Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Super. Bowl, That Is

This year’s Super Bowl was an amazing and exciting game. The commercials, not so much.

Here is my round-up:

Best Opening: The game had an opening kick-off returned for a touch-down. The ads had “Rock, Paper, Scissors,” showing the true value of rock over paper. It seemed like we were heading in the right direction…

Lamest of the Day: On the field, constant fumbles and dropped passes. In the ads, saleslead.com came out early to let us know that just because one is paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for the space, doesn’t mean one has to put any thought or creativity or entertainment in one’s ads. Saleslead’s successful guy was a joke waiting for a punch line; but they were serious, and the punch line was the ad itself.

Most Insensitive: In the game, Phil Simms announced during the opening kick-off that it was good for the Colts to start by kicking (seven seconds later they had given up a TD); and later announced that the Bears quarterback was in a groove and will now show improvement (just as Grossman threw an easy interception).

Between the action, GM, apparently forgetting the painful history of lay-offs and communities destroyed by lack of work in the auto industry, showcased a commercial where the GM organization fires a machine for dropping a screw, and drives said worker to suicide. What chance do human workers have at such a company?

Best Use of Assets: The NFL wins this one in an ad for itself: Getting Indiana native David Letterman to cozy up on the coach with Chicago institution Oprah Winfrey. Delightful.

Best Attempt: The Bears defense kept coming up with turnovers; which failed to help as the Bears offense kept coming up with turnovers. Sprint had a nice spoof going on those blue pill ads with it’s own “Connectile Dysfunction.” Didn’t quite pull it off, pretty much by giving away the joke too early. Fill in your own joke here.

Runner-up: The Bears. Off the field, Fed-ex “Moon Office.” Clever, and kept building. Several turns. Surprise ending. Just like the game.

Most heartfelt: Coach Dungy giving props to his opposing coach, and pointing out that both of them together proved that there is a way to win that involves class, respect, and building up the sport. As to the ads, the series of shots of African Americans watching the game, coming to a stop on the grandfather watching with his young grandson, smiling in the knowledge that this generation will grow up assuming that such an event is normal.

Best of the Day: The Colts need no explanation or voting. Commercials, however, need some explanation.

For me, a great ad should be like 4H (of which I was briefly a member). The “H’s” are: Head (it makes you think), and Heart (it makes you feel).

The other two for 4H are hand and health, but what do they know about commercials? So I’m substituting Humor (it doesn’t take itself too seriously) and Howitmakesyourememberwhotheadisadvertising. (Hey, you come up with an h word that says the audience doesn’t forget the sponsor.)

The winner: Jack in the Box, with Jack’s son announcing in front of the school and other parents that he wants to grow up to be a vegetarian.

Extra points for hinging a million dollar ad on a bad pun. My kind of people.

Just my thoughts,

Sean

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

...And some of us were stuck in transit (including a 6 a.m. flight out of Cinnci after a canceled connection and two hours of sleep) and didn't even get to watch the game. Hmph.

Gaffney said...

That's why I am here -- to serve with an update.

Ah, the blessings of Tivo...

Sorry your trip back was a hassle. Ours had its own difficulties. The cavier wasn't fresh, the airline masseuse had cold hands, and the jacuzzi kept sloshing over whenever the airplane made a sharp turn.

So you aren't alone...

-S

Anonymous said...

Gotta say I loved the coke ads.
Grand Theft Auto as a love fest turned a nasty cultural blight into a in-joke. Cool.

And I loved the Black History Month bottles and slogans. Clean, crisp, meaningful. Anyone know the piano piece that accompanies it?