The 2020 Super Bowl commercials that had people talking
It’s the annual American TV event of the year. The Super Bowl are famous for their mid-time shows that feature the cream of the crop in the pop industry and creative half-time, celeb-featuring ads. An ad at the Super Bowl costs a company more than AUD $7 million to air. Yes, that’s just for one spot!
So, you can see why it’s common that only the biggest of global companies feature. But it seems to be worth it. According to a recent survey by Remington Research Group (RRG), 20% of Americans said that it’s the commercials they most look forward to at the Super Bowl. Amy Avery, former Chief Intelligence Officer at Droga5 agency who has previously developed Super Bowl ads, believes that the slots might be short but they’re worth it. “You’re buying access into a conversation… access to be part of a memorable experience… triggering emotion… it’s a long tail strategy.” And boy is that the truth!
But the risk organisations take with advertising is that not everyone likes every ad. If however they’re good at really targeting the triggers of their target audience, it’s highly likely to be successful. The people that matter will notice, and those that don’t will say, “I don’t get it.” That’s just fine!
With all that in mind, here they are with a little bit about what we did like:
Jeep Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray:
What we like:
Groundhog Day is an American tradition, so is Jeep.
Casting Bill Murray who is famous as Phil in the 1993 classic Groundhog Day so there’s already familiarity in the basis of the advert to want to break free from monotony.
More familiarity comes with the soundtrack of Sonny and Cher’s “I Got You Babe.”
The line “Safety first” is really important for Jeep and these Wrangler / Gladiator models that are often perceived still as army trucks and have had a few issues over the years.
“Who cares?” is the other important statement because they’re encouraging people to break from the norm.
And come on, the groundhog is cute!
Rocket Mortgage, starring Jason Momoa:
What we like:
They take one of the most iconic things about Jason Momoa (his ridiculously masculine physique) and remove it in a humorous and clever way and in turn, people imprint a visual of skinny, lanky Momoa in their head. It’s an absurd vision so it creates impact.
The exaggeration of what it takes for Momoa to ‘get comfortable’ is memorable and out of the ordinary.
The use of Momoa is strong demographic positioning; those looking to finance their first home. If they had gone with Bill Murray, the targeting would be all wrong. Choosing the right celebrity is crucial and we think they nailed it.
Hyundai’s ‘Smaht pahk’, starring John Krasinski, Rachel Dratch and Chris Evans:
What we like:
Car ads can be pretty bland and boring so we love the refreshing and fun take on this one.
John Krasinski, Rachel Dratch and Chris Evans are a match made in comedy heaven.
Repetition was a really strong technique in this one and it works because we won’t forget it, and by it we mean the words ‘Smaht Park’. A strong advertising technique; using a memorable and catchy phrase. It has the potential to become synonymous with Hyundai and yes, it might be annoying to some, but it sure is memorable.
No music included, and no music needed in our opinion.
What we didn’t like:
How do people get in their normal cars? 😂
Mountain Dew, starring Bryan Cranston:
What we like:
Pairing a horror movie plot with a sugar-free soft drink. It’s certainly a first and has the potential to alter what people associate with the film.
It’s recognisable. We even know people who haven’t seen the film but were familiar with the phrase “Here’s Johnny.”
A clever tactic having the Mountain Dew bottle visible in the beginning of the ad, making it obvious it’s an ad so that the anti-horror movie population tune in too.
They toned down the music, and thank goodness! The original ‘walking up the stairs’ scene features a pretty intense cliché horror movie track, so for the purpose of the ad, we’re glad they went with something a bit less… horrific!
Michelob Ultra, starring John Cena and Jimmy Fallon:
What we like:
“It’s only worth it, if you enjoy it” - to the point and simple.
The pair are memorable for their “Ew” skit on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon which received a lot of traction. Viewers are already hooked based on their reputation as a pair.
Strong narrative; tells a story and takes viewers on a journey.
Pop-tarts, starring Jonathon Van Ness:
What we like:
This one is fun and colourful so Jonathon Van Ness is the perfect choice.
The ad is relevant to the event.
What we didn’t like:
A bit cliche and been done before. We would think that those advertising at the Super Bowl might be slightly more creative than the “Never fear, [INSERT PRODUCT] is here!” style of advertising. Viewers want fun, but they also want something fresh and creative.
The message of ‘We fixed the pretzel’ is an interesting choice. It had us thinking, ‘What was wrong with the pretzel?’ Perhaps a better angle would have been, ‘We reinvented the pretzel’?
Amazon Alexa, starring Portia and Ellen Degeneres:
What we like:
Plants a question in viewers' heads and then humorously answer it from different perspectives.
Removed the wording on the logo which is the ultimate brand test. It can be a risky move but we think they passed.
A bit of exaggeration in advertising never goes astray. In this case, it highlights the incredible advances of technology, reminding us to move with the times.
Additionally, can we just take a moment to reflect on how much it would have cost Amazon to stage and film this ad!
