Sunday, January 26, 2003

It’s All About The Ads   Just like everyone else, I’m watching the Super Bowl not for the game, but for the ads.  Now whether or not this year’s collection of commercials is better than any other year is debatable (I’m still a big fan of the “off the scoreboard, nothing but net” series), here’s some thoughts on what I saw this evening.  First amusing commercial:  The Castaway Fed-Ex commercial.  Blows away those sappy UPS commercials. Disturbing trend:  Two choking/coughing-up commercials in the space of twenty minutes.  For the record, ESPN’s Sportscenter commercial was better than the Dodge one. Honda Element:  Ugly!  But you can put a lot of anaconda in the back of that Honda.  Baby got back. Willie Nelson rules.  H&R Block easily whips Charles Schwab in the Companies I've Never Used category. Yao rules, too. Not sure about the Jordan commercial.  Great idea, but all it does is remind me of how great he used to be and how he should never have become a Wizard.  Two new Matrix movies this year.  That’s above average.  They are canceled out by Bad Boys II, though, since it’s bound to be twice as sucky as a normal sucky movie. Is it just me, or do those Coors twins get less appealing with every passing commercial?  I’m still waiting for that Doritos babe to make a comeback. The future Mrs. Lopez as Daredevil.  Don’t bother to remind me of its release date.  Now I may drag myself out to see The Hulk, though.  Not for the steroided Shrek.  For two words:  Jennifer Connelly. I’ll never, ever wear Hanes again.  Great idea to center a new marketing campaign around the public uproar over tags inside t-shirt collars.  Lame. Sierra Mist: good commercials.  Crappy drink, though. I can’t stand Bud Light, but I have to admit I like the commercials.  Why is it that the nasty tasting beverages end up making the best commercials?  There seems to be some strange inverse relationship at work here. I like buffaloes, but I didn’t get that at all. M-Life:  Didn't they have those ads last year that never actually said what M-Life is and confused everyone?  Now they tie their nebulous "product" to Gilligan's Island??  Their ad agency is robbing them blind. Halftime Report:  Shania Twain makes my pants tight.  So does Gwen Stefani, but she'd have an even greater effect if she would stop dressing like a teenager with bad taste.  Sting makes my pants...oh, never mind. Bruce Almighty:  Can’t help but wonder if that commercial showed all of the funniest parts.  But with Jim Carrey as God, I’m guessing a few people spit out their chips ‘n dips when they saw that.  That’s cool. Led Zeppelin being used to sell Cadillacs.  There's something fundamentally wrong with that. Terry Tate just sold me on Reeboks.  Great commercial. Those "Priceless" ads are definitely old 'n busted.  Yao Ming is new tallness. Monster.com's "Truckers Needed" ad was pretty good, but it doesn't compare to a bunch of kids who want to be downsized or forced into early retirement.  That said, I didn't know Monster.com was still around.  You learn something new every Super Bowl. Oh, and speaking of things you didn't know were still around, I'm glad they dug up and dusted off Bon Jovi.  For those keeping score, he does nothing for my pants.   If you missed any of the ads, you can see many of them here.  If you don't find what you're looking for there, you can try here.   Best one has to be:  Terry Tate -- Office Linebacker       As for the game, Tampa won.  My life is unchanged.   Comments can be sent to alex@mauldin.com . 6:51:37 PM     |

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