Kathryn's Bio

If you’re a New England Patriots fan like me, then you might be feeling down after the upset of last night’s Super Bowl. However, re-watching some of the hilarious, dramatic, and sometimes, just ridiculous commercials from the coveted Super Bowl advertising slots might help you to recover. This year, it seemed that puppies and babies dominated the “2012 Brand Bowl” with their cute faces and hilarious characterizations. Also, the Coke vs. Pepsi battle played out with polar bears vs. Elton John.

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Here are some of my favorite trends from the 2012 Super Bowl commercial lineup:

Puppies

What is it about a dog that just grabs everyone’s attention? The tail-wagging friends of this year’s lineup definitely made a lasting impression that many could relate to. In “The Dog Strikes Back” from Volkswagen of America, a dog gets inspired by a VW Beetle to get in shape and lose weight, something that almost everyone has on their list of goals for 2012. The Bud Light “Rescue Dog” commercial featuring “Weego” the dog, raised money for rescue dogs everywhere while evoking some laughs. Although the Doritos® “Man’s Best Friend” commercial may have offended some cat lovers, the bribery between the dog and owner was definitely a hit. Lastly, who can forget the hilarious victory and moon walk of Mr. Quiggly the pug who won the race because of his awesome Skechers?

Babies

The E*TRADE talking baby commercials made their expected appearance—strange and amusing, as always. However, the Doritos® “Sling Baby” commercial was a hilarious depiction of some good, old sibling rivalry.

Coke vs. Pepsi

The Coke vs. Pepsi battle played out (also as expected), but it was definitely a close call between Pepsi’s portrayal of Elton John as the “King” and Coke’s crowd pleasers, the animated polar bears.

Drama & History

Last, but certainly not least, dramatic, historical commercials definitely left a lasting impression on this year’s Super Bowl viewers. The Budweiser “Eternal Optimism” ad took viewers through some classic American achievements in history. This ad captivated all the viewers in the room and struck heartstrings of many through nostalgia. The Budweiser “Return of the King” ad also gave a historical, American-classic feel to the lineup with its Prohibition references, which went well with the patriotic spirit of this year’s Bowl. Fantastically unforgettable and arguably the most talked-about ad of the night was Chrysler’s “It’s Halftime in America” ad featuring Clint Eastwood and the city of Detroit. Many were expecting a celebrity similar to Eminem from last year’s Chrysler Detroit ad, but Clint definitely heightened the “American classic” theme of the night.

Here are my top 10 favorite ads from this year:

1. TaxACT – “Free to Pee”
2. Chrysler Group – “It’s Halftime in America”
3. Budweiser – “Eternal Optimism”
4. Dannon Oikos Greek Yogurt – “The Tease”
5. M&M’s – “Just My Shell”
6. Doritos® – “Sling Baby”
7. Volkswagen – “The Dog Strikes Back”
8. Audi – “Vampire Party”
9. Doritos® – “Man’s Best Friend”
10. Samsung Mobile USA – “Thing Called Love”
11. Pepsi – “King’s Court”
12. Honda CR-V – “Matthew’s Day Off”
13. Kia Optima – “A Dream Car. For Real Life.”
14. Acura – “Transactions/Seinfeld”
15. Chevy Silverado – “2012”

What was your favorite 2012 Super Bowl ad?

Filed under:
Business, Companies, Marketing by Kathryn Burgner