Super Bowl commercials that scored — and bored
By David K. Li
Photo: Youtube (3)
Madison Avenue ordered up warm and fuzzy for Sunday night’s Super Bowl broadcast.
The modern Mad Men pitched products such as Budweiser, Toyota, McDonald’s and Dove — with expert doses of emotional manipulation — during 30-second spots that cost a record $4.5 million a pop.
“There were so many well-crafted campaigns with layers of meaning,” said Liz Dolan, chief marketing officer for Fox international TV and former head of global marketing for Nike.
Budweiser was a leader of the heartstring hype, using its famous Clydesdales and an adorable lost puppy to pitch its suds.
Budweiser: Lost Dog
“The puppy and Clydesdales — I think that’ll absolutely drive sales,” said NSG/SWAT CEO Richard Kirshenbaum, author of “Madboy: Beyond Mad Men: Tales from the Mad, Mad World of Advertising.”
It’s not always easy for companies to link passion to their products, experts said. For example, Toyota used the story of Paralympic medalist Amy Purdy to try to peddle its vehicles — and may have fallen short.
“It’s really an ad about how amazing Amy Purdy is versus how amazing the new Camry is,” said Megan Hartman, strategy director at New York ad agency Red Peak. “In the end, I don’t know what’s so bold about the Camry.”
Toyota Camry: How Great I Am
Still, even in this new touchy-feely era of Super Bowl advertising, celebrities were a valued commodity Sunday night — even the overexposed ones such as T-Mobile pitchwoman Kim Kardashian, who reminded customers they could get a better data plan, which they could use to look up pictures of — who else? — Kim Kardashian.
T-Mobile: #KimsDataStash
“Her performance was a 10,” Kirshenbaum said. “It’s very funny, and she mocks herself.”
In a nod to the ridiculous hype over the NFL and NBA drafts, Mexican avocado producers did a hilarious spoof on the events’ annual televised name reading.
“I totally loved it. It’s hard to make a joke about sports that hasn’t already been done,” Dolan said. “But the fact is that a lowly agricultural product made a really high-concept, funny spot that people watched and will remember.”
Avocados From Mexico: #FirstDraftEver
One little-known manufacturer — cellphone-charger maker Mophie — made a huge splash with a hilariously sacrilegious spot on the apocalypse that would come if God’s smartphone ran out of juice.
“Mophie, I thought, had one of the best of the lot,” said Stacey Nelson Smith, CEO of San Diego-based ad agency Civilian. “I mean, we’re all so attached to our phones that, God forbid, what would happen if our power goes down?”
Mophie: All-Powerless
The NFL even tried rehabilitating its own image with a spot on domestic violence. The league, which was criticized for its handling of player Ray Rice’s assault on his fiancée, aired a commercial featuring a terrified woman who calls 911 pretending to order out for pizza when she is really trying to convey to cops that she fears for her life.
“It was a real misdirection. You’re thinking, ‘Oh no, they’re doing something on pizza?’ before it takes a [dramatic] turn,” said Xanthe Wells, chief creative officer at The Pitch Agency in Culver City, Calif.
Take a look at some of the other big commercials:
Discover: Surprise
Loctite Glue: Positive Feelings
BMW i3: Newfangled Idea
Bud Light: #UpForWhatever
Coca-Cola: #MakeItHappy
Dove: #RealStrength
McDonald’s: Pay with Lovin’
Mercedes-Benz: Fable
Nationwide: Invisible Mindy Kaling
NFL: No More
Snickers: The Brady Bunch
‘Terminator Genisys’
Victoria’s Secret
Procter & Gamble: Like a Girl
Carl’s Jr.
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