obligatory super bowl commercial post

so, the Superbowl was yesterday.
and, of course, this is THE day for advertising.
getting to write/design/create/produce a TV spot for the superbowl, for advertising type peoples is, well, our superbowl, for lack of a more appropriate phrasing.

this is a picture that will let you know about how this post will go, just so ya know:

as i'm sure you've read within in mere seconds of each spot coming up on your TV screen (and will hear about for months and months, basically until next year), how AWFUL the ads were.
mediocre at best is how some will put it.
others will at least throw a bone to whichever ad they particularly enjoyed.
but still say "eh, it was okay."

and always, ALWAYS, the near involuntary and obligatory comment of "these ads used to be SO good. what happened?"

yes, the ever present "Remember when?" mentality.

and i can't stand it.

for one, if nothing else be remembered, most advertising is created with a first and foremost principle, after which the rest of the ad is created: Get the audience's attention.
well, these ads already have your attention.
you're ALREADY watching them.
attentively.

so that job requirement has been met, and after that first step, it's kinda a free for all.
and the fact that the viewership numbers are in the tens of millions, means that all these monday morning quarterback critics need to take something else into very serious and real consideration of fact:
You are not the only targeted audience member.

if there are one or two ads that are relevant to you, you're at average.
getting the intended amount of ads meant for you.

think about the people you were watching with.
these are your friends (presumably) and i'm betting you don't all share the same taste.
in food, clothing, cars, phones, professional aspirations, etc.

and that's with the people you DO know.
and there are millions of people, from all over the country watching.
and these are not hard sell ads you're seeing.
no one is having to be won over, per se, because, again, attentiveness is already achieved by nature of the venue.

so, give it a rest on all the negativity.
if it didn't meet your standards of good, it probably wasn't intended for you.
not everything will be.
in general.
but especially in advertising.

is that harsh?
do i sound bitter?

eh, i'm okay with it.


and, one last thing ... these are still WAYYY more enjoyable, on the whole, than whatever else you're seeing inbetween your re-run episodes of Seinfeld or Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
deny it out loud, but i know you think it in silence.

yes, i know.
and you know.
and now we all know.
that we all know.

ya know?

so, with that, here are my favorite spots ... you can view them all here: http://superbowl-commercials.org/

i LOVE slapstick.
this is great.
too bad i hate Pepsi.


this is just so good.
the thought, the direction, the music, and, man, the tagline "imported from detroit" ... one of those "i wish i had written that!" ... i mean, it's just a great, classic, powerfully American/anti-American attitude ads. i could go on, but just watch, and please, if you comment on nothing else about this post, i want to hear at least what you think (love, hate, otherwise) about it.


and this is just great as a salute to the audience.
and really shows that for as long as we've loved television, we've loved watching football on it.
and that in our fan rivalry we have camaraderie.


and this is just hilarious.
looks like a PSA, and then isn't.
and in an era of over-saturation of PSAs, i welcome this with open arms.


and i'm just way excited about these movies: