Super Subjective Big Game Ad Synopsis

This article is purely my opinion and does not reflect that of my employer.

We’ve hit an interesting point in American history. Not because of any political discourse or extravagant progress (or regress, for that matter), but because the pinnacle of American sports has become just as much about the brands and their ability to take the stage during The Biggest Game of the year as the athletes who play the game. What stories will they tell? What emotions will they evoke? What memes and GIFs and one-liners will inevitably spawn from the commercials and live on in the depths of the Internet?

This year we saw everything from the re-imagination of everyone’s favorite cleaning crony to bold statements on the current cultural climate to apparent carnal desires from the underdog in the telecom world.

Without further adieu, here’s my take on the ‘Top 5’ and ‘Bottom 5’ (with a few honorable mentions) in no particular order from this past Sunday.

Top 5

Mr. Clean

This has caused some division among viewers on the Internet. Mr. Clean got a makeover. Did they sexualize a cleaning product and hint that ladies like when their guys clean as well? Sure. Did it also deliver something clever, catchy and outrageous that amplified its impression on the Internet and caused more than enough conversation around the once-standard brand? Definitely.

Car Brands: Kia & Audi

For their 8th consecutive appearance in The Big Game, Kia enlisted the comedic prowess of Melissa McCarthy to deliver a fun ride with subtle political undertones regarding a quickly deteriorating environmental situation with our new Head of State.

While Kia simplified execution and provided a tag that tied closer to product, Audi provided us with a beautifully shot piece that tied a substantial message to the brand: equal pay. The dialogue and storytelling of last year’s ornate spot that tied the late David Bowie’s ‘Starman’ to a heart-wrenching tale of an astronaut who’s prime has passed and memory is fleeting isn’t quite present this time around but it was just as prominent in social conversation for better or for worse.

T-Mobile, #NSFWireless

T-Mobile went all-in this time around, buying 3 minutes’ worth of airtime during the Game. While (as you’ll see below) one of their campaigns felt a bit gimmicky and inauthentic to T-Mobile, the rest of their spots pushed the right buttons. Their most jarring, dubbed “NSFWireless,” provides us with wireless customer Kristen Schaal who calls into a Verizon customer service rep and asks him to “punish her” by stating that she has to pay taxes and fees as overage charges. While the spot overtly plays on the stereotypes involved in BDSM, it hit at the right time with the second 50 Shades of Grey film coming to theaters in a little over a week.

For bonus points, check out Verizon’s considerably over-the-top response:

Budweiser

Everyone’s favorite Big Game advertiser steered away from puppies and Clydesdales in this gritty spot that chronicles their founder’s “ambitious journey to America in pursuit of his dream: to brew the King of Beers.” While the entire country, and the world for that matter, is bathed in conflict regarding the recent travel ban Budweiser made a simple statement: without immigrants, America wouldn’t have America’s beer. Another plus: the Lumber 84 ad was gorgeous, but immediately the political angle of the ad came under fire as its purpose may have been intended the opposite of the way most media, and viewers, initially perceived it. This spot is genuine.

Bai

Simple and fun. Christopher Walken and Justin Timberlake are sitting majestically in armchairs by the fireplace. Walken says the product’s name three times while JT looks on, silently. Cue N*SYNC music and supers.

Honorable Mentions:

Airbnb

The Walking Dead

Stranger Things

Bottom 5

Snickers

MARS enlisted the help of Adam Driver, of GIRLS and Star Wars fame, to help illustrate the potential pitfalls of shooting a “live” commercial while hungry. The concept was there, the spot was tongue-in-cheek as their entire “you’re not you when you’re hungry campaign” has been, but they were overshadowed by Hyundai’s execution of “live” that allowed soldiers deployed at a base in Poland to watch The Big Game with their family using immersive technology. You can watch that one here.

T-Mobile, #UnlimitedMoves

As mentioned prior, T-Mobile went all in on spend for the game this year. This isn’t a hit piece on Justin Bieber, but his spot was easily the worst of the collection on Sunday. It’s an obvious play by Legere and company -- tap into the voracious fanbase of the young star and get them to switch to T-Mobile. Have you ever mentioned The Biebs on Twitter before? Bots engage with you in droves. The social conversation around this spot has to be plenty but it seemed a bit off pace compared to the other productions on the day. So sad to see Justin devolve into a modern-day Six Flags dancing man at the end as they push their social CTA.

Buick

In the last few years, Buick has become known for leveraging stars and self-deprecating humor in a fashion that almost always works. With this old-school execution, simplicity almost hits but it will be washed away by the iconic Odell Beckham Jr. spot that they used as their first-ever Big Game commercial last year.

KFC

… what is this?

Soft Drinks: Sprite/Coca-Cola

Sprite and Coca-Cola, known advertisers in all of America’s largest capacities, didn’t even try this time around. They ran spots that have been live for a while now, truly encapsulating the age-old moniker of brands who “don’t need to run ads.” They did nothing to stand out.

Note: all the while, Pepsi is partnering with Intel to coordinate drones with different colored lighting to fly in formation to create their brand’s logo during the halftime show, among other designs

So that’s that. A completely subjective rundown on the ads that graced us during those lapses in game time last weekend. Are you creeped out by the new Mr. Clean? Did the Stranger Things promo have you jumping off the walls like it did their cast? Let me know your thoughts on Twitter @bpaint.