You review it: Super Bowl commercial edition

February 8, 2010
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I won't assume that you didn't get out to arts events this weekend. And if you have something you'd like to tell us about from your arts and entertainment weekend, please do.

But I will assume that most of you watched the Super Bowl and that you have an opinion on the best and worst of the commercials.

Me, I'm just wondering how quickly we're going to start seeing parodies of the Google-tells-a-story ad. And how David Letterman and Jay Leno ended up in a room together (actually, that is answered in IBJ here.)

And how Betty White now seems to be one of the few people with the potential to bring our country together.

Your thoughts on the commercials? Or on the performances by Carrie Underwood, Queen Latifah and The Who?

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  • anti women
    Kathy McAleerFebruary 8, 2010 9:59 AM
    After about the 4th ad, seemed to me to have a vein of anti woman ads. Does the NFL and/or their advertisers realize who many women watch football? Maybe the don't care. Which is why Hockey has become so popular with women, the best game of the day was the Penquins - Capitals game.
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  • Exactly
    SvenFebruary 8, 2010 10:39 AM
    I said the exact same thing, Kathy: the ads were so male-centric in such a stereotypical way, I figured a good number of the audience would be alienated. The Google ad has been around for some time on the Internet, and it is clever and effective. I loved David-Oprah-Jay, but didn't even realize until this morning that it was an ad for the David Letterman Show. Overall, the ads were pretty lackluster. I never want to eat a Dorito again.
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  • Artistically lacking
    Eddie CurryFebruary 8, 2010 11:46 AM
    I thought all the artistic elements of the Superbowl fell short, just like the Colts. Clearly CBS was having sound issues during the half time show, and I am certain Queen Latifa removed her ear monitor early on in her number due to sound issues as well. I was completely underwhelmed by Carrie Underwood's performance of the National Anthem. Again, I think she had problems hearing herself, but with that put aside, her arrangement was un-inspired. The Who did a fine job, but there was nothing overly exciting about seeing rock icons who are way past their time perform in the middle of a lazer light show. The trophy presentation wasn't nearly what the Saints deserved, but I am sure their hometown will make up for what Miami lacked. Boring presentation of what turned out to be a historic game. Sorry the Colts lost, but so proud to have lost to the Saints. New Orlieans needed the good mojo!
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  • Super Bowl
    lambFebruary 8, 2010 1:44 PM
    The commercials started off good with Betty White and the Doritos dog collar. I liked the Doritos commercial with the little boy too. Nothing else was inspired or interesting although I did laugh at the Denny's chicken in space (you can't hear a scream in space!). Overall, the game was the most interesting part of the evening. But that's the way it should be, right?
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  • TruTV
    Ad GuyFebruary 8, 2010 2:45 PM
    Really liked the "Punxsutawney Polmalu" for TruTV. It was funny, but the premise also helped me remember what they were selling: A new NFL show on the TruTV network (thus, six more weeks of football because mini-Troy saw his shadow).
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  • Male problem
    GordonFebruary 8, 2010 2:50 PM
    Get a life.
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  • E-Trade Milkaholics
    KristenFebruary 8, 2010 5:28 PM
    I loved the E-Trade baby commercial with the appearance by Lindsay the milkaholic, and the Betty White commercial. I thought Punxsutawney Polmalu was creepy, especially since I dig Polamalu's hair.
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  • new-to-me storytellers
    Hope BaughFebruary 9, 2010 9:46 AM
    I only decided to follow the Super Bowl at the last minute when I was trying to write a theatre review Sunday night and my laptop stopped cooperating. I don't have TV, either, so finding Super Bowl coverage at the last minute at home was a bit of a scramble. I kept trying unsuccessfully to find some website that would let me follow the game on my iPhone.

    A social networking friend suggested I listen to radio station 97.1, aka Hank FM.

    I am so glad he did! The two guys announcing each play of the football game were WONDERFUL! I could SEE the game happening through their descriptive words, feel the excitement of the action through the emotion in their voices, share their disappointment when the game didn't go the way we wanted it to go.

    I even laughed along with the commercials, including one from the official milk of the Colts and another from the official printers of the Colts. Perhaps those commercials weren't meant to be funny, but I enjoyed listening to them and imagining what else might be an official Colts something-or-other. ("Indy Theatre Habit is the official live theatre and storytelling review blog of the Indianapolis Colts! Yes!")

    The game was exciting, but even more exciting to me was that I felt as if I had discovered a whole new spoken word performance art. It was a treat!

    Who knew that radio sports announcing could be so riveting?

    I called the radio station later to find out who the guys were: Bob Laney and Will Wolford.

    I am going to write some more about them on my own blog later this week.

    Hope Baugh
    Indy Theatre Habit
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  • sports announcing
    Eddie CurryFebruary 9, 2010 11:37 AM
    Hope,

    Just a little correction. The voice of the Colts is Bob Lamey, and yes, he is very passionate about his team and knows his sport well. We have another great announcer in Mark Boyle, who does the play-by-play announcing for the Pacers. He is the best basketball play-by-play guy I have ever heard. Both gentlemen are a treat to listen to when they are just talking about general topics as well. Your take on it as being a form of story telling had never occured to me, but I could not agree more. Maybe we should go to a game together sometime, and take our headphones with us.
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  • Commercials
    Real Football GuyFebruary 9, 2010 2:06 PM
    Kathy and Sven... there may be more women watching than before, but men are still the majority audience for the Super Bowl, and professional football in general (you do know they play more than just one game?... where are the women for the other 16-19 regular season/playoff games?). And, in my opinion, guys at Super Bowl parties will still be more glued to the TV than the women (since most men care more about the actual game). This may sound like it's a sexist post, but it's the reality of professional football like it or not. So, the commercials will continue to favor the larger audience. Look at it from the business standpoint, you're paying that outrageous price for that airtime (it's still high for the rest of the year too)... then you're more than likely going to gear that commercial for the demographic that is dominant. And professional football isn't trying to be artistic... it's football. So, quite honestly, the NFL probably doesn't care if women are briefly offended from a commmercial.
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  • Favorite Commercial
    Real Football GuyFebruary 9, 2010 2:08 PM
    Oh, but sticking to the subject... my favorite commercial had to be the Doritos commercial with the little boy. "2 rules.."
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  • "M" not "N" - thanks!
    Hope BaughFebruary 10, 2010 9:27 AM
    Thanks, Eddie, for the correction! I would love to go to a game with you some time! Julie, too, if possible. I feel as if I haven't seen her in a million years, although I think of her often, of course, whenever I see one of her gorgeous photos.

    But in any case, I will listen for Mark Boyle, too. Thanks for telling me about him.

    Hope Baugh
    Indy Theatre Habit
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