By Robert Emslie
Much in the same way that retailers seem to start the Christmas season around mid-July, more and more Superbowl ads have jumped the gun getting online previews up to a week in advance of the big game. I didn’t watch any of them as I’m not interested in spoiling the event-like nature of the Superbowl – and should you not live in the US then our nation’s fascination with this single game maybe strike you as freakishly odd. What can I say other than ‘Murica, eff-yeah!
Okay, so I waited to see all of the ads, and that made the whole game telecast better and more event-ier. Of course it also didn’t hurt that the Ravens beat the 49ers 34 to 31, in what turned out to be a blackout-delayed squeaker of a second half, but while football is the meat and potatoes of the show, the commercials are the dessert. And every year companies break out the big dollars in order to impress with what they hope will be memorable ads. Sometimes they hit the bullseye – everyone remembers Apple’s Ridley Scott-directed Macintosh intro ad – while many years nothing seems to float to the top.
Of course we’re interested in which of the car ads you found most memorable, and which you thought were the most WTF? Did that Lincoln ad make you think that Ford knows less about picking an ad agency than they do about how to position that venerable brand? Was Audi’s Prom ad brilliant? And what about all the T&A (including an aurally gross spot from Go Daddy), does that make you more aligned with a brand, or just kind of creeped out? What do you think was the best car ad of Superbowl XLVII?
Image source: [MotorTrend]
Jeff Glucker
So, I went for a motorcycle ride instead of watching the Superbowl. The roads that are usually packed with Sunday drivers were dead.
Bliss.
Met up with a hot date… so there was a game last night?
The football men weren't the only ones to play ball HEY-OOOOOOOOOO!
(Someone had to).
Spent my Sunday afternoon wrenching. Bleeding brakes and replacing a heater hose that was a real PITA. What is this super cup?
There was hardly anyone at Fiesta Island. The dogs loved it!
In no particular order:
1. Fast & Furious 6: Jensen Interceptor, Antanov cargo plane.
2. Mercedes: Is that Nico Rosberg in an oval?
3. Ram: I liked the speech and the optics, but the pinko in me thought– The small farmer is extinct; it's all ADM now.
and Dodge Daytona too!
For touching, tear-inducers, the Ram commercial.
For funny, it's probably a tie between the Audi prom spot and the Hyundai "where do babies come from" spot.
That was Kia for the Space Babies spot.
About two weeks ago, Kia sent me a package that contained Astronaut Ice Cream and a copy of The Wheels on the Bus… PR is a weird business.
Oh yeah, Kia. I was going off memory.
That is pretty funny. A little foreshadowing?
Yeah, it was quite odd at the time. Plus, I hate Astronaut Ice Cream (don't hit me!).
Also, I got a sneak peek at some upcoming Kia/Blake Griffin spots — that dude is funny, and the commercials are too.
Audi Prom and Hyundai "where do babies" come from.
Missing in the post above are the Youtube-links to all the ads. Or am I blind? 🙂
I watched Le Cercle Rouge, which was an okay ad for the 1966 Plymouth Fury.
What is the Superbowl ?????? 😉
This? <img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CJiMltRI5UQ/Sr9WEdeYTvI/AAAAAAAAP9Q/CHYxplctC_M/s400/giant+bowl2.jpg">
That is a super bowl. So is this:
<img src="http://www.thatsnerdalicious.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/meat-bowl.jpg?cb5e28">
I knew pigskin was involved somehow.
Mmmm.. Bacon cone with sausage!! Perfect Zombee bait.
Hahaha! I love it!
<img src="http://hypervocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/superb-owl.jpeg" width="600">
Hahahaha..
<img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2047/2256825461_0e7a509135_o.jpg" width="550">
<img src="http://th07.deviantart.net/fs70/200H/i/2012/288/f/5/super_bowel_movement_by_jonnydare-d5hwsoo.jpg">
??????????????
