while most of the country was watching the game, creatives were tuning in for the biggest advertising day of the year. here’s our rundown of the top 10 commercials:
• #10: two broke girls — a little plug by CBS (not the first, not the last), this ad was a way for the home of super bowl 47 to promote one of its shining comedies.
clarity score: 10/10. attractive, appealing, and awesome — a triple a scoring for the commercial since you knew exactly what they were selling.
• #9: the late show — CBS also promoted its nighttime flagship offering, the late show with david letterman, at the expense of rookie indianapolis phenom, quarterback andrew luck.
clarity score: 8/10. although in the beginning it wasn’t 100% clear who or what the commercial was about, by the end we realized it was all about the super bowl, the late show, and quarterbacks.
• #8: E*Trade ‘baby’ — making his annual appearance, the baby hasn’t aged considering a year has passed. while E*Trade offers to show you how to save money, the baby’s aim in this commercial is to do the exact opposite.
clarity score: 7/10. it was a little typical, but still hysterical. while some things never age, the E*Trade baby may be an exception.
• #7: Time Warner Cable’s the walking dead “clean up” — the zombie craze is still in full swing, and AMC’s the walking dead is still at the forefront of the trend. Time Warner cable, however, is taking a little bite of the action too.
clarity score: 9/10. while the zombies or “walkers” were the focus of the commercial, the narrator made sure to mention Time Warner Cable in a “lively” fashion.
• #6: Samsung Mobile USA, “the next big thing” — the dynamic duo seth rogen and paul rudd are back in action as they expand the “galaxy” of Samsung’s audience.
clarity score: 7/10. while incredibly entertaining to watch the “knocked up” pair together, the commercial itself was a lot like the super bowl — a bit sloppy. however, with a cameo by lebron james, Samsung was able to successfully convey its message about #thenextbigthing being already here.
• #5: Mercedes-Benz, “soul” — this much-anticipated commercial has been teasing football and Mercedes fans for weeks (and Rolling Stones’ fans too, with sympathy for the devil). safe to say… it wasn’t a letdown. much like last year’s Kia commercial that featured rock band Motley Crue and hot supermodel adriana lima, this year’s offerings featured a slew of celebrities including, willem dafoe, usher, and Victoria Secret model kate upton. and you don’t have to trade your soul to enjoy them.
clarity score: 10/10. right from the start, you knew exactly what the commercial was for: Mercedes Benz; it was extremely clever and downright sleek.
• #4: Volkswagen, “get in. get Happy.” — this one made some noise prior to the super bowl, as many felt it had racist implications. its reception was more island-cheerful than stuffy-and-uptight.
clarity score: 10/10. though silly in the beginning and a little bit confusing, the commercial from Deutsch was warm, far from racist, and far from derogatory. not to mention delightfully creative.
• #3: Kia Sorento, “space babies” — for parents who have heard the dreaded five-word question, “where do babies come from?” Kia Sorento provides an inventive answer that involves a cute astronaut penguin.
clarity score: 10/10. right away you knew where the commercial was leading, you just didn’t know how it was going to get you there. it provided a twist: parents find most often that kids know more than they imagine.
• #2: Jeep, “whole again” — a major part of this commercial had to do with oprah, and it was touching. it reached the heart and soul of those who carry America on their shoulders and in their hearts, along with those who admire the nation’s heroes.
clarity score: 10/10. if this commercial didn’t bring a tear to your eye, i don’t know what will. without the appearance of any soldiers until midway through the ad, you knew it was about those trying to not only protect our country, but to find their way home.
• #1: Taco Bell, viva young — hands down, my favorite commercial of the night. it takes a group of elderlies and, well, reminds people what it means to be young again…thanks Taco Bell.
clarity score: 10/10. while fun (much like the featured band), it also was very imaginative and creative. at the end, I know I wanted a steak quesadilla, chalupa, or soft shell taco. viva young!
by
Joseph Melendez
The Copy Lab 