When it comes to the Super Bowl, you’re either a football person or you’re a commercial person. I’ve never met a person who claims to enjoy both equally. For all the football haters out there like myself, here’s a rundown on the commercials of the 2019 Super Bowl.
The Good
Amazon Echo
I’m constantly annoyed with the Amazon Echo. Maybe I feel like people are becoming lazier and the Echo is a vivid manifestation of that fact, but that’s an article for another time.
Regardless, Amazon’s “Makes the Cut” ad portrays a variety of scenarios where various Alexa-based technologies have gone awry. From a talking toothbrush the user can’t quite hear to two girls being ejected from a hot tub to a series of worldwide blackouts, Amazon does have a great marketing campaign with this one.
It appeals especially to people like me. They acknowledge that this homeware technology isn’t necessary but compared to all the ridiculous ideas people could come up with and all the things that could go wrong, the Amazon Echo looks pretty appealing.
Avocados From Mexico
Two words for you: Dogs and avocados. Need I say more? Probably not, but I will anyway.
Referencing the Puppy Bowl (which is superior to the Super Bowl in all ways possible) during the Super Bowl itself was a bold move by Avocados From Mexico. Viewers were given a chance to escape the tight, cold grips of American football, if only for a short time, to watch some adorable puppies be nothing but themselves. Then, the commercial ended with an ode to the world’s most wondrous food. Perfection is something which is nearly impossible to attain, but the writers of this commercial might have done it.
Doritos
A collaboration between the Backstreet Boys and Chance the Rapper isn’t something people have been waiting on. Little did we know, we’ve needed it all along. That collaboration was something I wanted to kick back and watch again, but maybe next time with some Doritos to munch on in the process.
Budweiser
I’m not 21, so I can’t enjoy a beer, but I can certainly enjoy the commercials for them. As an ode to their usual medieval-themed commercials, Bud Light stuck to their roots, but this time with a twist in the form of a Game of Thrones crossover. I don’t watch Game of Thrones, though as an American citizen, I’ve heard so much about it that I feel like I practically do. As a result, the beauty of the crossover was not lost upon me. That right there shows some true commercial craftsmanship.
The Best
Microsoft
Every year, the funniest commercials seem to be the most talked about and get the most hype. Microsoft chose to do something different. Using the real stories of several different kids with physical handicaps, the commercial delved into the benefits video games have had on each kid’s social life. Since it’s not always easy for them to be out and about, video games allow these kids to feel included in their social circle even on the days they can’t be physically present.
A special controller made by Microsoft allows these kids to play their video games and stay in tune with their friends’ lives much easier. This one was a tear-jerker with a beautiful message, not something you see everyday from a tech company.
The Bad
Sprint
Unfortunately, the intro for this year’s commercials started on a low note with Sprint’s overdone 30-second appearance. Before watching the commercial, I never thought I could envision a world where robots, Bo Jackson, a mermaid, a keytar and a bird-horse went together. After watching the commercial, I still can’t.
Hyundai
As great as Jason Bateman is, I just couldn’t go with this one (if you got the pun, I commend you). Like the Sprint ad, there was just too much going on. Root canals. Sitting in the middle seat on a plane. Vegan dinner parties. All unpleasant experiences, to be sure, not unlike the unpleasant experience of watching the commercial. It was just a classic case of a Super Bowl commercial trying too hard to be unique and stand out from the rest. While it certainly stood out, I can’t say it was a good thing.
Devour
This commercial starts and ends with the same uncomfortable sentiment: A wife following her husband’s food porn addiction. The joke made out of an all-too-real problem elicits shameful laughs from viewers. It is funny, just not the kind of funny anyone actually wants to admit is funny.
I think the true reason why this earned a spot as one of the worst commercials of the Super Bowl LIII was because it made me seriously reconsider my sense of humor.
Mint Mobile
Aside from T-Mobile, 2019 was apparently not the year for cell phone commercials. The ad parallels chunky, spoiled milk with Mint’s $20-a-month phone bill.
In a fake ad within the ad itself, a family is shown intermittently drinking and chewing the milk, something which an animated green fox deems to be “not right” (agreed). Meanwhile, he says, Mint’s pricing “is right.”
After feeling sufficiently sick to my stomach and confused on why an apparently “right” phone plan was compared to spoiled milk, I think I’m going to cut my losses and pretend like I didn’t watch the commercial.
The Worst
TurboTax
Confusion was the main takeaway with this one, confusion mixed with a twinge of discomfort. With the face of a doll that has only been previously seen in nightmares, TurboTax’s RoboChild proves that robot-human hybrids are something that the world is not yet ready for. Robots were certainly a running theme throughout many of this year’s Super Bowl commercials, which is a surprising detail considering almost none of them were done incredibly well.
I did feel bad for the robot child who wanted to grow up to work for TurboTax. My heart went out to it since it lacked the complex emotions to do the job effectively. I also saw myself in it when it said it was sad and proceeded to laugh. Maybe that’s the real issue here. It hit too close to home.
ii thinkk i was in marshall and albion michigan when i was a young boy.i remember the albion movie theater and the wonderful old organ.