Success or Failure: Controversial Super Bowl 50 Commercials

By Joanne Kong

Twitter: @kongfu4u  Super Bowl Commercials

So we discussed the best Super Bowl 50 commercials and we discussed PETA’s failed attempts to get a Super Bowl commercial.  But as I mentioned, there were plenty more, and some more questionable than others.

These following commercials got a lot of buzz, but is the reaction really what the advertisers were expecting?

Some went dramatic while others took a comedic route.  But whether you laughed, cried or felt outraged, you probably won’t forget the commercial…but will you remember the product?

What good is an advertisement if you can’t remember what they’re selling?  Is the commercial itself enough for you to remember what to choose when you’re in need of chips, a place to vacation, a soft drink, or are constipated?

DORITOS – PRE-MATURE BIRTH

A woman goes in for an ultrasound, while her husband is watching the screen with a bag of Doritos.  Like father, like child, the baby wants that chip no matter what.  You can guess what happens next.

So, I thought it was hilarious.  I loved how annoyed the wife looked as she watched her husband at the ultrasound.  I loved how stupid the husband was teasing the unborn child.  Studies have shown that during the third trimester, babies in the womb are able to recognize noises, like the sound of the mother’s voice.

So why not recognize the sound of a chip (if heard often)?  Of course, it’s unrealistic to believe that a premature birth will occur for a Dorito.  Or is it?  Which is what makes this commercial amusing, yet might offend those who have actually experienced premature births.

COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG – IT ALL STARTED HERE

Upon hearing the words “Colonial Williamsburg”, you wouldn’t think it would stir up such an uproar, but that’s exactly the reaction it got after it aired during Super Bowl 50.  The moments throughout US History were captured all in reverse and in no particular chronological order.  The message was supposed to depict a collective, where America got its tenacity and resilience.  Among those images were the fall of one of the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001.

This is what Colonial Williamsburg had to say in response.

When did a vacation destination become so political?  In the end, it’s unclear whether they want us to visit Colonial Williamsburg or just love America.  Whether we should storm the beaches of Normandy or visit the 9/11 site in New York.

But, ultimately it was disrespectful to depict such a tragedy in order to sell a vacation spot.

A miss.

BUDWEISER – DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE

In a dimly lit steakhouse or restaurant, Helen Mirren sits in a circular red leather booth with burger and fries and a bottle of Budweiser turned just so that you’re unable to make out the label.  In the commercial, the out-spoken Helen Mirren ‘Gives A Damn’ and tell the viewer not to drink and drive.  Don’t hate me for saying this, because Bear and I are totally against drinking and driving, but I felt like I was watching my grandmother lecture me.  The commercial had a good message, but the delivery could have used some work.

BUD LIGHT – THE BUD LIGHT PARTY

The anticipated commercial featuring Amy Schumer and Seth Rogen campaigning for a better party(?).  Yeah, it was like a stand-up spot.  It’s not that the commercial was bad, and maybe I expected too much, because it was neither memorable, entertaining and or very funny.

In the end, Budweiser didn’t have to pay the big bucks during the Super Bowl, Peyton Manning did all the advertising they could ever need after her won the Super Bowl, stating that he “planned on drinking a lot of Budweiser” to celebrate his Super bowl victory.

I guess Budweiser was the real winner at the end of the Super Bowl, but unlike the game…it was thanks to Peyton Manning.

MOUNTAIN DEW KICKSTARTER – PUPPYMONKEYBABY

Mountain Dew decided to put three awesome things together – a puppy’s head, a monkey’s body and a baby’s legs – and make it creepy.  Sounds weird?  Well, it looks weird too.  Like last year’s Mountain Dew Kickstarter commercial (below)…

You really don’t know what’s going on.  And, if the goal of the commercial was to make no sense at all, Mountain Dew has succeeded.  Regardless, the commercial has gotten almost ten million views on YOUTUBE.

JUBLIA TOE FUNGUS CREAM- NO TITLE NEEDED

35-million people word wide is said to have experienced some kind fugal infection.

Okay.  We understand it’s a problem.  Why we need to be made aware of it during the super bowl?   Who knows.  And, did the message have to come from a talking infected toe??

Could there have been Super Bowl 50 viewers who chronically suffer from toenail fungus? Yes.

Do we really care? Not at that moment.

How many of us could remember the name of the fungal cream?  I had to look it up on the internet “toenail fungus super bowl 50.” The YOUTUBE video got ONE hit when I clicked on it.

The set-up: Ex-NFL Players and current sports commentators, Howie Long, Dion Sanders, and Phil Simms (bet you didn’t know they were the celebrities) are pampering themselves in lush white robes when they are interrupted by a man with toenail fungus…Jublia (represented by a fungal big toe wearing a purple robe and matching sleep mask) comes to the rescue.

It has all the criteria for a Super Bowl commercial – it’s on during the Super Bowl, it had celebrities but let’s be honest, nobody wants to think about toenail fungus while watching the Super Bowl.  A miss.  Julia should have saved their millions.

And, rounding out the questionable Super Bowl 50 commercials…is…

CONSTIPATION…

OPIOID INDUCED CONSTIPATION (OIC) – ENVY

You’re at a super bowl party.  There’s one bathroom and fifteen guests, some which are kids.  You’ve spent the entire day eating mini hotdogs, bratwurst, chicken wings, nachos, pizza, sandwiches, dips and chips and several other items…including beer, maybe some jalapeños, cheese and even some carrot sticks.  You don’t even think about going to the bathroom because the vibe of the party is awesome…then on the fifty-five-inch screen is a black and white commercial of a guy that can’t go to the bathroom.  Suddenly, you feel the full weight of your Super Bowl junk food binge in your gut.

So what is this mysterious commercial?  Well, it’s a commercial about a guy with opioid constipation.

Yeah…everyone is interested in THIS Super Bowl ad…#ReallyNotReally.  Even the dog looks sad to be in this commercial.

Hope you enjoyed our romp around the best and worst of the Super Bowl 50 commercials!  Keep checking back and I’ll keep you up to date on other tangentially football-related stuff!

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