The Obligatory Super Hole XX
Welcome to the 20th annual Super Hole. If this is your first time here, welcome. And unless someone pays me to do this next year, it will also be your last time here. I’d say 20 years is long enough to do something for such little return, but I’m still in advertising after 30 years, so yeah.
Since my hometown Chiefs decided to take a breather from greatness this year, I was able to dedicate at least 35% of my attention to the actual ads. Which, in retrospect, feels like 34% too much. While there weren’t many out-and-out clunkers this year, there were many that forgot to have a point. They either relied on decades of brand familiarity to skate by on tangential themes or mistook wanton wackiness for high-functioning hijinx.
A few brands – those touting some form of AI in particular – tried to make a joke out of people’s category perceptions and instead ended up reinforcing them. More on that below.
For now, let’s look at a smattering of spots that I dug the most. And by “dug” I mean I thought they did what advertising is supposed to do: Pay back people’s attention with a smile, laugh, tear, etc. while doing something positive for the brand. I leave the definition of “something positive” for another day as I know you’re just here for the spots.
Be forewarned that, just like the game itself (go Seahawks field goal kicker!) I don’t think any of these spots will be considered classics. But that’s fairly rarefied air. For all the annual hoopla surrounding USA Today’s Ad Meter, can you remember what won last year? No. You cannot. Such is the ephemeral nature of advertising. Nonetheless, I’d be quite happy to have any of my picks on my reel. And if you say you wouldn’t, I hope that throne of lies you’re sitting on comes with a built-in HEPA filter to extinguish the aroma of beef and cheese.
Also, I download, converted, uploaded, etc. 16 spots. Only four made the cut. I guess I took Jason Kelce’s advice and didn’t settle for meh.
As always, I only review in-game (no pre- or post-game) spots that aired nationally. I also ignore spots for TV shows, movies (although I did enjoy the “Cliff Booth” promo), gambling sites, and the NFL. This year, I’m also attempting to not reward any good 60-second spot I saw online if the in-game spot was just an inferior 30. If you’re going to air a 30, focus on the 30. I’m looking at you, Meal Diamond.
Finally, I’m writing this after the game, so I’m more punchy and belligerent than usual. Cope.
Now then, on with the Hole.
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Instacart, “Bananas” – Let’s kick things off with the weirdest spot of the group (you wanted me to say “bunch,” didn’t you?). I’m mildly sure that there was some kind of build-up campaign for this, but I tend to avoid such things. The final spot has to live or die on its own, after all. And this? I think it’s the right kind of weird. Some bizarre, Eurovision-inflected, 80s pastiche presented in 4:3, quasi-VHS-quality. Benson Boone for the youths and Ben Stiller channeling his “Dodgeball” villain for the Xers. That would be me. And, get this, it actually addresses a problem that is prominent (according to my wife) with grocery delivery – getting suspect produce. Toss in a couple ultra-violent pratfalls and what’s not to love? Nothing. Nothing is not to love. Embrace it, people. Otherwise you deserve the big pharma advertising with which you’ll inevitably be saddled.
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Budweiser, “American Icons” – Yes, Anheuser-Busch does a Clydesdale-themed spot every year. And, yes, they are all starting to run together just a bit at this point. But by gum and by golly, SOMEONE FINALLY PLAYED FREEBIRD!!!!! Also, “Made of America for 150 Years” is a great line. It just is. And I don’t drink Bud. Ever.
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State Farm, “Livin’ On a Prayer” – As someone who didn’t really care for Bon Jovi when I was in 8th grade and have yet, 84 years later, to change my mind, I did enjoy this spot. Strategically, the song works great for an insurance company. And subbing out Jon and Richie for Danny and Keegan certainly didn’t hurt. It’s obvious that State Farm bet on the Bills making the Super Bowl given the use of Hailee Steinfeld (QB Josh Allen’s wife for those not into sportsball). But at least she’s a legit actress, so no big miscue there – just a little less, you know, synergy.
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Uber Eats, “Hungry For the Truth” – My personal favorite of the night. It continues a long-running campaign that should never have even worked in the first place. But sharp writing, directing, editing, and, of course, acting from Matthew McConaughey and Bradley Cooper made this spot, for me, rewatchable. Vintage KC Chiefs callout (Deron Cherry), for the win. Oh, and I’ve been making that Hall of Fame/juicer comparison for years. But then, I assume everyone born before 1980 has, as well. Not because they don’t still make juicers like that, but because that’s the sort of thing people of our era comment on.
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And now for a couple of neato-keen observations.
First, the Xfinity Jurassic Park could have been so much better if they’d skipped the incredibly creepy de-aging (What have they done to my boy, Sam Neill?) and simply opened with a line like “I can’t believe they’re trying this again.” Could’ve used the same shots, just without, you know, going all Madame Tussaud on us. Granted, I still have no idea what they were selling beyond internet service. And the one copy line, “A whole new species of wifi,” kept things as opaque as brontosaurus dung.
Second, why did every AI-touting ad try to focus on de-creepifying AI while making it seem even creepier? The Anthropic (Claude) ad was supposed to be a smackdown of OpenAI’s pending addition of ads to ChatGPT, but it mainly just reminded me of how verbose and cloying most LLMs seem to be. And if you haven’t noticed, I know a thing or three about verbosity. And the Alexa+ ad with Mr. and Mrs. Hemsworth? Funny. Well-made. I liked watching it. Makes me want to turn off our Alexa devices even more. The “we’re not trying to kill you or, fine, spy on you” schtick doesn’t work when the device can see you, call you by name, and ask about your new pet snake. That jive doesn’t jibe.
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Finally, probably my favorite spot of the week didn’t even appear on the Super Bowl (at least not nationally or in my region). It comes from Jeep courtesy of their agency Highdive. And while the particular Jeep model featured isn’t going to make me trade in my 4Runner, the goodwill generated by the spot itself may prevent me from mocking all the rubber ducks lined up on the dash of the next Wrangler I see. At least until Tuesday.