The first of February marked the broadcast of Super Bowl Clicks (apparently spelt XLIX), which for the unpatriotic and the uninformed is when every major advertiser in America releases their latest 60-second film, and even features a sideshow where some blokes run about playing catch. Since those of us stateside are condemned to view these commercials ad nauseam for the better half of a season, it seems like a good time as any to analyse some of Madison Avenue’s more innovative ideas while skewering their more tasteless excesses.
Coca-Cola: "#MakeItHappy"
A good example of what happens when the marketing team believes in their message so much they forget to sell the product. In this case, the humble Coke is drowned out by a grandiose, ham-handed delivery of “Peace and Love” that reeks of pretention. The use of digital communication as a central theme seems incongruous when their only product is a decidedly analogue concoction of high fructose corn syrup, and the prominence of 2007-era memes feels like a clumsy attempt at being trendy. A whiff of desperation permeates the entire commercial, a feeling not unlike hearing your mom talk about Caturday and Doge at the dinnertable. Coke’s marketing team would do well to remember: “Don’t get high off your own supply.”
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Mercedes-Benz: “Fable”
What makes this commercial noteworthy is not the uninspired fluffy twist on an old classic, but the choice to promote the decidedly upmarket 2016 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT-S. With a list price of $129,900, it is decidedly out of the grasp of the wide majority of Super Bowl watchers, but the commercial is not actually intended to sell the GT-Superexpensive so much as it’s meant to drive sales of cheaper, decidedly more pedestrian Mercedes-Benz models. This is the “Halo” effect in action, where a high-end product lends a bit of star power to the other, more mass-market products. A low-end Mercedes is still a ticket into the same exclusive club shared with the GT-S, something the marketing team counts on to get you through the door.
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Fiat: “The FIAT Blue Pill”
Surprisingly underrated, with universal appeal achieved through fast pacing, memorable imagery, and minimal dialogue (interestingly, the few spoken lines help reinforce its “Italian” message). It’s a cheeky commercial for a product pitched as the “cheeky” alternative, and even manages to clearly establish where the model lies in the product range by working in a shot of the original car. The clever stinger rams the point home.
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NOMOREorg Super Bowl Ad
Mood whiplash has rarely been used to greater effect. Subtle changes in tone and dialogue, coupled with muted colours and increasingly dilapidated images of a broken home help shift the mood from quirky to miserable.
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Dodge: “Wisdom”
This one is a bit of a shame. It’s got a clear message aided by memorable dialogue, but creates subconscious associations by lingering a bit too much on the elderly. Does any car brand really want to be known as the Official Car of the Geriatric?
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