I couldn’t help but feel sorry this year for anyone who only watches the Super Bowl ads for enjoyment. Perhaps the main defining feature of all the ads this year was how uniformly uncreative and dated they were. Marketers turned to old and obtrusive gags like girls in bikinis and dogs a lot of dogs to attempt to carry their ads. The result was a very disappointing assortment of ads for anyone who loves advertising and marketing and the hype of Super Bowl advertisements. Still, there’s quite a few advertising to learn from all the efforts this year, so let’s get began in breaking down the approach behind the ads and my picks for the biggest winners and losers this year.
For months now, Samsung has been operating a superb series of ads poking fun at all of the “iSheep” obediently ready in line overnight for the most recent Apple product with their tagline “the next big thing is already here. ” Boosted by their recent statement of record salary last quarter from strong sales of mobile gadgets, they’re among the many small few mobile devicemakers who offer a viable alternative to the iPhone. What made this ad so good is how it took the message from preceding ads and altered the “us vs. them” dynamic of the fellow in the know about Samsung to give each person in line the Samsung. Filled with movie star cameos and a lot of product shots, the ad got their overall strategic message across … a higher big thing is indeed here, and it is a Samsung. This year Budweiser had 6 spots and all of them inspired more confusion than anything.
In half they targeting the history of Budweiser and the way they have got been around for a very long term long enough to be served by bars after prohibition was lifted. In two they introduced a new type of beer called “Platinum” which I think you might be capable of earn airline miles for ingesting. Or maybe it was a luxury version that they plan to offer in high end restaurants. No one was really sure. And just in case the lull wasn’t comprehensive, they even went for the “dog gets guy a beer” gag. If there was a technique behind any of these ads, it was surely tough to select.
That alone isn’t unique for Budweiser, but a minimum of in previous years they managed to entertain us and make us laugh. Not this year. My pick for the good ad of the night comes from Fiat with their ad called “Seduction” for the new unique looking Abarth. Unlike such a lot of other ads this year, Fiat didn’t feel the wish to put a hot girl in a bikini and have her play the a part of dream girl. Instead, they bring about a feeling of mystery by having her speak in Italian, make her clearly in handle of her interaction with the fellow in the ad, and use the time-honored adventure of the 1st time you notice an unforgettably eye-catching woman to explain the sensation of seeing the recent Fiat Abarth for the 1st time.
The connection was easy to take note, memorable and fit completely with what looks to be a superb car. Throughout the night, there have been a few examples of what’s starting to be a superb trend in company which I have written about before – the rise of humanity. The way it came out throughout the Super Bowl was in additional focus on real people and the things they’re doing. I agree that on a day like today, the ads that took this strategy were probably a bit drier and not more likely to show up on a USAToday poll as favorite ads. But in terms of marketing strategy and demonstrating a real and human side to the brands, they were big wins.
Best Buy, as an example, featured real entrepreneurs who created mobile apps and tools incomes them great social media cred and buzz. GE featured real people in their two inspiring ads that continue to place GE as a brand that puts their employees front and center. The last great example was the NFL working their ad featuring players going to fan’s homes and places of work to sing their very own rendition of “wind beneath my wings” to thank fans for all their aid. Whether humanizing employees, NFL stars, or visionary entrepreneurs … the ads that chose to do that universally worked on a strategic level.
