Superbowl Ads; they get so much attention it’s unnerving.

I am totally not into watching football. But really, there is (and was) so little game. I’m starting to feel less silly for even showing up to not watch it. So many ads. So little time.

This year, there seemed to be an awful lot of attempts at serious heartstring-tugging, with less than phenomenal success. Mostly, they felt long and heavy rather than inspiring. Maybe I’m a hard-nosed, cranky and unsentimental shrew… but it felt a lot like advertising. Which is bad. Maybe it was length. Maybe it was content. Maybe it was in the context of a game gone awry. But a good ad shouldn’t feel long – no matter how many eternal seconds it runs. On the other hand, way to go copywriters! Been a while since you got to say so much, eh?

Final Answer: Much as I’d like to not pick Budweiser out as a favorite – you can’t go wrong with a strong brand image reflected without tricky dialogue in the company of both horses and a damn puppy. I mean really. I’m a bitter, jaded advertising copywriter and even I find it heartwarming and well executed.
          
Doritos: Kudos for having an actual simple, clear concept and story. I mean the “Time Travel” spot, mind you. Forget the fact that I know it was the result of crowd sourcing and a cheap production model with questionable ramifications for my future. The truth is, solid and simple concepts that aren’t muddied up with crap can and do grab attention. 

Radio shack: You knocked so hard on my demographic door it was a damn battering ram – but when I answered, nobody was there. I wanted to like it. I did. You had all my little bits of nostalgia in one place…maybe, too many. And the reveal at the end – it looked kinda the same, except maybe whiter.

On that note, not to focus on the negative – what a waste of the Muppets, Toyota. You had me at Animal. And then left me sitting there…wondering why.

Not to be all negative. But a shocker for me, as a card-carrying member of the curmudgeon party when it comes to “reality” based ideas, was the Bud Light “Up for Whatever” spot. I totally wanted to hate it. I really, really did. But it managed to capture a sense of engagement despite the formula. Well done. On the other hand, I am mystified about who might be excited about re-capping their beer. I shudder to think.

H&;M: I’m not your target. I don’t like your clothes or fit into almost any of it. Nor am I interested in your brand much…but thank you anyway.

Bank of America / U2 /Red: I am so amused and impressed that you can find a way to blackmail me into downloading a song from a band I’ve just completely lost interest in. That’s salesmanship. I did however have to look it up to relate it to Bank of America though – I mean, there was U2 and there was (red) and that was a lot to remember already…

Automakers: You spent some dough. And there were soooo many of you. Thanks for that. But I can’t say I really found any of the brand spots that impressive (outside of budget and fireworks displays).

Although, the Chevy truck “Romance” spot stood out with whimsy and humor in a welcome tone that still managed to carry brand attributes. C’mon, you thought it was at least a little bit amusing, right? Reminded me of that Viagra spot with the horses pulling the truck out of the mud. The “Sunrise” spot on the other hand, felt a little forced.

Luxury car makers Jaguar and Maserati – I want to be your market. I do. Really. And I can only hope those well-heeled auto buyers (unlike me) didn’t walk away with an unsettled feeling that these luxury brands are now so mainstream that they just aren’t the status symbols they used to be. Then again, upon second viewing of Maserati’s “Strike,” I wonder if it’s not a “rise up 1%” message. Scary.

Overall this year’s ads (for the most part) felt pretty darn safe to me. And when you combine safe with serious – you take a step toward lukewarm.

And, again, there were sooooooooooo many. Is it me? Was there some kind of sporting event sandwiched in between it all? It was a little overwhelming, but that’s the result of non-prime time television viewing as much as anything. Those of us on different delivery methods are unused to so much advertising at once. Which is a whole other side to this spending spree’s value equation. All those eyes actually watching advertising with interest – how many remember who was talking, I wonder?

Annette Ragan is the Associate Creative Director and Senior Copy Writer for Winstanley Partners. You can follow her musings on the National Curmudgeon Party on Twitter at @copysquirl.