I think only a couple commercials really stood out at half-time in Superbowl XL. The problem is that the commercials which are really effective (that sell products) usually aren't that memorable, or roll-on-the-floor funny. The GMC Yukon commercial is a very effective spot, but it's not particularly memorable. The Nissan Murano/Manta Ray commercial is also effective, but it's not going to be what everyone is talking about at the water cooler tomorrow morning.
I have to say that my favorite so far is the Miss Piggy Pizza Hut spot. After seeing Jessica Simpson tossing around cheese bites all evening (those spots started during the pregame), I laughed out loud at the Miss Piggy spot. It's effective as well, because nobody is going to forget what product the ads are selling, thanks to that blasted song that everyone will be singing well into Wednesday.
Bud Light is running its traditionally great spots, especially the "Save Yourself" ad. Beer ads are always hits, and always seem more creative than the rest of the pack. Coke has toned down their Full Throttle ad so that nobody could possibly complain about it. And GoDaddy figured out that all they need to do is entice people to head to their website — they don't need to actually show anything happening. I'm sure that made the folks at ABC happy, and it will end up being rather effective.
The ads still seem a bit ... bland this year. Everyone is waiting for the Olympics — bigger audience, cheaper ads, and not nearly the same ammount of scrutiny that Super Bowl ads get.
I'll have more after the game.
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Article comments
1 - KE
The commercials this year are pretty unmemorable. But I did like the baby Clydesdale wanting to be one of the bug guys and the big guys helping him feel like he was pulling the wagon. Also liked the "streaker" at the Clydesdale football game.
2 - Scott Butki
The careerbuilder one with the monkeys vs jackasses was my favorite for humor.
The clydesdale one was the best heartstrings one.
And the best one for unpredictability was the one with the girl playing football.
I missed the airplane one but heard that was good.
3 - Matthew T. Sussman
No love for the FedEx caveman ad?
4 - Matt Paprocki
Ditto on the cavemen.
"But Fed Ex isn't invented yet!"
"That's not my problem."
Him kicking the compy sold it completely. A+ for that.
The 'Little Monster' Hummer is one of my all time favorites (the robots eyes lighting up was priceless), but it premiered at the beginning of the NFL season, so it doesn't count.
Nealry all of Buds were good (as usual). The bear, "magic fridge," rooftops, streaker. All golden.
5 - hello
Wake up, honey.
You are in an advertising-induced coma. In the real world, while you were in your beer-induced vegetative state, people around the world were killed in your name. People died uneccessarily from malaria and aids. Women died in forced childbirth because there was no contraception and abortion. Children died because your government refused to send food aid since we have this major "war on terror" to fund.
Grow up. Football is just a game. Real people need you, the American citizen, to stop acting like such a child. You are immensely powerful, act like it. Help make the world a better place. Stop being such a jerk.
6 - Matt Paprocki
Yes, I'll sit here all day, not drinking since I don't, and worry about every problem in the entire world. Makes sense.
"Hey, we can't watch the Super Bowl. There are people starving in country X because they were too stupid not to have kids in the first place! Let's sit here and reflect."
7 - Chelsea Snyder
Matthew Sussman:No love for the FedEx caveman ad?
For anyone who is confused, this will explain Suss's affection for cavemen.
8 - Chelsea Snyder
I mean this.
9 - DJRadiohead
That FedEx commercial was... well... it kind of sucked. Didn't Geico already do the Caveman thing (and badly there, too, I might add)?
And while "Hello" was not watching the Super Bowl worrying about the issues they claim are so vital all those things happened anyway. Next weekend, when there is no Super Bowl, they will happen again. Grow up? Maybe lighten up.
10 - Chelsea Snyder
By watching and commenting on Fed Ex commercials, you're supporting Fed Ex. And Fed Ex kills Iraqi babies. Didn't you know that?
11 - Susan R-G
I only caught snippets of the S/B last evening, so I didn't see very many of the commercials. I did catch all that I missed this morning on MSN. FedEx was good, but my two favorites were the Sheep-Streaker in the middle of the Clydesdale game and the Clydesdale Pony with Big Aspirations.
Over-the-top ads seemed to be missing this year. Not as many memorable stand-outs as in years' past.
12 - DJRadiohead
Fed Ex doesn't kill Iraqi babies, Iraqi baies kill Iraqi babies. Or something like that.
13 - DJRadiohead
Susan, I think there was a sense of "It's all been done" with the commercials this year.
14 - Chelsea Snyder
I don't know. Since I moved back in my with uber-Republican parents, I've had media that tells me thinks about Iraqi baby deaths filtered out.
15 - Susan Reno-Gilliland
DJR/head - you're absolutely right. In the past several years, they've pushed the envelope in a few areas, as well as found some niches that seem to work, and it appears that they decided to go on the premise that "if-it-ain't-broke-don't-fix-it," and fell back on what has worked before. There really wasn't anything that was new, or cutting edge. Just some re-hashing of things that have already been done before.
16 - Scott Butki
Hello: Blogging is just a game. Real people need you.
Stop being a jerk.