Super Bowl XLIII Ads Review: The Good, Bad and No-Shows

James — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 06:43:46 +0000

For those who watched Super Bowl XLIII, it was a pretty interesting scene. The veteran Steelers were favored from the get go, while the underdog Cardinals were in their Post Season winning streak. The game boiled down to some funky calls by the refs and some bad plays by the guys on both sides. Take out the safety, Steelers had it in the bag. Take out some personal fouls, the Cardinals were going to take it. In the end, both teams played well, but could have played better – and the refs could have called better for sure. But it was still a pretty exciting, record breaking Super Bowl. Congrats to the Steelers!

But to me, the most surprising thing of all was the no-shows – for the ads, that is. Super Bowl time has become known for its great advertisements, for entertainment on the field and during timeouts. While I was entertained to some degree, the lack of major brands that have advertised in the past left the middle parts seeming empty. But who can blame them? At $3 mil per 30 seconds, I’d be mad to see Chevy or Ford using tax dollars to by an ad. Good call on their part.

But the evening was not without its fun. Pepsi, GoDaddy, Budwesier, Taco Bell, Coca-cola, Hollywood – there was plenty to look at. Some left me entertained, some left me inspired and some left me scratching my head and asking myself, “They paid how much for that?”

So here’s a few picks of my favorites, least favorites and the downright wacky – along my take on the intent, effectiveness and stickiness of the ads. This is objectively subjective, so don’t hate… but comment and let me know what you think. Let’s have a discussion! Visit Hulu.com to see all the ads from Super Bowl XLIII.

Best of Show – Pepsi Max: I’m Good (Full Version)

On target, funny… I’ll probably go try a Pepsi Max at least once.

Worst of Show – Cash4Gold.com: Heeere’s Money

Just… what? running in second was Hulu’s weirdness along with Castrol Oil’s stupid monkeys.

Best Movie Trailer – Star Trek

Could it be the Bad Robot? Or is James Kirk just cool? Although, the Transformers announcement had me on the edge of my seat, also! Can’t wait for Optimus Prime to get back into action.

Funniest – NBC: LMAO

This was tough cause some of the ads were pretty funny. I liked Bridgestone’s Hot Item, Taco Bell’s Overrated, CareerBuilder.com’s Tips and Bud Light’s Swedish. But in the end, NBC’s LMAO ad was – well – lmao.

Most Memorable – Monster: Need a new job?

Big time toss up for this category. There were many that were memorable from Pepsi’s I’m Good to the Priceline Negotiator. Monster’s ad, however, struck me as both funny and serious. I think the imagery was inspired by a place where everyone has been at least once (perhaps not literally). The overall affect of the concept with the tag in the end was impacting. Stop being taking advantage of… Your Calling Is Calling.

Most Creative – Coke: Heist

So this was neck and neck between the Heist and GE’s Scarecrow. I loved them both – very creative. While the thought of insects enjoying a bottled Coca-Cola is a bit strange, it falls inline with a group of odd creatures hand bottling and delivering every Coke served up in a vending machine. Why most creative? The visuals were simply amazing.

Most Inspiring/Thought Provoking – Gatorade: Tiger

This was tough… real tough. I really like Kellogg’s Plant a Seed also, but in the end, the brief glimpses into the lives of ordinary people contrasted with well known athletes somehow inspired me. It demonstrated the commonality found within diversity – what drives people, inspires them and of course, what they drink. That said, Plant a Seed wasn’t far behind.

Say What? – Castrol Oil: Edge Monkeys

Should I say more?

Who Was That For? – Cars.com: David Abernathy

This was a really nice ad, actually. To me, it just didn’t fit Cars.com. The content and production were great, but who was that for again?

My 4-year-old Is More Creative – Cash4Gold.com: Heeere’s Money

Unfortunately, this ad wins again – and that’s not a good thing.

I Feel Funny – Sobe: Lizard Lake 2D

This ad just made me feel… strange.

Visit Hulu.com to see all the ads from Super Bowl XLIII. And don’t forget to leave your two cents!

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