It's that time of year again. The two best teams in the NFL are getting ready to meet in the championship game, and all over the nation there are people who are asking one question:
"What are the commercials going to be like this year?"
The Super Bowl has been an advertiser's competition as much as a football competition for years. Companies have gone bankrupt buying ad time on Super Bowl Sunday. Companies have been made because of the right ad on Super Bowl Sunday.
And everyone has their favorite ads. Apple Computer's famous "1984" ad (which I've always thought was over-rated). The Mean Joe Green Coke ad ("You want my Coke? Really, you can have it."). And many, many more.
And this year, it will be no different. Everyone will have their favorites, and people will be talking about the ads. And on Monday, people will head to places like Spotbowl to vote on their favorites. This year, there will even be a videocast for the commercials.
I'll be watching those. Don't get me wrong, I like football. I'll enjoy the game. But when the commercials come on, I sit up a little bit and pay closer attention. Advertising is a fascinating display of sociological manipulation in action.
This year the crop of ads looks meager, though. Go Daddy is having a hard time getting their ads past the censors. Truckers are upset about one Coke ad. And it seems like, in general, the advertisers are waiting for the Olympics to spend their money — larger audience for less money makes a lot of sense.
So this year it looks like we've got an over-hyped commercial day to go with the over-hyped game. But I'll be here either Sunday night or Monday morning with my ad ratings, and you can argue with me all week long.
Article comments
1 - lindsey
I love the superbowl commercials
2 - lindsey fernandez
The superbowl is one of the best days of the year.
I love watching the game but my favorite part of super bowl sunday is the half-time.
3 - AC
anyone know where a complete list of the commercials can be found? The USA Today list always seems to miss a few...
Thanks!
4 - Matthew T. Sussman
AOL usually posts it a couple days after.
5 - Warren
There's a list here. They've even got some of them available for viewing, and they'll have the rest during or immediately after the game.
Last year, they were still adding them during the game, and there are some ads that only run in certain areas, but this will give you a decent starting point.
6 - reggie von woic
Not being an football fan or an American for that matter, i was watching the super-bowl for the commercials.
They were damn hillarious!!
-the magic beer frigde
-the one with the sheep
-the one with pepsi doing a fight scene with Jackie Chan, and using diet coke as a stunt double (my fav,lol!)
Think i liked all the beer commercials.