The pressure on the Super Bowl is simply relentless. The audience is huge, and people scrutinize every move and are quick to praise or, more likely, criticize. This is true for the players as well as the advertisers.
How are advertisers responding to the pressure? As one might expect, they are playing it safe, with several clearly using proven concepts and techniques, and spending significant time and money testing.
Not surprisingly, the quality of the 2012 Super Bowl advertising was generally high, with little to offend the masses. While some people will criticize the lack of big ideas, most brands will be happy with the results.
Still, the eighth Kellogg School Super Bowl Advertising Review produced some clear winners, including some new names at the top of the list.
M&M’S (A)
M&M’S was the top brand in this year’s Kellogg Super Bowl Advertising Review. The spot did everything a good Super Bowl ad needs to do: it was attention-getting, well-branded and entertaining.
The animated M&M’S are highly effective branding ambassadors: put them in the spot and the branding is crystal clear.
Honda (A)
Honda masterfully built pre-game buzz, releasing a 10-second teaser on the web that got people talking and then releasing a longer version of the final spot well before the Super Bowl.
The Super Bowl spot still worked; the concept was distinctive and engaging, and it clearly highlighted the new CR-V.
Skechers (A)
It is a bit of a surprise to see Skechers in the top group of advertisers on the Super Bowl. This brand is a regular on the game, but often near the bottom of the list.
The spot clearly communicated a benefit: speed. And it did so in a playful manner, with a tone that fit the Super Bowl environment.
Dannon (A)
Dannon’s spot avoided lots of special effects and stuck to a simple story line. A couple enjoys a tasty cup of Oikos yogurt. The lady wallops the guy to defend her share: the yogurt is just that good.
Let’s give Dannon credit for strong branding and fresh execution.
In the room where I was watching, the audience split in two on the Matthew Broderick Honda CR-V ad: 1) those who liked it and had previously seen the two minute version on-line, and 2) those who didn’t get it. The former group explained to the latter how much they would have liked it if they’d seen it on-line.
Maybe it only works for those who remember Ferris Bueller, and were therefore inclined to check it before the game. Is that enough?
There is no question the Honda ad works best in the long version. Honda was smart to release this one early. But the shorter ad worked well and received top marks from the Kellogg panel.
I did not like the Dannon ad. To be honest I did not know what was being sold in the ad, I was distracted by the script. I’m noticing a growing trend with major advertisers, where ad writers are suggesting violence against women, or by women to get their point across.
A violent commercial with women, typically starts with the male protagonist manipulating or attempting to manipulate the female character, in a manner that is not cute, its a glimmer of emotional abuse. Eventually, regardless of the product, she uses violence to get even, or aquire the product. Or violence is acted against her (a blindside football tackle, not playing, no pads) if she does not cooperate with the male protagonist. Dannon was not selling yogurt, it was selling power dynamics and violence.
[...] that the winner was M & M’s “It’s that kind of a party” commercial. Here’s the complete report card published by Kellogg. X-Prize: Ping Pong [...]
[...] and the M & M “It’s that kind of a party” commercial was adjudged the best. Here‘s the complete [...]