While many Super Bowl viewers focus on the teams and the score, there are many who turn their attention to the multi-million dollar commercials. This year was not the best. Sure, there were a couple of laughs, but the body-builders, cows, Greek yogurt, and “dober-huahua”? This year’s commercials were nothing spectacular.
The Good:
At the top of the list is Budweiser’s commercial affectionately called “Puppy Love” involving a puppy that escapes from Warm Spring adoption and makes an unlikely friendship with a Clydesdale. Did you see that sad puppy in the car window? Not sure what it has to do with beer, but then that’s not really the point, is it? At least this year’s commercials were humorous in a sense and we don’t have to deal with an onslaught of Century 21 commercials like last year.
Once again, two GoDaddy commercials reached millions of viewers on game day. This year’s commercials involved a woman “pumping up” her tanning business, which was rather disturbing. The other commercial involved a good premise: someone quitting their job to create a website, via GoDaddy, and create their own fortune. It would be better seeing the boss’s face or the entrepreneur’s, a year from now.
The Bad:
Apart from having a few comical spots, Soda Stream ended up at the bottom of the list. Sure, the company in and of itself is doing well, but they tried hard to go viral using Scarlett Johansson. The slo-mo sipping was cliché and the entire thing was a big plea for affection. Sorry Soda Stream, but your grade is as bad as your Cherry Soda flavor mix.
There are the groups of commercials that weren’t bad, but didn’t earn any noticeable attention. For instance, Turbo Tax’s ad about a guy sulking on a couch as the camera pans to a prom-like gymnasium scene. Then, fancy pants “Sean” comes in with a glittering golden suit and gets the girl. If you file your taxes with Turbo Tax, you too can become a gold-suit wearing, girl-stealing fancy pants as well, apparently.
Some commercials try too hard for attention and the “wow” factor, like the Bud Light “Epic Night” clip. It involves a guy who goes out with Don Cheadle, a llama name Lilly, and the identical twin of the girl he is going on a blind date with to a sudden-death match of Ping-Pong with Arnold Schwarzenegger (which he wins) and finally ends up onstage with One Republic. Seriously?
Doritos seems to always make an impression during the big game. Last year’s “Fashionista Dad” was hilarious. Unfortunately this year’s ad didn’t measure up. A dad is inside a cardboard time machine with the message “insert Doritos here for time machine.” The get off my lawn premise wasn’t up to snuff and was about as bad as the Broncos’ first half.
“Visually pleasing, but lacking in content,” said Dana King, as he relaxed by the HUB’s cozy fireplace. Commercial wise, this Super Bowl was a bust. Just not enough content that pleased the viewers. It was all bells and whistles, without the noise.