Super Bowl Hangover: Deggans Worst Ads of 2008
One of the most tired rounds of hype in television centers on Super Bowl ads. 
Studies may show that sizable numbers of viewers only want to see the commercials (and I'm still waiting to see those numbers). But the hype over these bite-size bits of commercialism has grown faster than the game itself, mostly serving to help networks justify an outrageous $2.7-million per 30 second spot charge this time around.
Fortunately, those of us who used to mostly watch the game for the ads have a savior: MySpace.
Thanks to its new Super Bowl ad space, which offers the chance to check out every ad during the big game according to when it aired, I could check out every commercial within a 30 minutes time and determine that this year's ad hype was mostly overblown.
Ain't modern technology wonderful? anyways, here's my list of the worst Super Bowl Ads I saw:
Doritos and the Giant Rat
Why would a guy opening a bag of nacho cheese Doritos attract a guy in a giat rat suit, who then proceeeds to beat him up? And why would that make you want to buy Doritos? I'm not sure, but the ad exec who convinced the company to spend millions on this dud must have cojones the size of Missouri.
Amp Energy Drink
It's something that probably sounded funny in the pitch meeting. But it turns out, watching a fat guy jump start a car by attaching jumper cable to his nipples isn't really funny, just a little disgusting.
Bridgestone Tires Nearly Kills Richard Simmons
Now if the car would have actually hit him on that dark road -- well that's award-winning stuff, there.
Naomi Campbell Dances With Lizards for Sobe Water
Turns out, watching a supermodel shake it to Thriller with a roomful of animated lizards doesn't really make me want to drink expesive "life water." Campbell should smack whoever thought of this ad with a cellphone -- it would have made a better commercial.
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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Mr. Deggans,
The wardrobe malfunction is a good analogy.
(And it's not as if I'm stepping out, much. Hm. Shh. Gotta run. Got an appt. with Dr. Zaius.)
Posted by: Married to the Media | February 06, 2008 at 09:16 AM
Definitely, if i didn't have such a personal animus to spoofing fat people in commercials, that drug dealer spot would have probably made this list.
If you ask me, that handy how-to guide to curious kiddies was worse than any wardrobe malfunction...
But what will Bob say, if he sees you posting on my blog more than his....?
Posted by: Eric Deggans | February 05, 2008 at 11:10 AM
How about the anti-drug public service announcement? It shows a drug dealer on a street corner bemoaning that business is down. Then the ad wraps by reminding viewers that you better realize that the drugs getting abused now are our prescription drugs at home. Junior might steal them. Thanks for tipping my 11-year-old to that!!!!!
Posted by: Married to the media | February 05, 2008 at 11:05 AM
the salesgenie.com spots were pretty offensive, I thought. $2.7 million to someone playing off Chinese and Indian stereotype accents? Im in the wrong business…
Posted by: Bill | February 04, 2008 at 02:03 PM
The puking baby was disgusting and a little creepy, but also fascinating in a button-pushing kind of way. Way too interesting a choice to make my worst list. There's about five other commercials I would put down for serious criticism before that one...
Posted by: Eric Deggans | February 04, 2008 at 01:18 PM
Okay... and the one where the baby spits up isn't on this list?? That was just awful...
Overall, this year's crop was some of the worst in recent memory.
UGH.
Posted by: Jim Johnson | February 04, 2008 at 11:35 AM