In addition to football, Super Bowl Sunday also offers the Super Bowl of advertising. At
$3,500,000 per 30 second spot the ad inventory was again sold out for this year’s game and the broadcast will likely have reached more than 110 million people around the world. Since big money and big stakes were at hand the anticipation was high prior to the game for some ground-breaking advertisements. Like the Patriots final drive – most of the Super Bowl ads fell flat as far as I am concerned.

Like many, I watched a number of the preview spots before the game. I liked the longer web version of the Honda CR-V spot with Matthew Broderick reprising Ferris Bueller. It was a great job of melding story and product. Clint Eastwood took on Eminem’s role as spokesperson for Detroit in a great spot from Chrysler/Jeep. Tweets during the game suggested Clint should be running for President.

But for me, many of the spots were just okay at best and some worse than that. The Teleflora spot with the gorgeous Adrienne Lima ended up being patronizing and annoying. And the Coca-Cola Polar bears spots left me scratching my head – didn’t they do that already? Sort of like Career Builder and the chimps. I didn’t think they were that great the first time around. GoDaddy – ugh. The madcap Doritos spots are somewhat amusing and the bag of chips looks shiny but far from brilliant advertising. The Taxact.com spot suggesting that peeing in a pool was akin to the relief you will get by using their product was by far the strangest association. I suspect the Taxact.com website was not crashed by customers clamoring to learn more during or after the game.

Volkswagen about a dog getting in shape was several steps down from the Darth Vader spot of 2011’s Super Bowl. The Cars.com double headed dude was just kind of creepy although I did like the song. Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno for the Acura NSX were a nice combination highlighting their well-known reputation for being car collectors. And the car looked great. Toyota and Lexus ran a few spots that were ho-hum. The same is true of Budweiser and Bud Light (dog trained to get beer – didn’t they do that already?). The Skechers spot with dogs wearing shoes was fun. Bridgestone’s quiet technology exhibited by Steve Nash dribbling a basketball that made little sound was interesting and well done. GE did a couple of nice brand spots that were a welcome relief from the inanity. NBC did a nice job promoting its new show SMASH.

Overall I cannot pick one spot that was head and shoulder above all the others.

How about you? Share your best and worst spot thoughts with us.

The game will draw 100,000,000 plus viewers.  In the last 20 years, Anheuser-Busch has spent more than $300 million on Super Bowl commercials, Pepsi $254 million and GM just over $80 million, according to TNS.   What really surprised me is that the Pro Bowl played Sunday night had its best viewership since 2000 drawing 12.3 million viewers.  A game that the players don’t want to play in – you would think people would have something (anything!) better to do.  The Grammy’s drew twice the viewership and was an infinitely better show (I am guessing since I watched the Grammy’s and did not watch a minute of the Pro Bowl).   

And what of the game itself this coming Sunday?  Kickoff at 6:40PM and The Who performing at halftime.  But little is noted about the game itself.  The New Orleans Saints have an opportunity to both win their first Super Bowl and continue to help resurrect a fallen city.  The Indianapolis Colts led by 4-time Most Valuable Player Peyton Manning are hoping to validate a decision to give up the pursuit of a perfect season.  Only a Super Bowl win will accomplish that.  

For me – it’s about the food (chicken wings and chili) and drinks.  Our family and friends spend time together many of whom watch normally no more than half the game, (although in recent years the games have been really good).   

So I like both the ads and the game but as a sports enthusiast I prefer the game.  How about you?