Monday, February 4, 2008

The Superbowl is still one of the most watched television events.  Perhaps, many viewers are as excited about the advertisements and they are about the game.  CNN reported an average cost per ad of about 2.7 million dollars.  If all of the companies pooled their money that they spent on the Superbowl advertisements, they might have solved the world's water crisis.  Doesn't the world need the ads instead?  Despite all the money spent, the ads stilled pleased Superbowl fans.

The commercials all went in different directions; they did not follow a pattern at all.  Some companies went with serious, to-the-point ads especially car companies.  One company's ads stood out to me mainly because they were unusual, sometimes grotesque.  One had a woman's heart leave her body and another showed a spider devour its dinner.  Budweiser definitely wins the prize for the spending the most money on ads, however they may also win the prize for the best.  Some funny, some touching, but all were pretty good.  I lost count of how many Budweiser ads showed, but their expenses topped the charts.

Some football players even filmed commercials for the event.  The Patriots joined together My favorite was the story of the oboe player turned football star thanks to his friend pulling him out of his grocery store job.  Tom Brady even made a joint commercial with the United Way.  Although it seemed he couldn't find the time to show up for filming it because his animated cartoon was playing football.

The halftime show was a little classier this year I think.  Steering away from the out of control and towards genuine rock and roll.  Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are getting old, but their songs will always be classics.  No one took risks this year for a repeat of the Janet Jackson fiasco, Petty pleases everyone.

It's interesting that the ads become so important.  Not that the Superbowl itself isn't, but it seems the talk of the commercials lasts longer than that of the winner.  The game was uneventful until the fourth quarter, so many looked to the ads to keep up the entertainment.  Advertisements are much more about entertainment than promoting the product in some cases.  Now more than ever, people expect for the commercial to please the eye before they will even consider the product or service.  That's why companies pay so much money for Superbowl spots.  It is their best opportunity to reach a wide audience and entertain.

Go Giants!!

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