Choosing my favorite Super Bowl commercials each year reflects upon my sense of humor as well as my sense of humanity. For this year, my favorites include:
MADE ME LAUGH
- Popcorners – These commercials offered a takeoff on Breaking Bad that could make even someone not familiar with the TV series chuckle.
- Dodge – “Premature Electrification” was a fun commercial, yet the concept has been used in other media for everything from elections to HVAC systems). The final five seconds turned a fun message into a memorable one.
- Dunkin’ Donuts – I loved the concept of Ben Affleck working the drive-through window at the donut shop, and the clincher was when his wife, J-Lo, made the cameo at the end and a clever final line. Ben is well known as being a devoted fan of the brand, so that added an extra layer of credibility to the commercial.
- Bud Light – I loved Miles Teller and his wife Kaleigh having fun while waiting on hold as they dance and play around – and their dog was precious as well.
- Pepsi Zero – I preferred the Ben Stiller commercial over the Steve Martin, but they offered a clever message: Are we just acting, or is it really that good?
- Google Pixel 7 – It demonstrates how this smartphone can remove unwanted portions of our photos and its examples of former exes as well as photo-bombers were applicable to all of us.
- Michelob Ultra – OK, I’m a very loyal fan of “Caddyshack” so I loved both of the references, even with some new cast members (Tony Romo replaced Bill Murray and actor Brian Cox replaced Ted Knight), plus Serena Williams, Alex Morgan, and Rickie Fowler. And who doesn’t love the theme song, I’m All Right by Kenny Loggins?
- Crowdstrike – The best way to drive home the value of I.T. is to have a cybersecurity professional determine whether the giant Trojan Horse should have been allowed inside the gates of Troy. The cyber expert runs a test and identifies the wooden horse is filled with Greek soldiers, so the horse is pushed backward and falls off a cliff.
- Dorito’s Triangles – Musician Jack Harlow creates a new rage in the music industry by featuring the musical triangle, which is the same shape as a Dorito. At the end, he is at a music award show and expects to win the Triangle Award, but it is presented to Elton John, whose piano is in the shape of – you guessed it – a giant triangle!
- Uber One – Diddy is asked to write a hit to advertise Uber One, so he embarks on a group of one-hit-wonders to reprise their greatest performances, and then some Norwegian comedy duo jumps into the mix.
- E*TRADE – Babies at a wedding talk like adults about family priorities and retirement.
- Workday – Rock stars complain about companies that refer to their highest achievers as “rock stars.” Among the real rock stars appearing: Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Idol, Joan Jett and Paul Stanley of the rock band Kiss.
- General Motors – The Will Ferrell takeoff on zombies was clever but I’m not into the zombie craze.
And my favorite:
- Kia – A man desperately returns home to collect his daughter’s lost “Binky” (pacifier), and his trip becomes an epic journey. At the end, the worn-out dad retrieves and gives the “Binky” to his daughter, only to see her spit it out because he brought the wrong color one.
MADE ME THINK
- FWBP Digital Partners -
- The “He Is Us” campaign that presented Jesus Christ in a different light showed that Jesus reaches out to all of us. I read that the organization raised $100 million from 75 anonymous donors with the intent of running in the Super Bowl ($20 million for one 30-second commercial plus one 60-second commercial) and throughout this past year. The purpose of the campaign is to grow awareness of the relevance of Christian faith at a time when church attendance is declining
- H-E-B Grocery – Its two commercials remind us that part of why we love the grocer is its quality store brands such as its buttery tortillas and the green sauce for chips. Its messaging offered a much stronger emotional connection than the other grocery advertiser.
GAVE ME A WARM FEELING INSIDE
- Amazon – The commercial showed a bored dog that tore up the house when the family was away during the day at work and school. The solution was a crate from Amazon, which was delivered with another puppy inside, and the two canines ended the commercial sleeping on the bed with the little boy of the family.
- T-Mobile – The commercial featuring John Travolta, Zach Braff, and Donald Faison was a loving tribute to Olivia Newton-John, who died of breast cancer last year. She and Travolta starred in the hit movie Grease, where the Summer Nights musical number was one of the most memorable segments.
John Fletcher is CEO/Founder of Fletcher Consulting Public Relations in Arlington, where he emphasizes the value of developing strong personal and business relationships. Contact him at john@thefletch.org