Another Super Bowl has come and gone, and we’re counting down who we think are the advertising winners. They are, in no particular order:
VW Passat “The Force”
Easily the office and overall industry favorite, this ad is a home run whether you’re a Star Wars fan or not. How fun would it be to play that kind of prank on your kid?? We would say the ridiculous amount of money they must have paid George Lucas to make this ad was well worth it.
Doritos “Pug Attack”
Okay, so this ad wasn’t anything earth shattering, but who doesn’t love a wrinkly pug running and drooling in slow motion? Doritos had a few great ads but this one was the best if not simply for the “awwww” factor.
Chrysler “Motor City”
With all the automobile ads that premiered last night, it was hard to distinguish individual ads from all the clutter. There also seemed to be a distinct theme throughout the night of celebrity cameos. In fact, this was Eminem’s second commercial appearance of the night, and we think it was the far better one. For a city that’s been through as much as Detroit has, this commercial, complete with gospel choir, was truly moving. Eminem should be given a lot of credit for his authenticity.
Bridgestone “Carma”
Bridgestone has perfected the cute-furry-animals-almost-getting-hit-by-a-car-but-being-saved-by-Bridgestone-tires act, and this was no different. The best part had to be the salute between the guy and the beaver at the end of the ad. The guy’s face is priceless.
CarMax “Kid in a Candy Store”
You know those commercials that have absolutely nothing to do with the product, yet they are the most memorable simply because they are unique and hilarious? Yeah, this is one of those. In a very Family Guy-esque fashion, the ad takes you through a series of digressions beginning with “a kid in a candy store” and ending with “a customer at CarMax.” Throw in a mermaid, hippies and wrestlers and you have an ad that leaves you wondering, “what did I just watch?”. Put simply: it was very funny.