Controversial ads aside, the Super Bowl could use a makeover
Feb 2, 2010 | Posted by smahoney under Uncategorized
The Super Bowl is still five days away but the buzz around banned ads and controversial commercials continues. Last week’s ManCrunch.com ad was axed by CBS amongst cries of homophobia and discrimination. And then there’s the Focus on the Family commercial that features college football star Tim Tebow . Naturally,  it wouldn’t be the Super Bowl without a totally disgusting misogynistic Godaddy.com that was deemed too hot for TV. The most recent advertising reject is cellphone provider KGB’s raunchy advertisement featuring a man who’s head literally goes up his backside.
All of this hoopla, while it makes for decent headlines, seems to be a cry for attention for a major event that could use a creative overall. The 2009 telecast was down in viewers compared to 2008′s record breaking numbers. This year’s network CBS won’t likely be stirring up any Janet Jackson-like controversy as aging rockers The Who headline the halftime show. Younger viewers will be wondering “the who?” as older viewers may confuse the band’s performance for the opening credits of CSI. The usual advertisements suspects: Coke, Budweiser, Pepsi, etc., are of course on deck this year with high-priced commercials  and who knows if they could bowl us over with surprise and delight. CBS announced today that all of the advertising spots for Super Bowl were officially sold out. It is tough to remain optimistic, however, given the grim state of television creativity.
The Super Bowl, like a lot of television, could use a shot in the arm. Advertisers could help out by taking Super Bowl ads into this century by using more online interaction, social media tie-ins, and exclusive content that could only be seen on the telecast. Also, leaking the ads to stir up additional headlines is a tiresome trend that needs to stop. While it certainly creates more buzz for the commercials in question, the element of surprise for viewers is gone. Events like the Super Bowl should keep us entertained and on the edge of our seats even when the actual game isn’t exciting.
So what would you do to fix The Super Bowl? Or are you just going to sit there with your six pack and say nothing like you did last year?
February 2nd, 2010 at 2:28 pm
No Super Bowl ad could ever live up to the hype these days. It’s all so gimicky–what happened to giving us a good laugh instead of shock value? It insults our intelligence. Granted, I’ll still be the sucker watching and hoping that my low expectations will leave me pleasantly surprised. Yeah right. At least I can count on the six pack.
February 3rd, 2010 at 10:50 am
I’m with Mirell – whatever happened to the days of Mean Joe Green or the Budweiser frogs. I’m tired of being “shocked” and would like a good laugh again. I’m not a big football fan (although I do love the Steelers) so I wait for the commercials in hopes of being genuinely amused by someone’s skewed sense of humor – like the Reebok commercial with the linebacker (Tate?) setting the office workers straight. That was brilliant, hysterical and timely. So was the Michael J. Fox ad (Pepsi? Coke?) way back when. How about we stay away from two guys kissing and go with something like Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien sitting on a couch, eating Doritos and watching and commenting on Letterman. I have a brain – make me use it…