There was a green 2nd gen Plymouth Satellite in this Taco Bell ad doing hoony things: [youtube 4g7NlR8Xi4Q http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g7NlR8Xi4Q youtube]
I liked the old folks with their old Mopar, too. And of course I'm a sucker for anything with the four rings. Although, as the father of a teenage girl I have to point out that a spontaneous and unexpected kiss on the lips can certainly be considered sexual harassment. The implication that it was welcome, after the fact, is a dangerous fiction that the entertainment world loves to toy with.
Audi: "Driving our cars will tranform you into the bold douchebags Audis have become synonomous with. No one else will care that you have an expensive car but you."
Mercedes: "No one will know that your new Mercedes is the cheap one. Everyone will see your new car and be very impressed. Start saving now, since it isn't available until August."
Hyundai: "Young parents are interested in CUVs, children, and children in CUVs."
Toyota: "The Rav4 is boring and unoriginal, just like this commercial."
Kia: "Being a pseudo-nerd, you are inclined to like this car, but all it will do is get you beat up. Women, in particular, will not care for it."
Lincoln: "This spaceship will transport you to a distant planet where hitchikers are friendly enough to marry."
Ram: "Farmers are tough, honest, hard-working people. God likes them a lot. Buy a $55k truck with leather interior, and you'll be just like them."
Your analysis of the Ram ad is correct, but probably not in a way you expect…. Many farmers actually do buy well-equipped pickups. I know lots of farmers who get leather seats in their nicest/newest pickup, or at least got the highest trim that still had cloth.
Heck, lots of new tractors have leather seats.
<img src="http://www.caseih.com/en_us/Products/Tractors/PublishingImages/Steiger_Features/CIH_Rowtrac-2879-Edit_7.jpg" width="500">
Being a city boy, I don't know too many farmers. However, I know plenty of successful small/medium sized company owners (landscapers, excavators, general contractors, snowplows, etc) who have top-trim pickups which are used as proper work trucks, so I completely agree.
The Ram ad was actually pretty effective at implying their trucks are as tough as the farmers who use them.
Tractor seats always tend to be important, since you spend a lot of time in them.
Nailed it!
I was sad to see Lincoln give a big middle finger to their Panther-platform past.
I enjoyed the Audi one…
I was bummed the Iron Man 3 trailer was a teaser, because that scene looks awesome.
Also, I don't care what you think but I can't wait for the next Fast & Furious…
DODGE DAYTONA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DODGE DAYTONA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DODGE DAYTONA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jenson…
[youtube qLp4FhDAfQk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLp4FhDAfQk youtube]
And an Mk1 Escort.
After Fast Five, I'm on board for getting pumped about the next F&F. Justin Lin has found a certain groove for cars and smashing.
Also, whenever I see someone shouting DAYTONA I think of this:
[youtube _RUmqwK3Xdk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RUmqwK3Xdk youtube]
I've got that on my $300 PS3 to drive with my $200 Logitech G27.
Dems a lot of quarters.
Spend some time on the motortrend site now, and as offtopic as this is, but is this an official Nissan photo?:
<img src="http://stwot.motortrend.com/files/2013/01/2013-Nissan-Versa-sedan1-623×389.jpg" width="600">
What a deformed car! Chernobyl genes?
[youtube kY84MRnxVzo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY84MRnxVzo youtube]
I liked the nice and short Lincoln Town Car commercial, except for the confusing part with some Toyota tacked on to the end of it.
Seeing as I spent most of yesterday playing around with CiV and Antichamber along with reading some books and running errands (and yes, it's nice to experience such traffic-free roads even in this podunk town), I must ask:
What game?
The Ram commercial was a home run for me. I grew up on a farm. I was in the FFA. Farmers just don't get enough respect for what they do. They will do without for years to buy that pickup. Then, they'll keep it till it quits. All the while, they'll use it for everything. Heck, my stepdad just put a balespear on the back of his Ram Dually the other day because the tractor broke down. That way he can carry big round haybales. This commercial did what it was supposed to. The only people who'll be offended are those who would be offended with Paul Harvey or the mention of God. In either case, YOU AREN'T THE TARGET AUDIENCE.
Right on the money, Josh! Well said.