Commercial Success

2.4 million dollars.

That's what it cost advertisers this year for Super Bowl XXXIX. Now if I were them, I would have just bought a house, given it to the editor of You're a Blog, in exchange for a simple promise to use their product for life. In addition, I'd probably throw their logo up somewhere on the page, so that anyone who takes me seriously in my daily writing would act like sheep and also use the product. I'm telling you Quiznos, this would have been a lot better for you guys. I'm an untapped resource. (Right now, the writer of Nordblog is cursing the day, knowing that heeeere's another marketing blog. Oh, snap!)

Here is the First Annual Awards for the Super Bowl Commercial Offering, or for short, the Commies. (Any resemblance to a fallen economic and political system is unintentional and completely coincidental.) Rather that doing individual categories, as research shows that Commies do not favor individualism, awards will be handed out in the form of an all-encompassing list. The Top 10 Super Bowl Commercials for 2005, in the consensus opinion of all of us here at YAB, (Just Condon), are as follows.

Top 10 Commies, 2005

1. Bud Light - Skydiving - It was early, but I think it carried the crown all the way through the game. The pilot was completely unexpected, and this commercial is exactly what I want out of a Super Bowl ad. It brought the funny.
2. Anheuser-Busch - Standing Ovation - This is exactly what I didn't expect out of a Super Bowl commercial. I don't care that A-B put their logo at the end. A lot of critics had said this was a cheap ploy to tug at America's heartstrings. Hey, they just bought a $2.4 million thank you card. They're allowed to sign it. Thanks, troops.
3. Ameriquest - Romantic Dinner - Shock value pays off big time in this one. The product tie-in is solid, especially for a company that does not sell spaghetti sauce, cutlery, or felines.
4. NFL Network - This is the second incarnation of everyone in the NFL not wearing an Eagles or Patriots jersey singing a rousing rendition of "Tomorrow." I loved this idea last year, and am glad to see it back. On a side note, Warren Sapp will not be singing at our wedding. That boy could scare paint off a wall.
5. FedExKinkos - Burt Reynolds - There were ten reasons to like this commercial and their introspective look into market research. The best ones: Pop Song, Groin Kick, and Dancing Animal.
6. Paramount Pictures - War of the Worlds - The best Super Bowl teaser trailer since Independence Day. Just jumped to my #1 Most Anticipated Summer Flick. (Sorry, Lucasfilms.)
7. CareerBuilder.com - Monkey Office - Ths first one, people were laughing too hard for me to hear. So, the second one, with the whoopie cushion, makes the list here at 7. The best part about this series was the guy's demeanor. I haven't seen anyone that dejected and apathetic since Nordberg worked at AT&T.
8. MasterCard - Over for Dinner - Man, I missed some of these guys. Especially the Starkist Tuna and the Vlasic stork. This was classic advertising, and Mastercard's Priceless campaign is one of the best of the last twn years. Oh, and the Mr. Clean part was a nice touch.
9. Nationwide - Foreclosure - This is the MC Hammer commercial that actually made sense. Sorry, Frito-Lay, you just got served. I'm so glad he's back in the spotlight. And not by stooping down to the Surreal Life. Why aren't more people talking about this?
10. Pepsi - ITunes - The singing Pepsi bottles, sans Gwen Stefani. Makes the list at the tail-end solely thanks to the scene where the garage band knocks over the bottle and the music skips like a busted CD. Turned a boring idea into a novel one.
11. Joseph Stalin.