The Best Super Bowl Ad Wasn't Even An Ad

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While we watched the Super Bowl, we marveled at the promotions for ABC's Lost, particularly, as Adrants reader Terry Heaton so thankfully reminded us this morning, the "Addicted to Lost" version set to the tune of eighties icon Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love" which showed Palmer and his eighties girls on the TV where Jack and Locke watched that creepy video at the end of last season. Perhaps, it's because we already watch Lost, we liked the promos so much or, perhaps, it's because they were just really good.

by Steve Hall    Feb- 6-06    
Topic: Commercials, Good, Promotions, Super Bowl 2006, Television



Burger King, Ameriquest, ESPN, Beer Institute Super Bowl Favorites

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So the Super Bowl is over. Was it worth the $2.6 million each marketer spent on a :30? We won't know for months but who cares. It's all entertainment anyway. You can read Bob Garfield's take on the whole thing here and marvel at his shock that the Super Bowl (oh, the horror) is commercial and that rock and roll is (oh, the horror) about making money. You can watched some of the ads Ad Age found more memorable here. You can watch all the ads at iFilm here. Or you can just go get a cup of coffee and see what your co-workers think.

We're not quite sure what our favorite is yet but for some strange reason we're leaning towards the Burger King Whopperettes commercial. Either that or the wonderfully on-message ESPN Mobile ad. The Hummer H3 ad, of course, was very good but we've seen it too many times already. A nod also goes to Ameriquest for their two very funny spots and the Beer Institute did a good job telling us we should all just go have a beer and the world's problems would be solved. Oh, wait, we said that.

Also high on our list are the Budweiser Clydesdales spot and Bud Light's "Magic Fridge."

by Steve Hall    Feb- 6-06    
Topic: Commercials, Good, Opinion, Super Bowl 2006, Television



Hummer H3 Robot Super Bowl Commercial Old But Still Good

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Everyone's all excited about the Hummer H3 Jennifer Loves the Monster spot but we saw it too and were like, "Dudes, that's so over." The commercial's been making the rounds since last summer. OK, so last summer, there wasn't a Super Bowl but still. There is something new though. The Monster has a cheesy website where she professes her love for the robot. Way to extend a campaign Modernista!

by Steve Hall    Feb- 5-06    
Topic: Commercials, Good, Super Bowl 2006, Television



Beer Institute Super Bowl Ad Solves World's Problems

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The Beer Institute ran a Super Bowl ad that showed people around the world saying "cheers" or some such equal salute in different languages and locations around the world. It's an interesting strategy and one that harken s Warren Beatty's statement in in the movie, Bulworth, when he said, "If we all fucked each other, we'd eventually end up the same color," in that if everyone in the world just got together and had a few beers with each other there'd be none of the ridiculous political problems we face today. See the ad on the Beer Institute's site.

by Steve Hall    Feb- 5-06    
Topic: Commercials, Good, Super Bowl 2006, Television



Emerald Nuts Super Bowl Ad Stupid

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OK, the Emerald Nuts Super Bowl ad was just stupid. There's not much more to say about it. Unless, of course, you have a thing for druids and Asians with machetes. If you simply have to see it, you can see it here.

by Steve Hall    Feb- 5-06    
Topic: Bad, Commercials, Super Bowl 2006, Television



Toyota Tacoma Super Bowl Commercial Less Than Honest

Toyota ran a time-lapsed commerical for its Tacoma during the Super Bowl in which the truck is parked on a rocky beach and subjected to the rising tide and heavy waves that smash it against the rocks. Of course, when the tide goes out, the truck is undamaged even though it was toss all over the place during high tide. That would explain the disclaimer at the bottom which stated this was a dramatization. More like a lie.

by Steve Hall    Feb- 5-06    
Topic: Commercials, Super Bowl 2006, Television, Worst



Budweiser Clydsdales Bring Out the Baby

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As usual, the Budweiser Clydesdale spot in this year's Super Bowl was emotional, showing a small Clydesdales doing his best to pull the Bud wagon, eager to become one of the famed older Clydesdales. In a spot called "Clydesdale American Dream," the little guy succeeds but has a bit of help from his friends. Need a Kleenex? Remember, these are the horses that bowed to the New York city skyline post-911. See the spot here.

by Steve Hall    Feb- 5-06    
Topic: Commercials, Good, Super Bowl 2006, Television



Turbulence And Sleeping Passengers Make Potty Trip Tough

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Everyone's been stuck in that frustrating situation on a plane when you're sitting in a window seat in a row of three seats and you just really, really have to go to the bathroom except the passengers next to you are sleeping making a graceful exit to the aisles a tryting task. That's the set up for Ameriquest's second Super Bowl ad. The poor woman trying to make it to the bathroom ends up in a rather embarrassing position once a bit of turbulence hits causing the lights to go on and revealing to the rest of the passengers her not so normal seating position. See the spot here.

by Steve Hall    Feb- 5-06    
Topic: Commercials, Good, Super Bowl 2006, Television



Rolling Stones Half Time Show Kinda, Sorta OK

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Perhaps making the most insightful comment about their appearance during the Half Time show, Mick Jagger said, "We could have done Super Bowl One but everything comes to he who waits." They might be old but they are good. And for all you youngsters out there who might think Mick could have sounded better, that's what actual, non-lip synched stadium singing sounded like back in the day. That said, it was not the most stellar of Half Time shows. Maybe Bob Garfield was on to something after all.

by Steve Hall    Feb- 5-06    
Topic: Celebrity, Super Bowl 2006, Television



Cadillac Escalade Makes Dramatic Entry

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As fashionistas eagerly anticipate the latest fashions on the runway in this Cadillac Super Bowl "Chrome Couture" commercial, this runway's a bit different. It's all wet and dark and mysterious with models rising out its glistening ooze. But the finale is what grabs everyone's attention. Rising slowly from the liquid is the new Cadillac Escalade. A very dramatic entrance indeed. See the spot here.

by Steve Hall    Feb- 5-06    
Topic: Commercials, Good, Super Bowl 2006, Television