By Kyle Allen
Editor-in-Chief
The advertisements aired during each year’s Super Bowl are often a reflection of modern culture and taste. Each year, advertisements get more expensive (advertises paid on average $3.5 million for 30 seconds of air time). This year, commercials were overall less creative and entertaining than in years prior. There were the usual accord of sexy and funny commercials, but a few unique advertisements made their mark. Many of the standouts were visually stunning, others utilized inspirational messages, some advertisements used product placement within other commercials, and others used simple, relatable stories to sell their product. Here are the highlights:
The Inspirational Winner: Chrysler’s “Imported from Detroit”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_PE5V4Uzobc#!
Chrysler used a shadow-covered Clint Eastwood against the backdrop of various parts of Detroit in an advertisement that seemed more political than commercial. Eastwood’s closing lines were inspirational and gritty: “This country can’t be knocked out with one punch. We get right back up again and then when we do the world is going to hear the roar of our engines. It’s half time, America. Our second half is about to begin.” Chrysler smartly paired the auto industry’s comeback with the nation’s emergence from a recession. It was the only advertisement that attacked the downturn head-on, while the others seemed unsure of how to deal with it. Chrysler’s timely and tasteful halftime advertisement was the best of the 2012 Super Bowl.
The Visual Stunner: Pepsi’s “King’s Court”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Rcf01QTcO6E
While cheesy and not especially smart, Pepsi’s star-studded commercial featuring Elton John, Flavor Flav and X-Factor winner Melanie Amaro captured people’s attention with its bright colors, elaborate costumes and grandiose setting. Elton John in gold high-heeled boots and a costume straight out of Alice in Wonderland didn’t hurt either.
Clever Product Placement: Hostess gets a boost from Chevy’s “2012”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XxFYYP8040A
In a riff on the numerous apocalyptic theories surrounding this year, Chevy’s smart commercial depicts a man and his dog emerging from the rubble of what appears to be an alien attack, in his unscathed Chevy Silverado pickup truck. Whether knowing that Twinkies will survive an apocalyptic alien invasion causes more people to buy Twinkies, however, is another story.
The Simplistic and Relatable Ad: Coca-Cola’s Polar Bears
A series of advertisements throughout the game showed Coca-Colas new-and-improved trademark polar bears watching the big game and enjoying Coke. From “Superstition” which featured one bear worrying about his team’s success to “Catch” which seemingly pulled together every amazing catch in Super Bowl history into one bear’s quest to obtain a bottle of Coke, Coca-Cola’s bears were relatable to every fan of all age groups.
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