My Fave 2008 Super Bowl Ads -- So Far
Because I've been doing a lot of work lately, I've mostly ceded coverage of Super Bowl-type stuff to the sports guys. But I wanted to link here to a few Super Bowl commercials I've already seen and fallen in love with.
Number 1 - Pepsi's Deaf Friends Commercial
This is a piece starring folks we rarely see depicted on television, in a spot that manages to be fun without making fun of its subjects' disability. I really wish the entertainment TV industry would take more cues from the advertising world on diversity issues.
Number 2: Pepsi's Justin Timberlake Ad
I hate pretentious pop stars as much as the next guy, but I've never seen JT in that light, to be honest. So maybe that's why I find this initially odd and eventually charming ad for a Pepsi-sponsored contest to be kinda cool. And let's be honest, after the wardrobe malfunction, this is probably the closest JT will get to a Super Bowl in a while...
Number 3 - Go Daddy's Non Super Bowl Super Bowl Ad
This Web site has mined a small fortune in free publicity out of submitting ads to networks for the Super Bowl which seem aimed at violating their standards and practices, so the site can then complain about how its being excluded and get lots of free publicity. For this ad with hottie race car driver Danica Patrick, they didn't even bother with that tactic, slapping the ad up on the Web for fans.
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The Feed is a blog on TV, media and modern life by St. Petersburg Times TV/media critic Eric Deggans. Possibly the most critical guy at the Times, he has served as music, media and TV critic at various times over 10 years.
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Eric -- You might enjoy this audio interview with Bob Horowitz, producer of "Super Bowl's Greatest Commercials 2008": http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mrmedia/2008/01/25/Bob-Horowitz-SUPER-BOWLS-GREATEST-COMMERCIALS-2008-producer-Mr-Media-Interview . (He is also the producer of "The Singing Bee" with Joey Fatone.) -- Bob
Posted by: Bob Andelman | February 02, 2008 at 11:07 AM