As someone who often watches TV for the ads – not the programs – Super Bowl Sunday is an important day. It’s when we get to see how creative people can be in 30 or 60 seconds. This year, I found many spots that showcase the true power of advertising.
The cost of a Super Bowl ad this year is about $5 million – and that’s just for a one-time airing. Add the cost of production and all the marketing activity required to spur viewership far past the airwaves, and you can start to imagine the pressure on creative directors to get the commercial exactly right.
Of course, each advertiser is hoping for an ad that’s sticky, visible beyond Super Bowl Sunday, and viral – extending its life long after the end of the game. This year’s commercial crop is not considerably different from those of previous years – lots of car ads, ads that make you laugh, those that make you think, those entertain or surprise, and of course there is a slew of celebrity spots. Yet a couple of things stand out this year:
Get your domain name before it is gone. That’s the message in Squarespace’s ad (this is a longer version) featuring John Malkovich. It’s a clever twist on the film “Being John Malkovich,” and it’s of course filled with bleeped-out expletives, vocalizing the actor’s brand.