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This Year's Super Bowl Ads Put On New Tricks
SoBe Lifewater
The 3-D SoBe Lifewater ad wasn't worth the effort to put on the silly glasses.
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Published: February 1, 2009
Updated: 02/01/2009 07:52 am
There were nearly 60 commercials during this year's Super Bowl, including the first in 3-D: a 30-second trailer for the animated movie "Monsters vs. Aliens" coming out in March and a commercial for PepsiCo's Sobe Lifewater energy drinks.
For the first time in a decade, no U.S. automaker advertised during the most-watched U.S. sports event. But Germany-based Audi has one featuring action actor Jason Statham.
With 4 1/2 minutes of advertising time, brewer Anheuser-Busch featured Clydesdale horses, Conan O'Brien and the Bud Light Lime or Budweiser American Ale brands.
Here are our favorite commercials from the game.
Coke Zero: The much anticipated Coke Zero send-up of the classic "Mean Joe Greene" commercial from 1980 brought a smile. Pittsburgh Steeler Troy Polamalu was in Greene's role. A boy follows a limping Polamalu to the locker room and offers him a Coke Zero, and two men who claim to be "Coke Brand Managers" try to steal it. Polamau tackles them. Following this Super Bowl debut, "Mean Troy" will air as a 60-second cinema commercial.
Miller High Life: The Miller High Life Delivery man shouting "High Life" took one second. It won't make anyone switch brands, but it makes me wish some of the other commercials were that long.
CareerBuilder.com: So punching a talking Koala Bear in the nose may sound cruel, but it was funny in the CareerBuilder commercial that counted off things that indicate "it might be time" for a new job, like screaming over your steering wheel or sitting next to a guy in his underwear.
Coca-Cola: Animated insects that steal a Coca Cola from a napping guy in a field were more stunning than the 3-D stuff. Butterflies formed a Coke bottle. Set to classical music, it was one of the best-looking spots.
Monster.com: Monster.com had a laugh-out moment with a sweeping view of a majestic office for a CEO with a Moose head on the wall. Camera shows the other side of the wall where an office drone sits under the Moose's behind. Yeah, he needs a new job.
Budweiser: Scottish Clydesdale recalls how his great grandpa came to America and struggled until he found his calling with Budweiser. It's cute.
Denny's: Denny's does a comic send-up of gangster movies with tough guys in a cafe booth getting happy faces on their pancakes. Denny's, of course, offers a real breakfast. Best part of the ad is announcement of a free breakfast Tuesday for anyone who walks through the door!
"Monsters vs. Aliens": The 3-D spot for "Monsters Vs Aliens" gets a big "so what?" Some of the effects were interesting, but the commercial for the upcoming movie didn't have a "wow" factor.
Sobe: The 3-D spot for SoBe was just weird with big football players doing ballet steps and lizards leaping in the air. Not worth the effort to put on the silly glasses.
E-Trade: Creepy but cute E-Trade baby is back with a new talking buddy who breaks into song - "Take these broken wings" - as the Babester is making a pitch for stockbroker firm. The little guy just wants to "flex the pipes." OK, I laughed.
Bud Light: More slapstick and pratfalls are found in the Bud Light "Drinkability" ad. Bud drinking guys compare smooth Bud Light to an expert ski jump and other beers to a skier who falls, tumbles and smashes into ski lodge.
Cars.com: Cars.com offers a mildy amusing story of a "genius" named David who congratulates his doctor at birth, is a whiz through childhood going into a burning building to save a rabbit and goldfish but lacks confidence to buy a car so he gets help from Cars.com. Effective but not a knee-slapper.
Budweiser: The Clydesdale-in-love commercial finds the noble steed racing through streets and wilderness to the music of "Ain't No Mountain" to get to Daisy, a circus horse. When the fat lady takes a fall, we laugh. Bud is just horsing around with our emotions.
Bud Light: First laugh of the night was from Bud Light, with a little drama about a board meeting over cost-cutting measures. When a underling suggests they cut out Bud Light from the meetings, he gets tossed out a window. Maybe worth two yuks.
Audi: German made Audi jumped in early with a series of chase scenes that count on viewers knowing the appeal of stuntman Jason Statham as he skips through time looking for the perfect getaway car.
Doritos: Doritos goes for laughs with the office nerd tossing a crystal ball at a vending machine to make a prediction of "free Doritos" come true. Another office clown tries to make his wish of a promotion come true, but when he tosses the crystal ball, he hits his boss in the crotch. Crotch jokes make an impression. Bet this one scores high with viewers.
Bud Light: In his first ever TV commercial Conan O'Brien plays off his dorkish image by agreeing to do a steamy Budweiser commercial that "only will be seen in Sweden." He hams it up crawling like a lion over a fur rug as the "party starter" only to see the commercial playing in Times Square. It works.
Bridgestone: Good laughs with Bridgestone tires and animated Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head out for a drive. He's going too fast. She is nagging. When he comes to screeching stop, she shuts up because her lips fly off. One of the best.
Castrol Edge: A surprise is the Castrol Edge motor oil commercial. Two dimwit buddies marvel over a team of chimps that show up as "grease monkeys," when one opens a can of oil. Guys love chimps. And really love chimps that can change oil.
Doritos: Bad form for Doritos commercials where a guy is hit by a bus. It starts out funny as money flies from ATM, but the bus smack is disturbing.
GoDaddy: GoDaddy.com does it again with "steamy" Danica Patrick in the shower … and you have to go the Web site to see it all. Yadda, yadda, yadda.
Diet Coke: Diet Coke takes The Three Stooges approach with "I'm Good" and guys taking pratfalls in the "man can take anything" commercial.
Budweiser: Bud's first Clydesdale spot brings a smile. The Dalmatian can fetch, and so can the Clydesdale.
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