I’m Only Watching for the Commercials: An Advertiser’s Take on the Super Bowl 2012
Growing up in a home with all brothers and a dad who loves football, Super Bowl Sunday always meant to me a celebration of the final day of football!! And let’s not forget, the ability to finally have a vote for what we watch on the living room TV. It was at an early age of around 10 when I realized I was, “only watching for the commercials.” I began to love the ads and studied them, choosing my favorite brands and determining which ones did a better job from year to year. To my own surprise, I found myself looking forward to Super Bowl Sunday’s advertising every year!
This year was another fun evening of advertising, hearing the family laugh, seeing my 88 year old grandmother’s jaw-drop, and witnessing my dad’s smile when he related to one of his favorites, Clint Eastwood and the message about hardworking Americans. Analyzing their reactions and comments left me wondering, did the advertising resonate and did the ads reach their target markets? I know my brothers and the 5 other men in the room wanted to buy flowers, computer hosting services and possibly a KIA by the end of the game. I know every woman in the room, including my grandmother were talking about Beckham well after the spot ended and then were “shushed” because the game had come back on.
My personal Advertising Thumbs Up go to:
1. Ferris Bueller and Honda CR-V –
I loved the nostalgia! It was brilliant for those who have seen the movie and could relate, remembering their high school days. It also worked for those who may have not seen the movie, it says life is short, it’s important to enjoy it, and the car to do it in is a CR-V. Smart ad!
2. VolksWagen The Dog Strikes Back –
Well done, as usual for VW! Perfect choice of music. Yes, you get a cute animal (a Super Bowl staple) but it’s a good build-up to a beauty shot of the new Beetle too. In the second half of the spot, the “Star Wars” bar scene, I felt, could have been done without. I am not sure anybody but advertising people even remember the Darth Vader kid from last year. I did just hear today that VW’s teaser ad leading up to the game (the dog chorus barking the “Star Wars” theme song) went viral and accrued $9.6M of Twitter Impact Media Value. Wow! That’s powerful!
3. Sketchers Dog Race –
Hilarious and a great, humorous ad. What we all expect in a good Super Bowl spot! Ironically Bradshaw’s touchdown in the final minutes paralleled the sketcher dog’s moon walk backwards across the finish line! Although not on purpose, still a funny observation.
4. Clint Eastwood, It’s Halftime America –
Wow, it was moving, real and captivating. It made me and the entire room silent with focus. I wonder though, will it drive Americans to take notice — and ultimately buy a Chrysler?
5. CHEVY The Apocalypse Proof, Silverado –
This ad started off a bit strange for me. I was skeptical, thinking there would be aliens or something supernatural and it was turning me off, wondering how they would relate it to a truck. Then it came together in the end, brilliantly, even down to the Twinkies, which obviously can withstand anything, like a CHEVY truck.
6. Audi Vampire Party –
One of my faves of the night. Audi’s LED headlights fry all the partying vampires…sorry Twilight fans…..“Daylight now in a headlight.” Fun to watch and built entirely on a real point of difference. Pretty unique and a bold move. I loved how the ad seemed to target a younger audience than the seemingly normal demographic.
According to Mullen, an ad firm in Boston that was tracking the Twitter traffic on Super Bowl ads in real-time:
1. Doritos (Tweets 48,498) (Sentiment 29%)
2. H&M (Tweets 43,536) (Sentiment 14%)
3. Chrysler (Tweets 33,943) (Sentiment 10%)
4. Pepsi (Tweets 39,242) (Sentiment 8%)
5. Chevrolet (Tweets 36,934) (Sentiment 17%)
6. M&M’s (Tweets 18,316) (Sentiment 41%)
7. Budweiser (Tweets 18,916) (Sentiment 12%)
8. VW (Tweets 17,131) (Sentiment 26%)
9. Coke (Tweets 18,463) (Sentiment 4%)
10. Bud Light (Tweets 15,298) (Sentiment 18%)
