Which advertisers made the most notable plays? I think it’s important to look at the TV commercial’s branding power, longevity, and multi-purpose potential, along with its propensity to drive sales. Who stumbled? Who scored? Here’s my take:
Fumble!
Nationwide “Make Safe Happen”: In their effort to shock and spark a conversation about safety, the spot showed a cute little boy talking about all the great things that he would never be able to do in his life because he died. Did they have to kill a child? Ouch.
Jublia “Tackle Toe Fungus”: Spot features a happy, animated toe in a helmet, and illustrates how Jublia fights toe fungus. The juvenile approach and low production quality did not create consumer confidence in the brand. What the fungus?! Not ready for prime time.
Fiat "Little Blue Pill”: The commercial shows a man about to pop a little blue pill in preparation for sex. The pill slips and lands in a car, which gets “revved up”, instead. The entertaining spot would make more sense for Viagra. Did anyone recall the brand was Fiat? I doubt it will motivate anyone to buy one. Lame!
Nissan “With Dad”: Commercial shows scenes of a busy Dad away from his family, making them sad; Cat Stevens plays in the background. Father and Son bond in the end. What does it have to Nissan? Nobody had a good time, then…
Nice play!
Snickers “The Brady Bunch”: The commercial remixes a scene from the Brady Bunch, casting Danny Trejo as Marcia and Steve Buscemi as Jan, as part of Snickers campaign in which people are “not themselves” when hungry. While the spot was funny and nostalgic, will anyone recall Snickers? Or just remember the Brady Brunch. Yes, “Snickers Satisfies.” And it did!
BMW i3 “Newfangled Idea”: Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric are featured in a 1994 TV moment during which they were trying to understand “the internet”. Now riding in the i3 electric car, they are again mystified by modern technology. The spot showed how the BMW i3 is technically revolutionary. Featuring Katie as a reporter was the best use of a celebrity I’ve seen in a while.
McDonalds “Pay with Lovin”: The spot illustrates the chain’s new promotion that randomly selects people to pay with lovin’. Sharing love with their customers through Valentine’s Day by giving away free meals while creating acts of love and kindness is a very well-branded promotion. “Give Lovin, Get Loving” has mass appeal and is bound to draw foot traffic. I’m lovin’ it!
Microsoft “Estella’s Brilliant Bus”: Estella Pyfrom brings technology access to kids. Her Brilliant Bus is a mobile learning station that gives under-served communities access to the technology that will help them reach their potential. Good storytelling, the spot shows how the company uses technology to make the world a better place. It’s a great play for Microsoft.
Touchdown!
Squarespace "Om – DreamingWithJeff.com”: Commercial features Jeff Bridges with a Tibetian singing bowl, chanting “Om” as a couple sleeps. The spot drives viewers to the website, DreamingWithJeff.com, dedicated to Bridges' charity album, Sleeping Tapes. The simplicity of the spot shows how easy it is to create a website with Squarespace. Support a good cause (No Kid Hungry), and sleep better with Jeff. Score!
Unilever Dove Men+Care “Real Strength”: Spot features children from babies to adults calling out “Dad”, and embraces how rewarding it can be to be a Father. The spot’s heart-warming moments and positive messaging reinforced the brand’s goal of challenging male stereotypes. Great branding and pays off their tagline, “Care makes a man Stronger”.
P&G Always “Like a Girl': Powerful commercial shows how the company is striving to transform the meaning of the phrase “like a girl” from an insult to an inspiration. The brilliant spot is part of Always’ campaign to elevate confidence in adolescent girls. “Let’s make it mean amazing things.” I’ll remember that spot. Always.
An expensive investment, Super Bowl advertisers spent a hefty $4.5M for a: 30 spot and whopping $8M for a: 60 spot, plus the cost of producing the commercial (which can easily run over $1M). Given that there is no guarantee the commercial will have a positive impact on sales, the stakes couldn’t be higher. While the sticker shock may scare away advertisers, it does make sense for some brands. One of the largest TV events of the year; there is no other venue that guarantees over 110 million people will watch your spot and talk about it—endlessly! The extensive PR value generated through the repeated coverage and “replay” across hundreds of television and radio stations, newspapers, blogs, YouTube and social media outlets can easily pay for itself, and then some…
Timing is everything. I believe that many commercials that were very good did not resonate with viewers because stories about life’s challenges can feel like a buzz-kill when you are in a festive environment, like a Super Bowl party. Effective advertising requires the magical combination of Right message +Right Audience + Right Time. To effectively stimulate brand engagement, find the right equation of creative and media and you’ll score.
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