Sources: Amazon, NFL, Doritos, Toyota
The 2018 Super Bowl will go down as one of the most exciting displays of offense in the history of the game as well as the first victory for the Philadelphia Eagles. What won’t be remembered, as much, are the string of "meh" commercials that were played throughout the broadcast.
Advertisers this year sought to avoid the discord that has become commonplace in politics and society to focus on unifying social messages and humor. While controversy around the commercials may be minimal, will the same prove true for the brand awareness and sales generated by the ads?
In its annual Ad Meter ranking, USA Today listed the top five spots as:
Amazon.com – “Alexa Lost Her Voice”
The commercial, which features a cameo by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, has Alexa losing her voice while responding to a question about the weather in Austin. Amazon’s backup plan involves a variety of celebrities including Gordon Ramsay, Cardi B, Rebel Wilson and Anthony Hopkins responding to questions in less than helpful ways.
National Football League – “Touchdown Celebrations to Come”
The commercial brought Eli Manning, quarterback of the New York Giants, together with Odell Beckham Jr., the team’s talented and controversial wide receiver, to “go work on that thing.” It turns out that the “thing” is a dance routine inspired by Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Gray in the movie “Dirty Dancing.”
Budweiser – “Emergency Water Program”
The spot, with the song “Stand by Me” as its soundtrack, features employees from the company’s plant in Cartersville, GA rolling out canned water to ship to those in need in places including California, Florida, Puerto Rico and Texas.
Doritos and Mountain Dew – “Doritos Blaze vs. Mountain Dew Ice”
It’s a rap faceoff between products on different ends of the heat spectrum, lip-synced by actors Peter Dinklage of “Game of Thrones” fame and Morgan Freeman. Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes provide the raps.
Toyota – “Good Odds”
This commercial follows the story of Lauren Woolstencroft, a Canadian paralympian and electrical engineer, and her journey through life to become a medal-winning alpine skier. The odds of her success go from astronomical numbers to a certainty by the end of the spot.
Adweek’s list of top five spots put Procter & Gamble’s “It’s a Tide Ad” at number one. The magazine said it could have put all four of the Tide spots, which starred David Harbour of “Stranger Things” throughout, in its top five, but it wanted to give some space to others. The four ads not from P&G to make the list were Amazon’s Alexa, Doritos/Mountain Dew, Tourism Australia’s “Dundee” and the NFL’s “Touchdown Celebrations.”