Reactions to Super Bowl Ads

Super Bowl highlights from GSD&M, The BAM Connection, Chemistry and Berlin Cameron.



  • Loved the Google “100 Billion Words” spot. Grounded in the amazing technology of the brand, it’s an understated, well-played inspirational message about the daily, inherent goodness in us all.
  • Several of the ads that played better in long-format on youtube (Doritos and Expensify) suffered greatly when cut down to :30. They basically had to cut out the majority of the fun.
  • Per usual, there were loads of celebrities, and in many cases their presence added no meaningful value to the idea. They were just chucked into the spots for glitz factor 
 

  • I’m not a Game of Thrones watcher but that spot to me is the one ad that stands out. They took a chance by hijacking a well-trod campaign in an attention-getting way. Even though I don’t watch the show, I got it and was like “Oh, that was cool.” Also nice that two agencies were able to collaborate on the idea, the shoot and the edit. That can always get tricky.
Tom Hamling
Group Creative Director GSD&M, Austin
 
  • It’s a sticky time for brands—one false step and you’re a victim of twittosphere’s wrath— which means brands need to step extra lightly. That being the case, Mercedes-Benz’s choice to create a Super Bowl spot about a man who says the word and fixes all the worlds ails, seemed tonally off given the year we’ve had. Though well-done and paid-off by the fact that the car does in fact do as you tell it to, the reality of an all-powerful, handsome, white male protagonist misses the mark.
Jamie Silverman
Creative Director Berlin Cameron
 
  • While Bud Light’s campaign was beautifully executed and upped the effort from a production standpoint, I was disappointed that they were so heavy-handed with the strategy. Ironically, the net result were spots that felt watered down and lacked the viral/memorable aspect of Bud Light’s previous Super Bowl spots like “Dilly, Dilly” and “Wassup.” 

 

Chris Breen
Chief Creative Officer Chemistry
 

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