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If there's going to be a big deal about Super Bowl ads and watching them and having Americans polled about which ads they like, Gothamist would at least like to see some good ads. Let put it this way: If these ads were first dates, Gothamist would never call them again.
This year's ads were lame, considering that we have no idea what 90% of the ads were for. Sure, there was beer, but what beer? And Ameriquest - thanks for sponsoring the halftime show and everything, but we have no idea what you do. People who work in the ad business or write about the ad business like the FedEx ad that mocked the conventions of ads: There's nothing like Burt Reynolds in a tight leather jacket, a dancing and talking (yet not masturbating) bear, and subtitles that says "FedEx is better than everyone else." Oh, wait, that message got lost; we were just obsessed with Burt's rug. Gothamist is also confused about Tom Cruise in The War of the Worlds; if there are aliens, are you sure it's not a Scientology movie? Finally, let's talk the Degree Mama's Boy ad; how disturbing was it when the Mama doll was pushing the Mama Boy in the shopping cart?
What did you think of last night's ads? USA Today had its admeter of the most popular ads. See the Superbowl ads on iFilm and the Patriots won the Super Bowl. Again.
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We have become afraid to be offended. Super Bowl ads have never been known as paragons of good taste, but at times they were entertaining. And at times they were edgy. But just as we have built a culture of fear in our politics, and in how we relate to people, we've built one in pop culture as well. No one wants to take the risk that they will see something that rubs them the wrong way. So we've whittled it down to nothing.
The hope is that, just as inevitably as this backlash to Janet Jackson appeared, the backlash to this backlash will appear.
Superbowl ads are designed to appeal to everyone in America. Mass appeal is the opposite of funny (c.f. 'everybody loves raymond')
mass media is dead. get your comedy somewhere else.
Stupid, dumb ads. Where's that car dropping out of the tree? That was funny. And Paul McCartney as the half-time show? What the hell! I'm a fan of his but IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME and I want some dancin' AND singin' by young people too!!! So, we get a song about sexual identity and who you are, a song about getting over youthful innocence and realizing you need to kill those who would kill you (oh, JAMES) and a song about drugs (but, HEY, a huge hit in its day and apparently still big).
Thanks for the Ifilm link. I missed the superbowl and was wondering about the Ads.
That FedEx ad was brilliant. It was tongue-in-cheek and funny in its own right, but especially good because of how dead-on its parody was, when compared with its competitors during the broadcast. Every one of the 10 items needed for a successful Super Bowl ad were used, usually clumsily and obviously, by other advertisers. The talking/dancing animals were particularly plentiful and unwelcome this year.
The Heineken ad w/Brad Pitt was pretty good, mainly because it was simple. No stupid jokes, no huge special effects, just a stylish and well-shot ad. At least it wasn't annoying...
Maybe I am an idiot but I thought the "Cat Killer" ad was hilarious. I think hot wings came out of my nose.
The new "Ad Bowl" is the Oscar's. Has been for a few years now.