Wednesday, February 9, 2011

EOC WEEK 5: Best and Worst Superbowl Commercials

The Superbowl has become one of the most celebrated American traditions in the United States. Every year it is one of the most viewed programs on TV, and people flock together to watch their favorite team compete. Hundreds of dollars are spent on parties to view the game, but oddly enough the commercials are just as anticipated as the actual game itself. It has become somewhat of a ritual to save the best commercials for the Superbowl, and securing airtime in this coveted prime-time spot is extremely expensive. One would expect the companies advertising would pull out all the stops for such an expensive and highly watched time slot, but this year the ads just didn't stack up to other years' creativity. One ad in particular, an obnoxious and distasteful commercial for HomeAway, left a bad taste in many viewers’ mouths. The sight of such a realistic baby being catapulted in to a window, then sliding down the glass, did indeed cause a reaction, but not a very good one. The sight of infants being harmed is hardly a sound marketing strategy to bring in new customers. On the other hand, the latest Volkswagen commercial aired featured a young child expressing what every child at some point dreams of. This commercial was smart because every adult remembers the times as a kid when they played "make believe". The commercial as a whole makes the company look good and advertises the car well. This has quickly become one of the most popular and most viewed commercials of this year’s Super bowl, due largely in part of the fact that the score and theme of the commercial, Star Wars, is known and loved by consumers. Utilizing those, along with the feeling of nostalgia, Volkswagen created an fresh new idea that still touched the hearts of viewers.


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