Super Bowl Ads Add Up to Fun!

The Super Bowl is the most widely watched sporting event, capturing an audience that crosses borders to Canada and crosses oceans to England. According to the National Retail Federation, it is estimated that 184 million viewers will watch the Super Bowl. From that number, 46.8% watch for the game and 41.3% watch for the commercials (and being with friends and family).

You might not like football, but everyone watching the Super Bowl will love, hate or quickly forget about the commercials. So, what does this mean for the advertisers? According to Mike Ozanian of Forbes, the average cost for a 30-second spot during Super Bowl XLIX (49) was estimated to cost $4.5 million dollars, which is 7% more than last year (Super Bowl XLVIII). Chump change, right?

So were Super Bowl ads worth the money? You can judge.

Here are my top seven commercials of the Super Bowl (not in any particular order):

1) Hass Avocado gave us the “First Draft Ever.” The avocado was picked over the eager Polar Bear. Thank goodness the dodo bird was picked. Than again, who would turn down the dodo bird.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih_iLjenftw
2) Nationwide gave us the adorable Mindy Kaling playing that oh so lovable and misunderstood character we adore. Mindy thinks she’s invisible so she decides to do whatever she wants, including kiss Matt Damon.

Invisible? Who? Mindy? No way!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yrq8ruhmCX0
3) Doritos ran the $1 Million dollar winner of the Super Bowl Funniest Commercial 2015 Doritos Contest., “Middle Seat.” What’s so great about this commercial? We’ve all waited on an airplane staring at that empty seat beside us wondering who we’d be stuck with during the course of the flight. We don’t say it, but we secretly hope that it’s someone tiny, quiet and pleasant smelling, or at least interesting (if your the type to talk to your neighbor on flights). The commercial is the brain child of Scott Zabielski, and the character personifies exactly what we’d want to do if we could.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVNzNrh70yQ
4) FIAT showed us what a ‘blue pill’ can do for a FIAT. It’s not just for erectile dysfunction anymore.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAcLViTHDOo

5) Esurance starred various celebrities in their “SORTA” series of commercials. Breaking Bad’s Brian Cranston replayed his role as Walter White stating that he was ‘Greg the pharmacist’. He says, “we’re both over 50-years old, both owned a Pontiac Aztek and both have a lot of experience with drugs…pharmaceuticals.” Yeah. “SORTA” entertaining.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRdLOh8WR8c
6) Geico has struck gold with Ickey Woods. What do we know about Ickey? He played fullback for the Cincinnati Bengals his entire career. He loves cold cuts (ladies and gentleman). And, he loves to celebrate everything! Ickey is best remembered for his” Ickey shuffle” end zone dance, which is probably why he’s responsible for the NFL excessive celebration rule.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13AI8bsQs-Y
7) Liam Neeson has expressed, in only a way he could, the anger we all feel when another comes and steals our gold in Clash of Clans. Waiting for his scone at the local coffee shop with his phone in his hand, Liam says “…I’m coming for you with lots of barbarians and dragons…you will get no mercy. I will get my revenge…”  Guess I better be careful who I attack.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuFebXDkI3k
This won’t be the last time we see these $4.5 Million dollar commercials, and I’m glad. Commercials like these could make DVR obsolete.

Well, maybe not.

By Joanne Kong