There were plenty of familiar looking ads during the 2012 Super Bowl, which is why I had a hard time putting together a post on my favorite commercials. It seemed like less companies were taking chances, instead opting to repeat ideas that had been successful in the past. Maybe it’s a reflection of our times – instead of risking $3 million with something inventive, many chose to play it safe with something people may have connected with before.
But there were a few good chuckles, a couple of effective retreads, and plenty of great production value. Here are a few of the ads that really stuck out.
NFL TIMELINE
This spot to promote the league takes us through the history of football in 60 seconds, starting with a muddy, faded color pallette in 1906, and ending with a super saturated Devin Hester in modern day Soldier Field. The timing and atmosphere of the spot is fantastic, and while promoting the speed and strength, they also acknowledge the health risks players take when they hit the field.
TOYOTA CAMRY – REINVENTED
One of the fun car commercials that worked. It got weird enough to satisfy strange people like me, and still stayed on message – Toyota takes something standard (a sedan) and takes it to a sexy, time traveling level. Makes sense, right?
CHRYSLER – HALFTIME IN AMERICA
Just when you were asking people at your party how old Madonna is, on pops Clint Eastwood. Chrysler is no doubt trying to replicate the magic last year’s MADE IN DETROIT Eminem spot captured. Eastwood reads some heavy, philosophical copy that is meant to channel everything America is feeling at the current moment. And while it’s easy for the cynical among us to roll our eyes and say, “Right, if I just buy more cars AMERICA WILL BE SAVED!,” you have to admire the spot’s production value and overall positive message. And Clint Eastwood can pretty much sell me anything, because I’m a man, and I’m supposed to like him!
BEST BUY – PHONE INNOVATORS
So last year, Best Buy partnered Justin Bieber and Ozzie Osbourne to mixed results. This year, they go at savvy techsters head on, crafting a fun spot that features figureheads who invented soem of the things we use (and take for granted) every day – camera phones, streaming video, Instagram. And the Words With Friends / Alec Baldwin dig was perfect.
DORITOS – SLING BABY (and MAKE YOUR OWN)
Doritos “Crash the Super Bowl” contest has to be one of my favorite additions to the scene over the years, giving amateur film and admakers a chance to get their talents seen by millions of people. Among the two finalists that aired, Sling Baby was probably my favorite….
But probably my favorite Super Bowl commercial of 2012 comes from another Doritos entrant – MAKE YOUR OWN. The guys didn’t make the cut for some reason, but that didn’t stop the video from hitting more than 2 million views on YouTube and becoming a viral hit. Great comedy here….
ACURA – TRANSACTIONS
Of all of the standard big celebrity spots of this season, the Jerry Seinfeld Acura spot was my favorite. Even cut down from its longer version online, the spot hits on most of the jokes. As someone on Twitter pointed out, though, no way anybody ditches an NSX to do ANYTHING with Jay Leno….
CHEVY SONIC – STUNT ANTHEM
What a masterfully shot piece of production. Chevy put its Sonic through every situation you would never think of – a 360 degree spiral flip, skydiving, bungee jumping. Not sure any of it makes me want to buy their car, but hey, it’s fun to watch a car flying through the air out of a plane. This spot really took hold of Twitter for awhile….
VOLKSWAGEN – THE DOG STRIKES BACK
Last year’s big winner with their Darth Vader Kid spot, VW counters with THE DOG STRIKES BACK. A fat pooch can’t get out his doggie door to chase the new VW bug, so he slims down to make it work. Not sure why he can get outside to train in the pool but not to chase the car.
It was a nice touch to take us back to the world of “Star Wars” at the end, but it really reminded me of how much better last year’s spot was. Still, in this year’s crop of commercials, THE DOG STRIKES BACK was one of the better spots….
SAMSUNG – THING CALLED LOVE
Samsung goes right at Apple fanboys, here – poking fun at the long lines of people waiting for the “next big thing.” The people in line have lifeless expressions, sitting behind barred gates as if they’re just waiting for somebody to break them out of jail. Enter Samsung’s new phone, complete with a…..STYLUS?! That big little addition became the butt of many jokes online, but Samsung was a top trending topic for some time because of the ad. Well done.
AMERICA’S GOT TALENT – HOWARD STERN TEASE
Of all of the TV promos we saw during the Super Bowl, this was my favorite. Maybe it only appeals to Stern fans, but without Howard saying a word, it gets across his personality and everything he’ll bring to the show. The creepy smile at the end sells me….
So what did you think? Have a favorite ad we missed? Friend us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and let us know!
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