12:22 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012
WEEGO, BUD LIGHT ADOPT/RESCUE, Love it support animal rescue, never shop, adopt.
Krista Madsen
1:04 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012
Interesting that there was an ad for "Detroit"
dleighg
1:04 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012
The cheetah let of the cage to race the Hyundai (I think) who gave up, then went after the guy who had him in the cage. Also the "end of the world" and only Chevy trucks (and Twinkies) survived.
Spruce Bringsteen
1:31 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012
You can never go wrong with a Yeknom CareerBuilders ad. Those chimps are the most creative admen we've seen in a long time. Who here hasn't been on a business trip to Newark and wound up in bed with a bunch of furry swingers?
Wego was good as was the cat-killing, Doritos-bribing Great Dane. The Coke-swilling polar bears were good in a laid-back way. You obviously need an animal pitchman to successfully hawk your product these days.
Krista Madsen
2:42 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012
Sling Shot Baby!! That was funny too, so maybe I have to take back my original critique.
TStrat
2:44 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012
Weego!
Lizzie Hedrick
3:21 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012
I'm gladly I'm not alone in my slightly vapid sense of humor. :-) So, do you think the payoff is worth the money for these ads?
Francis T McVetty
4:12 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012
The worst one was for the Chevy truck. Disgraceful at best.
Jeff Kent
9:45 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012
I loved the Met Life commercial with all the cartoon characters...great memories and a beautiful message, 'everyone.'
Nicole De Maria
10:32 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012
Hands down my favorite was David Beckham's undies commercial! :)
Dzeldaz
4:52 am on Friday, February 10, 2012
My friend's sister-in-law asked for a replay of that one! Three times!
David Bataille
7:16 am on Tuesday, February 7, 2012
End of the world Chevy truck commercial was my favorite. Go Chevy!
J Man
9:48 am on Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Broderick. Broderick. Broderick.
Francis T McVetty
9:49 am on Tuesday, February 7, 2012
David, Chevy has a long, long way to sell the amount of trucks ford sells. The F-150, the most popular truck sold in the USA. And by the way, we the taxpayers didn't have to supplement its making!!!
sackhoes
11:34 pm on Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Budweiser very consistently makes top notch commercials and lousy beer.
Lizzie Hedrick
5:04 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
That comment cracked me up! Thanks for the early-morning laugh.
Charles McMorran (Chuck)
10:19 am on Thursday, February 9, 2012
The Fiat ad...really perked up my interest.
Dzeldaz
4:59 am on Friday, February 10, 2012
Of course, I can't remember the product, which makes it a lousy ad, but most of us laughed heartily. The guy kept teasing the woman with maybe yogurt (?) on a spoon, so she head-butts him. A few folks didn't like it because they felt it was violent. Hey, don't tease people, be nice and share, and you won't get conked! It was a great commercial.
I know I'll get shot down on this one, but I loved the baby speed dating. I think I'm the only one. Ususally, I snooze during those commercials. This one was clever. Again, I don't know the product, so the commercial didn't do the job. In that area, none of the commercials were good, because I couldn't put a product name to any of them (dang, I missed the Bud one!)
Francis T McVetty
12:35 pm on Friday, February 10, 2012
Dzeldaz, two good choices!!
Dzeldaz
1:14 pm on Friday, February 10, 2012
Thank you, Francis! The game was fun to watch, too. My team wasn't playing, though it was still a great game. What a final play!
George Datino
2:21 pm on Friday, February 10, 2012
Overall, not all that impressed this year with the group as a whole. Not sure if expectations are getting the better of me or advetisers are not able to get back to the "glory years" of SB Ads. Anyway, some of the better ones have already been mentioned but the another good one that hasn't been mentioned is the Doritos commercial where the dog buries the cat collar and is bribing the husban with the Doritos while the wife keeps asking if he has seen the cat.
Francis T McVetty
2:37 pm on Friday, February 10, 2012
I bet PETA wasn't happy with that one.