Super Bowl Commercials: The Good, the Bad, and the Meh

The year's biggest football game watched by over 100 million people and what are we discussing the next day year after year?

The commercials.

Brands spend millions of dollars for the largest audiences in history to see these ads and in return, the audience puts them under extreme scrutiny. It's a lot of fun. Without further adieu, here are Kearley's picks for the good, the bad, and the meh Super Commercials of Super Bowl XLVII:

The Good:

Viva Young-Taco Bell

Terrible Spanish translation? Yes. Funny, energetic, oddly-heartwarming commercial? Also, yes. 

Farmer-Dodge

Um. They used Paul Harvey. The Raven's didn't win the Super Bowl; this commercial did. Because they used Paul freakin' Harvey. 

Whole Again-Jeep

It is a well-made commercial, it gives a nice shout out to the troops, overall it's great. However...did they really just quote Oprah in a commercial that she's narrating? Oprah has not reach quote status yet.

Space Babies-Kia

Baby animals in a Super Bowl ad could easily feel like going after the low-hanging fruit. Thankfully, this Kia ad avoids that by staying not-so-subtly inappropriate. Thumbs up, baby panda. Thumbs up indeed. 

Leon Sandcastle-NFL

Primetime will always bring a smile to your face. Throw in an afro and a mustache and you've got one great commercial. 

The Bad

Coronation-Budweiser Black Crown

We're cool, everyone! Hey, hey, hey, you! We're cool! Did you hear us say we're cool? No? Let me show you in an all style, no substance ad! 

Perfect Match-GoDaddy (or any other GoDaddy ads)

Go away, GoDaddy. Go away and leave our Super Bowl ad space alone. You've hurt it enough. Just stop. Please. Stop. 

FebruANY-Subway

I'm not sure I follow their marketing idea here: Come with an idea that's too hard to pronounce and then fun of it in a million dollar spot? Cool, Subway. Almost as good as you telling your customers that Footlongs don't have to be a foot long. 

Concept-Calvin Klein

The best question I've seen posed in response to this commercial: "Is it 1992?" Well-shot? Yes. Dated and probably not striking a chord with your average Super Bowl viewer? Also, yes. 

Prom-Audi

Drive an Audi and you'll gain the confidence of a lonely teenage boy! Does Audi sell a lot of cars to teenagers? Or do people seriously not to do demographics research anymore? 

The Meh

Get In. Get Happy.-Volkswagen

We had such high hopes for VW after "The Force". This is just underwhelming. 

Save It-E*Trade

Oh look, it's the E*Trade baby! I would be excited if it was 2008. Harmless commercial, but I think it's time for the baby to dip into its savings and retire. 

Journey-Bud Light

Bud Light took a campaign that I've enjoyed throughout the year and reduced it to a potentially-offensive cultural stereotype of New Orleans. Well done. 

All movie trailers

We didn't get much new footage of anything interesting and not a lot of upcoming films bothered with the Super Bowl this year (Man of Steel, The Wolverine, Captain America: Winter Soldier, The World's End). 

All CBS spots

I don't need to be constantly reminded that CBS is the number one network on TV. Why do I wanted to be constantly disappointed while I'm watching a great football game?

Share your thoughts in our comments section!  

The Unofficially Official Kearley Superbowl Ad Awards

Here in the office, we talked a little about the Superbowl ads. The ones we liked, and maybe the ones we didn't. After this informal poll, I put together a list of highly coveted Kearley Ad Awards. Enjoy!

Most Memorable--Volkswagon 'Darth Vader'

This cute 30-second spot made quite an impression on most Superbowl viewers. For any Star Wars fan, or anyone who knows imaginative kids (or is still one at heart), it earned a laugh and also highlighted the 2012 VW Passat's pushbutton start feature. The commercial itself has already gotten over 25 million views on Youtube less than a week after its debut. Watch it again here.

Biggest Laugh--Bridgestone 'Reply all'

This not as talked about ad came to mind for me and at least one other person in the office as the funniest commercial to debut on Superbowl Sunday. The main personality's dramatic overreaction to an office blunder draws a somewhat strange connection to the durability of Bridgestone tires, but all the same got a good chuckle from me even after watching it here for the third time.

Most Shocking--GoDaddy.co 'New GoDaddy Girl'

I wasn't so sure about this ad myself, but after seeing the reaction of people around me at the game I had to agree with Elisa that this ad deserved a nod. So for most shocking, I nominate GoDaddy's racy commercial with an unexpected spokesperson for their .co domains. If you don't yet know who it is, you can find that out for yourself here.

Most 'Warm and Fuzzy'--NFL 'Best Fans Ever'

Where I watched the Superbowl, when this ad came on the room went quiet. People exchanged smiles and laughed at some of their favorite TV moments. This spot reminds us how the Superbowl permeates American culture--and brings generations together as we remember our favorite TV personalities from the Brady Bunch to Southpark. Remember the good times here if you haven't gotten a chance to enjoy it.

Least likely to succeed--Skechers 'Break Up' featuring Kim Kardashian

It's hard to deny that Ms. Kardashian has become a cultural icon, whose endorsement could be quite valuable. But with all the hype this commercial had leading up to the big day (reportedly having been cut down because of moments 'too hot for family TV'), it didn't quite live up to it. It was sexy, but it wasn't much of anything else--likely appealing to a limited audience of dedicated Kardashian fans. You can watch this ad here.

Which ads were your favorites?