On the first Monday in February, there is certainly lots of arm chair quarterbacking going on. Sports fans debate for hours whether it was right to pass or run for a given play and if the refs made the right call.
But there’s another debate around the virtual water cooler, as marketing professionals argue the merits of individual 2019 Super Bowl ads.
At a record-breaking $5.2 million for a 30 second spot, there is a lot of pressure for these ads to perform. They must break through the clutter, stop conversation at Super Bowl parties, and be memorable for more than a moment.
So, like many of our peers, the team here at the ‘Peg spent a little time debating who scored big and who fumbled on the five yard line.
Lorraine: Love the Message But What’s the Product?
At a time, when women are more likely to reject traditional roles and limitations placed on them by society, the opening lines of this commercial grab your attention.
Serena is a powerful narrator, and the images flipping between her and a young woman reinforce the message that this is her time.
The script is awesome. It could easily become an anthem for young women everywhere. But the product is a dating app. Bumble is trying to raise their image, but I think they were reaching just a little too high.
Lorraine: Can Hear it Above the Noise
T-Mobile gets my vote for understanding the environment in which their ad would be displayed, noisy and distracted.
The pink background was a strong visual contrast to the blues, whites and grays that dominated the screen. The scrolling messages were easily read, no matter how noisy the room was. And they were funny. The punchlines made it worth my time to read along.
And they will have a life after the game as screen grabs on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Page: Is the Bud Knight Dead?
What was expected to be just another lighthearted Bud Light ad in its new medieval style took a dower turn when the Bud Knight was unseated from his horse by none other than the Mountain and his dead-eye stare from Game of Thrones.
He was then killed in similar fashion to fan-favorite Oberon Martell, breaking Game of Throne fan’s hearts and nauseating our stomachs all over again. Oh yeah and then Drogon flew in and roasted everybody!
This was my personal favorite ad of the year because I am a huge Game of Thrones fan and “killing” Bud Knight was just so out of left field. It’s like if Geico snuffed out the Geico Gecko. But is Bud Knight really dead? Probably not. “What is dead may never die,” afterall.
Sam: There’s no such thing as too close
Is this some all-time great Super Bowl commercial? Probably not. But Colgate’s ad featuring Luke Wilson as “the Close Talker” was quirky, competent, creative, and well thought out. And, in the age of Super Bowl ads with convoluted messaging or that simply try to rely on the celebrity star power they were able to get, ads like these are very welcome.
The way the commercial was filmed, with the prominent use of the close-up, wide angle shots of people’s faces really tied together the messaging with the product. There’s no mistaking this as an ad for anything other than toothpaste.
The messaging is also well reinforced because, let’s face it, we all have had run-ins with a Close Talker of our own, making it all the more relatable.
Throw in some good performances and a fun tag line and you’ve got one of this year’s better Super Bowl commercials from a very unsuspecting source. Plus, the world always needs a little more Luke Wilson.
So what did you think of the ads? Do you have a few favorites? Or is there an ad you think should be on the “not favorite” list? If so, share it in the comments below.