Movies

Column: The TV ad is a dying art. This year’s Super Bowl proved it

BBG News

Has video killed the Super Bowl ad?

In a Super Bowl like none other, Super Bowl LIX, there was an exceptional demand for creative, captivating, and intellectually stimulating advertisements. While Philadelphia’s dominance over Kansas City left Eagles fans in high spirits, perhaps too engrossed to notice the commercials, Chiefs supporters, during the breaks, may have found themselves bargaining with divine powers or dousing themselves with Arthur Bryant BBQ sauce in hopes of turning their team’s fortune.

For the remainder of us, it might have been delightful to stumble upon an amusing or impactful advertisement or two as a diversion.

Unfortunately, this year’s Super Bowl ads didn’t meet expectations, with only a few exceptions. For instance, Nike’s “So Win” campaign stood out, as it challenged the limitations often faced by female athletes, and was quite impressive. Similarly, Kieran Culkin’s witty performance as a beluga whale for Nerdwallet also made an impact. Overall, however, this year’s ads didn’t quite reach the level of excitement built up around them.

And that hype may be part of the problem.

Over the past twenty years, Super Bowl ads have gained significance beyond just being accompanying content for the game. They strive to be the talk of the office water cooler or internet the next day, much like the competing teams, with equal intensity.

Before Taylor Swift started dating Travis Kelce, these breaks during the game served as an attraction for people who aren’t football enthusiasts: Grab some food and use the restroom during the match, return to see the premiere of the priciest, and at times, most imaginative advertisements on TV.

As a movie enthusiast, I’ve noticed a trend that’s becoming more common – it’s no longer their first appearance. Following the extraordinary success of Volkswagen’s “Star Wars” themed ad “The Force” in 2011, advertisers have been unveiling their Super Bowl commercials even before the main event. Media platforms, which used to merely review these spots post-event, now offer sneak peeks and early rankings of best and worst contenders or lists of who/what to keep an eye on.

This year, I didn’t miss out on the fun by skipping Super Bowl LIX. I wouldn’t have had to witness Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal reenacting their iconic deli scene from “When Harry Met Sally” for Hellman’s Mayonnaise, or cheer for Catherine O’Hara and Willem Dafoe as pickle ball champions for Michelob Ultra. Also, I would have missed the clever banter between Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, brought to us by Dunkin’ and Stella Artois.

It appears as though advertisers are growing convinced by their own hype. They seem to believe that simply securing a Super Bowl ad or two, and hiring well-known celebrities, is enough to ensure their product’s triumph.

During an election year filled with doubts, numerous ads found refuge in the comforting embrace of nostalgia. Alongside Ryan and Crystal’s retro revival for Hellman’s, Seal (the real and somewhat intimidating seal) performed a remixed rendition of his 1994 hit “Kiss From a Rose” for Mountain Dew’s Baja Blast; Instacart brought out Mr. Clean, the Jolly Green Giant, and the Kool-aid pitcher; and 11 years after their debut in the first season of “True Detective,” Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson teamed up once more for Agentforce.

Observing the ads during the Super Bowl, it was hard not to yearn for a time when advertisers prioritized crafting exceptional and unforgettable ads over cross-platform promotions of their commercials.

A bit of unexpectedness would have been welcome, especially for the more unconventional ads – like Barry Keoghan channeling “The Banshees of Inisherin” to promote laptops for Squarespace or Jeremy Strong immersing himself in a vat of wet coffee beans for Dunkin’. However, many of the commercials, which fetched an average price of $8 million, leaned more on star power than original ideas and witty scriptwriting. (Perhaps Seal’s Mountain Dew ad and CoffeeMate’s Cold Foam spot, with its life-sized contorting human tongue, seemed funnier and less bizarre during the pitch presentation.)

With a multitude of stars like Walton Goggins, Kevin Costner, Harrison Ford, Chris Pratt, Chris Hemsworth, Issa Rae, Glen Powell, Adam Brody, Greta Gerwig, Nate Bargatze, Aubrey Plaza, Michael Shannon, Bad Bunny, and Bill Murray added to the mix, their presence became overwhelming and lost its effect.

Martha Stewart made appearances in advertisements for Sketchers and Uber Eats, just like McConaughey who also did ads for Uber Eats and Agentforce. However, it was “Schitt’s Creek” that emerged victorious in the Super Bowl ad competition. Besides O’Hara representing Michelob Ultra, both Eugene Levy and Sarah Levy were seen in Little Caesar’s commercials, while Dan Levy advertised for Homes.com. The duo of Culkin and Strong, both Oscar nominees, helped “Succession” secure a strong second place.

Interestingly, some of the most impactful ads were those lacking Hollywood A-list stars: for instance, NFL’s ads showcasing youth organizations and advocating for women’s flag football; Dove’s “These Legs” campaign promoting body positivity among girls and women; Rocket.com’s tribute to home and home ownership; and Budweiser’s annual Clydesdale-themed ad, this year focusing on a small foal with determination, all managed to resonate emotionally.

In simpler terms, most of the commercials during the Super Bowl didn’t stand out, they were just average compared to some past memorable ones like Jeep’s “Groundhog Day” or Amazon’s “Alexa Loses Her Voice.” We didn’t see anything as iconic as Pepsi’s commercial featuring Michael Jordan and Larry Bird playing basketball.

It’s clear that companies spending millions on Super Bowl ads would view their investment as worthwhile. Given the decline of traditional TV, the Super Bowl, with an average audience of 100 million viewers every year, is essentially the most significant event out there. As broadcast networks struggle, television commercials can be seen as a fading skillset. (Whether streaming platforms will breathe new life into this art form remains uncertain.)

Perhaps the problem lies in setting expectations too high due to constant promotion and advertising on social media platforms, which have transformed into a continuous stream since their rise in popularity during the latter half of the 20th century. It can be challenging to recall a time when “Got Milk” campaigns, American Express ads featuring celebrities, or the “Mac vs. PC” debate were significant cultural talking points, equivalent to today’s viral TikTok videos.

Regrettably, despite the unique and costly chance presented by the Super Bowl, none of the companies could create an advertisement that sparked conversations among viewers for several days following the event.

Instead we are left only with the game — and it wasn’t exactly one for the record books.

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2025-02-10 09:01

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