I found that there was a variety in type of commercials that aired in this year's Super Bowl. You have the usual "sex sells" commercials and the "funny celebrity appearance" commercials as usual, but this year also included some depressing ones and a couple even dare I say, thought provoking ones. Although, you would think it would be fundamental that the millions of dollars spent on the short time slots should all leave you thinking about it long after the game is over, some seem to fail at doing so.
Advertisers know that sex is almost a sure fire sell for men, so it's a no-brainer to include that in the Super Bowl which already gets the attention of millions of male viewers. The company most predictable to bank on this- Carl's Jr. I knew it would be coming, and of course in comes the sexy almost naked blonde walking through the produce stands. I can't blame Carl's Jr. for doing this, because I had noticed every male at my house stop what they were doing to watch the screen, synonymous to the males in the actual commercial. So it does work, but it's still predictable. I read that this commercial was later banned for being too racy.
Best celebrity appearance commercial I felt was the Esurance ad staring actor Bryan Cranston as Walter White from the hit tv show Breaking Bad. Their "Sorta isn't you" campaign took the great Heinsenberg into a drug store behind the pharmacy counter because he's "sorta" like a pharmacists. The commercial was very funny and had a bit of a creepy feeling but that's why the show was watched by so many. Esurance chose a great celebrity and parody of his show to make a memorable ad.
There were definitely more depressing commercials than I would have cared to see during the Super Bowl, which is normally expected to be more funny and light-hearted. Most unwanted emotional as this year I felt was the Nationwide "make safe happen" commercial. They decided to air an "accidents are preventable" ad using scenes with a young boy who they killed off. I understand they want to get a message across, but not sure if it was necessary to induce viewers with such a traumatic experience.
I feel this one went to the commercial for Weight Watchers this year, my favorite ad for the Super Bowl. I realize it sort of plays on the hypocrisy of what the viewers eat during the game, or eating these bad foods any time in general, and what a huge problem it has become for Americans. This piece is using our addiction to bad foods and overeating seem almost as if it were a drug to us. Something that we no longer can control. They tag the last line with "it's time to take back control." With the rates of obesity skyrocketing over the past couple decades, they hit this idea that has almost become truth. The Weight Watchers brand is communicated through this piece by enabling us to see how we as a culture, have lost control in the food industry. All these companies sell more and more for cheaper and cheaper prices because they use worse and worse ingredients. The brand of Weight Watchers is not only selling their membership, but also the idea that we all need to acknowledge the addiction people are having to food. The concept of "food is a drug" is a brilliant way to give people a parallel into the nature of how detrimental this can be to our bodies.
This was important for Weight Watchers to include this in the Super Bowl as an advertising medium because it allows the opportunity for millions of viewers, who may very well at that very moment be eating/overeating all the bad usual Super Bowl snacks, to see and recognize it. The commercial slot costs millions of dollars, but if Weight Watchers got people to see this commercial and actually think about their "addiction,"and persuaded them to "take back control," then they've successfully given us a thought provoking ad.
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