Super Bowl XL was a mediocre game for the most part, and the lack of inspired and exciting play was not bailed out by an abundance of high-quality bathroom break entertainment advertising. Nevertheless, there were several standouts – mostly on the shoulders of Budweiser and Ameriquest – proving that maybe this whole advertising thing isn’t as easy as it’s cracked up to be. We worked hard to bring you our personal favorites from Super Bowl XL. One final thought from two humble journalists: bring back the Bud Bowl!
10. “What’s the number for God?” – If this commercial, featuring Kurt Warner narrating the life and death of a young man while quoting Bible passages, was intended as a comedic respite from the on-field brutality witnessed in Sunday’s Super Bowl XL, its marginal success in an otherwise weak field warrants a place on our prestigious Top 10 list. However, if, as we suspect, this was not the case, and Kurt Warner doesn’t mess around when he’s talking about our spiritual placement after death in the universe, well, we don’t really know what to say.
Athletes4Jesus.org really needs to devote more money to their advertising campaign in coming years. In hindsight, this ad really deserves no place on this coveted list.
9. “I’m going to Disney World” – Joey Porter is tough. He’s going to Disney World. Why? You try stopping him. This wasn’t the greatest or funniest commercial of the bunch, but it was a nicely executed performance by Steeler and Seahawk stars showing their acting versatility and determination to go to the Promised Land: Disney World.
8. “The Power of Beer” – Not since the creation of St. Peter’s Basilica has the world been witness to such beauty, grace, and thirst-quenching-ness as was packed into Budweiser’s commercial showing an assembled crowd enacting the revealing, opening, pouring, and drinking of the perfect beer. While the artistic capabilities displayed in the commercial clearly are far beyond the capabilities of most partially-intoxicated and screaming groups of 80,000 fans, this group was a special bunch, and Budweiser deserves a place on our Top 10 list for their original and aesthetically pleasing ad.
7. “Eagle-Eyed Machete Enthusiast Recognizes a Little Druid Networking Under the Stairs” – Excellent Newsmen are amazed. Well done, Emerald Nuts.
6. “Modern Medicine” – In an utmost tactful manner, in a scene fit for the critically acclaimed sitcom “Scrubs,” a not-too-intelligent doctor attempts to kill a horsefly with the always comedic defibrillator. In a moment of self-satisfaction, he proclaims “That killed him,” to the shock and horror of mom and daughter. Nothing breaks the ice quite like thinking your loved one has been murdered by a wandering band of crazy doctors. Ameriquest finished off strong by laying out the message that they are the insurance company to count on.
5. “Lord of the Flies” – The very first commercial after kickoff set the bar high for a great day of Super Bowl advertisements with Bud Light’s first spot. Watching a work-casual environment erupt into chaos and savagery in the presence of Bud Light continued Budweiser’s long tradition of creating comedic genius under the guise of advertising. Pale-faced Granny wrestling with the summer intern for some ice cold suds, coupled with the boss getting decked by a Troy Polamalu-like hit from the mail-room clerk made this commercial memorable.
4. “Monkeying Around” – Telling chimps to stop gyrating is as useless as telling Britney Spears to stop soiling her reputation. Chimps wearing swanky suits, burning money, drinking champagne, and listening to the quintessential ’80s song “Come on Feel the Noise,” places this commercial squarely in our top five. Careerbuilder.com chose to overlook our strong protests from last year, however, and still refuses to recognize the beauty that is the Linnean Taxonomic system, referring to chimps as monkeys instead of the Great Apes that they are.
3. “Crime Deterrent” – Cell phone projectiles are usually found only past midnight at a drunken frat party, but Sprint proved us all wrong with its witty usage of the ancient sport of cell phone assault. Sprint did an excellent job in describing the ninja-esque power of its network and services, clearly sending its message of superiority to competitors. “Can you hear me now, bitches?”
2. “Light Beer, Dark Comedy” – Any commercial that preaches the values of Title IX by placing women on the same gridiron as men in a “friendly” game of touch football is okay in these reporters’ eyes. If Michelob can knock the living daylights out of the cute, flirty girl as well, what’s not to love? Kudos.
1. “Magic Fridge” – “Guys, hurry up, the magic fridge is back!” Watching a group of four guys praying for the safe return of a fridge filled with Bud Light is reminiscent of a college dorm room before a Beer Run. The revolving door, the “Dude, you’re a genius,” and the incoming, beer-thieving friends makes this commercial both universally true and universally hilarious at the same time. The lengths that people go to – be it old-fashioned American ingenuity or even older-fashioned prayer – speak volumes about what people truly want: Bud Light.