Posted by chicagomedia.org on February 02, 2009 at 07:58:07:
SUPER BOWL ADS | Few winners in these tough times -- wait till next year
BY LEWIS LAZARE Sun-Times Columnist
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So it wasn't the greatest Super Bowl of Advertising. There were still a few good -- even great-- moments. But times are tough. We'll take what we can get. Let's hope things are more super next year.
BEST OF GAME:
"HEIST" Maybe not the ideal commercial to put in front of a bunch of drunken Super Bowl party animals, especially late in the game. But this is a lavishly detailed commercial that does everything an ad for the ages should do. It whimsically tells the tale of a vast array of wonderfully realized animated creatures as they go about stealing a bottle of Coke from a young man. "Heist" ever-so-entertainingly reminds us of this iconic cola's, uh, widespread appeal. "Heist" made us super happy, and we suspect it will similarly affect millions of viewers for many years to come.
TOUCHDOWNS:
"SWEDISH" This is our favorite of the Anheuser-Busch spots. Late-night talk show host Conan O'Brien has never done a commercial before, but his first outing in this Bud Light spot suggests he has great potential in this arena. We like the way the spot sort of keeps us guessing how it will all play out, even while we are entertained by the unusual style of this so-called Swedish take on selling Bud Light. The generous use of real Swedish in the copy adds an exotic touch. This spot amuses but never feels like it's trying too hard.
"SCARECROW" BBDO/New York has created some stunning work over the years for its longtime client General Electric. This Super Bowl spot is another fine effort. Until this spot came along, who knew something as arcane-sounding as "smart grid technology" could be made to seem interesting -- fascinating even -- by introducing a lovably clueless scarecrow from the immortal "Wizard of Oz"? This commercial reminds us in a wonderful way why someone who does the hard work of making a memorable ad is called a "creative."
"HIGH STEPPIN" Whoever came up with the idea of creating NFL spots that tell the story of how certain players came to join the league definitely deserves a gold star. The idea is brilliant, and so, too, are the commercials. This year's Super Bowl commercial spotlights Usama Young of the New Orleans Saints, and it does a super, super job of recounting how Young began as a snowball vendor and worked his way up to the NFL and, in a certain sense, the Super Bowl, too. This is how storytelling should be done in advertising. It's involving, amusing. And yes, even touching.
"GENERATIONS" Given the dire state of the nation's economy, Anheuser-Busch opted to go heavy on Super Bowl spots starring the iconic Clydesdales, which the brewery believed would provide some much-needed emotional uplift. Of three Clydesdales spots, this is the best of the lot. Not a stunning spot, but the writing is smart and the storytelling is clear from start to finish as we learn how the Clydesdales got to America. The visuals don't always work, especially when it comes to the humorous visual shtick.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:
"CIRCUS" Ah, love is in the air in Clydesdale country, but this spot doesn't quite live up to its full potential. We watch with great anticipation as a Clydesdale overcomes all obstacles to reunite with his beloved, who happens to be employed at a traveling circus. A lot of this commercial feels likes filler until the Clydesdale winds up at the circus tent, where we are supposed to be amused by a plump circus performer taking a nasty tumble just before the equine lovers gallop off. The final bit with two circus clowns is certainly the most inspired moment in this otherwise just OK effort.
"MEETING" This commercial slipped into the Anheuser-Busch lineup at the very last minute and slipped into the all-important post-kickoff slot, which generally ensures plenty of eyeballs see it. Still, "Meeting" feels like something the brewer might have done for Bud Light four or five years ago, even if it does have a timely hook about trying to cut expenses. Everything is about making sure the big and outlandish visual gag at the end delivers. It does. But by now, this Bud Light formula, while hugely popular, seems a little tired. Especially on the Super Bowl.
"AVATAR" Hmmm. As much as we have liked a lot of Coke's advertising the last couple of years, it was perhaps inevitable that a clunker or two would find its way into the mix. While far from dreadful, "Avatar" certainly isn't in a league with the likes of "Heist." We realize this commercial is a nod to a younger generation that is comfortable with the virtual reality icons that are front and center in this commercial. While the spot sort of keeps you guessing where it's going, when it finally got there, the payoff -- for us anyway -- simply didn't materialize.
"REFRESH ANTHEM" Beverage and snack food behemoth PepsiCo is aggressively throwing big bucks at some of its core brands to give them a fresher profile and, thereby, boost sales. This tribute to youth past and present is supposed to help refresh the flagship Pepsi Cola's image. It's a nice montage of youthful imagery, even though a lot of it is rather grainy looking. But in the end, this nostalgia trip is not very compelling. We know Bob Dylan resonates with a lot of boomers who were young once, but we find his whiny singing style drags down the commercial's energy level.
FUMBLES:
"SKIER" If "Swedish" is our favorite of the A-B "Super Bowl" collection, "Skier" is by far the worst. This drawing-on-the screen concept introduced with the Bud Light "Drinkability" campaign last fall has quickly grown tiresome. And one guy's masterminding a skier's undoing doesn't rate so much as a chuckle. Nor does the guy in the arm cast at the end. Dumb, dumb, dumb, in the worst way.
"STICK" Two is company, but three Clydesdale spots in one Super Bowl seems like too much of a crowd. And this is definitely the spot Anheuser-Busch should have kept in the can. Again, one's appreciation of this commercial hinges entirely on a rather blah visual gag. Yes, it's nice to see the Clydesdale always getting the job done, but there just isn't anything special about the set-up -- or the payoff here.
"MEAN TROY" We've said it before, and we will again: You just never know what you're going to get in a spot from Crispin, Porter & Bogusky/Miami. Crispin no doubt thought it was being very clever when it came up with this modern-day twist on one of the world's favorite commercials, namely Coca-Cola's "Mean Joe Green." Here Pittsburgh Steelers player Troy Polamalu has replaced Joe Green, but the new spot simply foists some crudely realized humor on the basic plot of the original. It's a lousy tribute to a genuinely great commercial.
"SOBE LIZARDS" This was the Super Bowl's big 3-D moment. To us, it was much ado about very little. Yeah, the commercial has a high visual gloss, and the lizards are wild. But like the E-trade spot with the talking baby, recycling last year's concepts doesn't rate a high mark from us. Remember when the Super Bowl of Ads was all about big, fresh ideas? Not anymore.
"DORITOS" We figured at least a couple of advertisers would go for the lowest common denominator this year. Doritos sure did. But even the hugely crude antics in this year's Doritos work didn't quite sink to the scuzzy level of the stuff in the spots Anheuser Busch served up in the unforgettably bad 2005 Super Bowl.
"DOUBLE TAKE" It's all about the visual surprise in this Monster.com commercial. And the rear end of a moose isn't enough to make this spot work. It also needs to make a stronger statement about how Monster can help in getting a job. Which may not be such an easy thing to do in this economy. Especially if you're going for laughs.