Pain, Humiliation Dominated Super Bowl Ads

(CBS)  Each year advertisers spend millions to make an impression on viewers of the Super Bowl and this year advertisers used physical violence to get their point across.

It was a Super Bowl smackdown," Barbara Lippert, a writer at Adweek magazine told The Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith. "Every time you looked up, someone was hitting someone else. A lot of men getting hurt — pain, humiliation, bruised."

One of the more successful commercials was the Doritos ad made by husband and wife team West Phillips, 22 and Dale Backus, 21, for only $12.95. Lippert said the couple couldn't afford a dolly so they had friend on roller-blades shooting the commercial. According to USA Today, the commercial was one of the top 10 most popular ads. It wasn't alone — several other commercials were made by regular people.

"I think it was a bad year for ad agencies, and maybe a good year for ads," Lippert said.

Commercials for beer and even for heart disease focused on violent slapstick humor but one that stood out was the Budweiser ad that featured a dog that was down on his luck. Lippert said it came across as something different than everything else because it had heart. According to an America Online poll, 28 percent of voters preferred this ad in the second quarter and USA Today found that this commercial was one of the top 10 most popular.

"With so much violence and hitting, the only expression of humanity was with the animals and the suicidal robots," she said.

Another successful ad was a promo for CBS's "The Late Show with David Letterman." It featured Letterman sitting on the couch, snuggling with his former enemy, Oprah Winfrey.

"You want the Bears and I want the Colts but we both win because we are in love," Letterman said.

"Honey, don't talk with your mouth full," Winfrey said.

"I loved them snuggling — a new Oprah," Lippert said.

The Sierra Mist commercial didn't get the best reviews, but Lippert said the man sporting a beard comb-over, ultra-short jean cutoffs and rollerblades killed when he said "suddenly there's some norm I just don't get."

A lot of people have been voting online for the Snickers commercial that Lippert called "Brokeback mechanics." Before the Super Bowl, Snickers posted a clip of the beginning of the ad. It gave viewers several options of endings for the ad. Two men were consumed by their desired for a Snickers bar that they started eating it at the same time from different ends, a la, "Lady and the Tramp." To counteract the fact that they just kissed, the mechanics ripped out chest hair in an effort to be manly.

"Little boys all over are going to pull out their chest hair now," she said. "They learned something new."

[lily_ayanami]

It does seem like that the commercials were aimed at teenagers... I was certainly amused.

[duffyn]

Unfortunately people do imitate what they see. Even if it is stupid, dangerous, or whatever!!

[linfinster]

Do you numbskulls actually belive that these ads will {infuence} anyone other than "Darwin Award" canadates, and they need to be removed from the Gene Pool anyway. God, people They were ads, all smoke and mirrors, not the real world. I know that a few of you don't live in the real world, and the Darwin Awards are awaiting you.
Posted by gunnerv1

Yes, you have a point, but unfortunately gunnerv1, BEFORE Darwin removes them they may take a few innocent others with them, OR not take themselves out before they procreate, therefore we are not helping the situation there. Let's not forget the fact that all of these adds contribute to the dumbing down of America. I beleive we are all a bit dummer for watching them, actually I averted my eyes. .. ..

[godofredo29]

Did that lady just say: "Little boys all over are going to pull out their chest hair now," she said. "They learned something new."? What chest hair would that be, if they are little boys? This is the problem with letting people just spout without the facts to back them up. What kind of journalism is that?

[yborangel]

I interpreted the Bud Light ads with the ax carrying hitchhiker and the chain saw to be spoofs of scary movies including the newest "The Hitcher."

However, I think Bud may have not seen the REAL message in this ad: when alcohol is involved, many people throw good sense and caution out the window.
Too many people "just git plain stoopid" when beer is in the picture!

[yborangel]

I interpreted the Bud Light ads with the ax carrying hitchhiker and the chain saw to be spoofs of scary movies including the newest "The Hitcher."

However, I think Bud may have not seen the REAL message in this ad: when alcohol is involved, many people throw good sense and caution out the window.
Too many people "just git plain stoopid" when beer is in the picture!

[breulet]

I think that the offering of commericals this year was weak. But I did like the Blockbuster ad, the Taco Bell ad and some of the Bud ads. But to say the ad were filled with violence is also weak. They were no more violent than the football we watched. I think the ad agencies over think the products.

[msvicky1]

Oh I forgot about the career.com ads - they were somewhat funny in a sadistic and mean way. If I was looking for a job and never held one in the US those ads would make me go back to where I had come from. And who gave Robert Goulet the Mary Kay makeover - his face looked like the Burger King's. The one referring to men's "issues" should have been yanked before it aired. No only was it a squirmmy ad it was a nasty hit at men who were watching....they were squirming in their seats at my house.

[msvicky1]

Superbowl ads have always been the hi-light of the day for me. Unfortunately not only were the ad's lame and just down-right stupid for the most part; but it was like they spent all that money on annoying everyone. Next time, hire the normal workplace people. They need to bring back the Bud beer Clydesdales and THE FROGS....the frogs may me laugh till I wet my pants. The one ad with the Rock/Paper/Sissors appealed to my look at dumb men sense; and I have to admit, the one with K-Fed was a joke within a joke and funny - talk about making fun of yourself - the lions - who in God's name eats Taco Bell out in African wild? Were they at the San Diego Animal Park? The lions would not have been talking about the tacos, it would have been the people. And the car ads - the Tundra ads sucked so bad it made me promise myself never to buy one. I thought the half-time show was bad...but the ads - it should have rained them out.

[aa36042]

dakotaclark

I think you doth protest too much... :)