Super Ads 2010

By Chelsea Junget

Super Bowl XLIV’s spots hit a nostalgic note, trotting out characters and themes known and loved in some fresh and not-so-fresh ways. Let’s take a look at some of the ha! and meh! ads from yesterday’s game.

Ha!

FloTV’s look back at pivotal world events of the last 50 years was a walk down memory lane that alternated between the sentimental, the sad, the inspirational and the shocking. The use of a remixed version of halftime performers The Who’s “My Generation” was a good choice, if a bit on-the-nose. Well-done, this spot highlighted the importance of television in American’s shared cultural experience.

BoostMobile also dusted off a bit from days of yore and riffed on the ridiculous-even-then Super Bowl Shuffle from 1985. It was clever – and everyone loves to see Mike Ditka make a little fun of himself.

Google’s spot was simple, like their service. It hit an emotional chord highlighting the very ways viewers have likely used Google, positioning the search engine as a tool to navigate life.

KIA hit on childhood themes and sent a sock monkey, robot and friends on a wild road trip in a new Sorrento. A fun romp.

Meh

GoDaddy’s Danica Patrick “Too Hot For TV” spots are boring retreads of old ideas.

Sketchers went for the celebrity endorsement and hired football great Joe Montana to plug their shape up shoes. But he provided a voice-over only–a missed opportunity to link a fan favorite’s face to the product.

Animal themes may be reaching their saturation point – the Monster.com Fiddling Beaver spot fell flat.

Tell us about your hits and misses…

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