Between our second major snow storm in two weeks and the general euphoria of the New England Patriots’ Super Bowl XLIX win, we were a little occupied yesterday. Nevertheless, that didn’t stop us from running an office-wide poll for our favorite Super Bowl ads this year.
While we were excited to have our most recent Cumberland Farms spot air in the New England market, we all agreed – in the interest of objectivity – that we had to vote for something else.
So, without further ado, here are our top Brand Bowl XLIX picks!
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Nationwide – “Invisible Mindy Kaling”
“It was light, funny and caught your attention due to the A-list actors used, yet it did a great job illustrating the core message and competitive differentiator that they wanted to communicate – Nationwide sees people as individuals rather than numbers and makes them a priority, unlike other insurance companies.”
Wix.com – #ItsThatEasy
“It’s simple, funny and light enough to be viewed in a party atmosphere. It also does a good job relating the story to the product, which some Super Bowl ads tend to forget to do. Plus, the use of former players is great (and Lloyd from “Entourage” is an added bonus).”
Weight Watchers – “All You Can Eat”
“I liked it because of Aaron Paul’s Jesse Pinkman-esque VO and the fake Guy Fieri.”
Jeep – “Beautiful Lands”
“I liked the fact that the message was more focused on the earth – and not the car.”
Budweiser – “Lost Dog”
“It helped me heal after watching the Nationwide spot!”
Clash of Clans – “Revenge”
“It’s what a Super Bowl spot should be – funny with a surprising reveal. It also played up a truth about online games in a funny way and didn’t feel like they were just trying to cram a celebrity in there for celebrity sake.”
No More
“As disturbing as it was, it’s the only commercial I cannot stop thinking about!”
Mophie – “All-Powerless”
“Not only was it a spectacle and very well produced, but the insight was spot on – it feels like the end of the world when your phone battery gets below 10%. We’ve all been there, and it’s pure dread.”
Doritos – “Middle Seat”
“A lot of the ads were heavy, and this one made me laugh. While it wasn’t super serious or hard hitting, the angst that comes with awaiting the arrival of your elbow-touching seatmate is real.”
#3 – TIE
Always – #LikeAGirl
“I liked it not only because it was empowering for lady folk like me and the little girls I am raising, but also because it did so in a very smart way that really focused on the highest level of their brand promise – creating products that help girls feel more confident.”
“I thought it was a very well done, empowering and inspiring spot. Just like boys can do anything and are told they can accomplish anything when they are young, so can girls. The spot has a great message!”
Snickers – “The Brady Bunch”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqbomTIWCZ8
“It’s funny to look back at those old sitcoms and poke fun at how problems and issues were resolved – in this case in an over the top way. Also, what great casting!”
“It had the best components of a good Super Bowl spot. It caught my attention right away with a striking visual and pushed the simple familiar premise of the Snickers campaign to a very funny new high point.”
#2 – TIE
Avocados from Mexico – “First Draft Ever”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkPZ-xW1DM4
“Very funny, smart, relevant to its context but with an inventive take on it, and ultimately, a really simple idea.”
“They came up with a great sports-related premise and a jingle that will be stuck in my head for a while.”
“Loved everything about it, but the caveman sportscaster had me laughing out loud.”
Loctite Glue – “Positive Feelings”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TjgUwNJ72k
“It just put them on the map in such a weird but memorable way. They only could’ve done something like that for the Super Bowl. And they definitely went for it.”
“They had me at branded fanny packs.”
“I already needed something to fix a broken plate, but you can bet this was the only product I went out of my way to Google last night.”
#1
Fiat – “The Fiat Blue Pill”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAcLViTHDOo
“I literally laughed out loud. Let’s be honest, it doesn’t matter who you are, you like a good dirty joke. With so many car commercials out there, the competition in this industry is high, but Fiat took a different direction than I have ever seen. It was subtlety inappropriate (but cleverly compelling) and definitely grabbed the attention of viewers with a good sense of humor.”
“It was totally unexpected and while lots of brands use the “sex sells” tactic, I think this one did it in a humorous way that left everyone in the living room from old to young laughing out loud.”
“I loved it because it was clever, captured my interest right away and made me want to watch until the end to see what was going to happen. In the end, it totally delivered on what the car was supposed to be about. Really well done.”
“A funny, creative and beautifully produced idea that was actually relevant to the product’s features and benefits. Easily set itself apart from the slew of other car ads during the game. Molto Buona!”