Thursday, February 5, 2009

Sub-Par Super Bowl Commercials Anger Fans

Average advertising leaves viewers wanting more

Zach Fraser

Published: Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Coke

Photo Illustration by Max Roberts

Whether you watched for the game, the festivities or the downright social aspect of it, the Super Bowl this year seemed to fall a little stagnant and prove this year to have many ad flops.

Oddly enough, two brothers who entered in a Doritos advertising contest made the commercial that seemed to get the most positive feedback. Joe and Dave Herbert gave the Super Bowl audience a great laugh in their, “Snow Globe” commercial where two office mates asked their future to a snow globe, being rewarded with free Doritos. Not only do they have a great commercial to look back on, but also a not too shabby one million dollar reward for winning.

Another commercial that entertained audiences was the Coca-Cola “Picnic” advertisement. The minute long commercial featured all sorts of bugs and insects depriving some man napping in the pack of his beloved Coke. The computer animated commercial was ever so appealing to the eye which made it a success.

Pepsi’s advertisement used Bob Dylan’s song “Forever Young” as the backbone to their refresh everything slogan. Although the commercial meant well, I highly doubt that Bob Dylan’s counterpart in the ad, Will.I.Am will lead anything close to a revolution like Dylan’s musical career. All and all though, it was a fun commercial that is riding the coattails of Pepsi’s past success with their Jimi Hendrix Super Bowl advertisement.

GoDaddy.com. I get it. Sex sells, I’m a 20-year-old male in college; no one gets that better than me. But, believe it or not, most of us have younger siblings that we’d like to shelter for just a little bit longer.
Priceline continued with their awful advertisements featuring William Shatner. Shatner gives a struggling couple something to be excited about when he gives them a great deal on a vacation. The plot doesn’t sound too bad, but the over-the-top acting and hideous “Priceline Negotiator” jig makes nails on a chalkboard sound more appealing. And William Shatner, does anyone dislike him as much as I do?

Not necessarily bad, Budweiser followed in their own footsteps with making more commercials including their signature Clydesdales. The commercials which have had success in the past are starting to become a little bit to overdone and hopefully next Super Bowl we’ll have a different direction with Budweiser’s advertising.

To me, the most interesting thing about the Super Bowl commercials this year was not the awful ones nor the great ones, but the movie teasers, which seemed to stir up the most commotion.

Teaser trailers for the new “Fast and Furious movie, new Will Ferrell movie” and new Pixar movie seemed to make everyone excited. Not to mention, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” surely to be one of the year’s biggest blockbusters.

Overall, the Super Bowl commercials were average this year, leaving room for much debate as to which was the worse and which was the best. Super Bowl XLIII did give us though is anticipation for next year’s commercials, in hoping that they improve, greatly.

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