As the advertising pundits begin publishing and posting the various Super Bowl advertising rankings and polls, I can’t help but wonder if we’re missing a subtle shift taking place, a momentum swing from the ostentation of advertising’s biggest spectacle back to the heavy lifting of communications plans.
Of course there are extenuating circumstances this year: a sobering economy, a new politics of “cautious optimism” and a collective sense of humor that’s more introspective if not downright conservative.
Now, being a veteran creative who’s worked on Super Bowl commercials and sat in the back of the room as my commercial’s time slot neared, crossing my fingers that my guests would laugh or cheer or give that approving sigh, I know the biggest hurdle to overcome is the game itself. A boring game means people are watching the spots with more excitement and expectation. An exciting game means people are either jumping from the couches during breaks for sustenance or simply irritated that the game’s been interrupted. The crowd swings with wherever entertainment value is highest.
Which is why commercials on the Super Bowl usually swing for the fences (sorry to mix the sports metaphor, perhaps go for the Hail Mary Pass). Just like the game, the goal is to rise above, to hoist the trophy.
This year it felt like most of the commercial competition decided to play “not to lose.” The humor was mostly physical and predictable: How many of you knew the office guy would be tossed out a window 3 seconds before it happened, or predicted the crystal ball being thrown at the boss? Who is going to sit patiently as Bud profiles the lives of its Clydesdales? Or another repurposing of the “Mean Joe Green” Coke commercial. And advertisers relying on 3-D gimmicks, come on.
Has the new technology wave and the habit of DVRing through advertising finally begun to take its toll? I don’t know, but it is odd that one of the most memorable commercials was for Hulu, the online entertainment portal that’s been successfully stealing eyes and ratings from television for over a year now.
Hey, I know that budgets are tight and paying $3 million a spot is ridiculous—but it’s the Super Bowl. Either play or exit. Here, the middle ground where you think about cost efficiencies or brand message points or tonality issues is deadly. Brands have all year to strategize and cleverly access new media to build stellar results-oriented campaigns.
But on this anticipated media day at this rare world event, don’t follow the marketing guidebooks. Go for it. Just like the game itself, the brands that do something amazing, that brake convention, shed their “concerns” make history. They are remembered; they are appreciated. They live beyond the game and into history. No matter what happens in the future, no matter how new media alters the face of communications that point will never change.
There WERE a lot of previously run ads this year; that is a comment I've made to several people. While there were a few spots that seemed like decent attempts, the vast majority really seemed to fall short. For all the money that was spent this year over last, you'd think the creative quality would rise too ... (a record was set this year, with $14mm more than last year in total).
Super Bowl Ads Use the Wrong Game Plan
As the advertising pundits begin publishing and posting the various Super Bowl advertising rankings and polls, I can’t help but wonder if we’re missing a subtle shift taking place, a momentum swing from the ostentation of advertising’s biggest spectacle back to the heavy lifting of communications plans.
Of course there are extenuating circumstances this year: a sobering economy, a new politics of “cautious optimism” and a collective sense of humor that’s more introspective if not downright conservative.
Now, being a veteran creative who’s worked on Super Bowl commercials and sat in the back of the room as my commercial’s time slot neared, crossing my fingers that my guests would laugh or cheer or give that approving sigh, I know the biggest hurdle to overcome is the game itself. A boring game means people are watching the spots with more excitement and expectation. An exciting game means people are either jumping from the couches during breaks for sustenance or simply irritated that the game’s been interrupted. The crowd swings with wherever entertainment value is highest.
Which is why commercials on the Super Bowl usually swing for the fences (sorry to mix the sports metaphor, perhaps go for the Hail Mary Pass). Just like the game, the goal is to rise above, to hoist the trophy.
This year it felt like most of the commercial competition decided to play “not to lose.” The humor was mostly physical and predictable: How many of you knew the office guy would be tossed out a window 3 seconds before it happened, or predicted the crystal ball being thrown at the boss? Who is going to sit patiently as Bud profiles the lives of its Clydesdales? Or another repurposing of the “Mean Joe Green” Coke commercial. And advertisers relying on 3-D gimmicks, come on.
Sobe: Lizard Lake 3D Commercial
There wasn’t a surprise in the bunch, not a single drop-your-jaw shocker. The talking babies have grown past their prime and Go Daddy is just plain tired. And I can’t remember a SuperBowl that ran as many already-aired spots before. Why in the world would someone put a rerun on the biggest ad stage of the year?
Has the new technology wave and the habit of DVRing through advertising finally begun to take its toll? I don’t know, but it is odd that one of the most memorable commercials was for Hulu, the online entertainment portal that’s been successfully stealing eyes and ratings from television for over a year now.
Hey, I know that budgets are tight and paying $3 million a spot is ridiculous—but it’s the Super Bowl. Either play or exit. Here, the middle ground where you think about cost efficiencies or brand message points or tonality issues is deadly. Brands have all year to strategize and cleverly access new media to build stellar results-oriented campaigns.
But on this anticipated media day at this rare world event, don’t follow the marketing guidebooks. Go for it. Just like the game itself, the brands that do something amazing, that brake convention, shed their “concerns” make history. They are remembered; they are appreciated. They live beyond the game and into history. No matter what happens in the future, no matter how new media alters the face of communications that point will never change.