This year, the theme was try and make the viewer cry. The Seahawks performance was enough to do just that for most people who were pulling for them. The ads themselves had little to nothing to do with the products being shilled, and leaned heavily on nostalgia to impart some yearning or greater message.
The best “message without a product mention” award goes to the Always Commercial themed around the common insult that one does something “like a girl.” Their message that doing things like a girl should be celebrated is spot on and they nailed it by airing this ad during the most male-machismo event of the year. Will more than half the population shrug this message off? Probably. But Always cited the fact that girls’ confidence plummets during puberty, which is a very real consequence of being shamed for having a female body. Like many of the other commercials aired during the event, it was highly dramatic and didn’t mention their product, but at least seemed to have a point.
For me, the best overall ad was by Esurance, with their “sorta you isn’t you” spot featuring Bryan Cranston. Maybe it’s because my sister’s a pharmacist, or maybe I just binge-watched all of Breaking Bad last summer, but can you imagine Walter White in full meth-making gear doling out your prescription medication? This line was perfect: “We’re both over 50 years old, we both used to own a Pontiac Aztec and we both have a lot of experience with drugs, sorry, pharmaceuticals. So. Say my name.”
I still have no idea what a lost puppy has to do with Budweiser, or how the tortoise drove the Mercedes. Not that great ads have to have to be strongly realistic, but give me something. The best line from a completely non sequitur commercial was the Dodge ad featuring centenarians – ”Keep your eyes open, and sometimes, your mouth shut.” Did it make me want the car? No. I found the elders amusing, but, much like the product, not persuasive enough that I’m going to drop $30,000 on the new Challenger.
I’ll admit I watch the game for the game, not the ads. The game was close but disappointing from my perspective. The ads were largely overblown and not advertisements for any product, but message statements. Is the drama of the “big game” so much that we’re going toward brand loyalty through politics and heartstrings, but products aren’t even worth mentioning?