Megann Horstead
Content Producer
The nation watched as the New England Patriots faced the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX on Sunday, Feb 1. However, it’s not just the game or the halftime show that drives in audiences as viewers have learned in year’s past.
The commercials have become a staple for the program as well, especially considering the 87,000-301,000 conversations ignited across Twitter last year, according to Nielsen Ratings. Although ratings for this year’s show have not yet been released, here is rundown of the 7 best and worst ads from Super Bowl XLIX.
The 7 best Super Bowl commercials:
Always Super Bowl 2015 Commercial “Like a Girl”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3GpXgFwWmk
Age-old perceptions of girls are tested in the Always commercial. First, viewers saw young adults and adults support stereotypical images of women not being able to run—let alone throw or punch.
The same study was then applied on women who had yet to reach puberty, and everything changed. The ad’s take on the perceptions of girls is fresh and innovative. It moves the audience to examine the social context of what it means to be a girl, and carries the message in the ever-respectable Always way.
Official 2015 Dodge Super Bowl Commercial | Wisdom | #DodgeWisdom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKKlqMs19tU
Dodge celebrates 100 years of service in this ad. A number of 100-year olds are captured reminiscing on the wisdom they’ve gained. The narrative introduces lessons learned in a way that seems conventional at first. But when the cars rev up, all of a sudden the messages conveyed by the elderly are turned up in volume. The ad takes on new life.
As the commercial suggests, being wise does not mean to drive slowly with care. Rather, the message is more relevant to knowing how to cruise at maximum speeds throughout life without losing sight of everything. Dodge shows that it’s cool, calm and controlled up to its 100th year of service, and there is a hope that consumers will keep moving with Dodge.
Super Bowl 2015: Camry Toyota Ad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNOzKxJTCoo
Greatness is the theme conveyed in the Toyota Camry ad. Viewers are taken on a journey to see the world through the eyes of manufacturers. The woman personifies the car through a narrative that shows her refusal to let the odds define greatness.
Watching the disabled woman overcome hardship is inspiring and it’s compelling in its course to strengthen the public’s perceptions of the Camry. With so many competitors, the ad’s narrative reminds viewers of what it means to be great.
2015 Budweiser Super Bowl Commercial “Lost Dog” | Budweiser #BestBuds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAsjRRMMg_Q
This ad brings the idea of man’s best friend to an interesting place. The man loses his dog among his many stops during the day. In the dog’s journey to find home, a wolf comes into view. An element of danger enters the air. Things take another turn when a fleet of horses save the day. The commercial shows drama and conflict, two important elements to any story, while also demonstrating the unbreakable bond between man and dog.
2015 Chevy Super Bowl Commercial: 4G LTE Wi-Fi – 2015 | Colorado | Chevrolet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHS426cnNBA
This Chevy ad explores the ever-saddening question of how Americans would respond if the Super Bowl experienced technical difficulties, leaving them without a way to view the game. It’s a horrendous thought to ponder, but it’s also a question worth asking with the ever-growing popularity of the game. The solution could be as simple as purchasing a Chevy with 4G LTE Wi-Fi, as the narrative suggests. The ad itself is smart, thoughtful, mind boggling and more.
Coca Cola Super Bowl Commercial 2015 (VIDEO) Make It Happy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgevyjvywLs
The Coca Cola ad served as an all-powerful gesture in the way it fused the idea of sadness turned to happiness. The commercial suggests that Coke is not only a pleasing beverage to drink, but it can strengthen the connection between mind and body. This is all too wonderful news for a product which some might not view as being essential to health and wellness. The ad is compelling not only narratively, but visually and aurally too. The special effects and use of sound helped in amplifying the message.
Avocados From Mexico Super Bowl 2015 Commercial First Draft Ever
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JF02QdpPJlk
The Avocados From Mexico ad uses satire to depict the world’s first draft. It’s not an NFL draft, however. It’s more of a meeting between nations to claim the rights to would-be native animals. The ad takes us back in time and comparatively pulls viewers into the frenzy that is the NFL draft. It’s an interesting take on sports, and the use of analysts made it seem that much more realistic.
The 7 worst Super Bowl commercials:
Snickers Super Bowl 2015 TV Commercial, The Brady Bunch Featuring Danny Trejo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=linSRGYnCcc
The Snickers ad uses the Brady Bunch sitcom as its vehicle. A male actor stands in as Marcia Brady in the scene where she has a broken nose and is groaning about having been hit by a football. The ad fails to do anything all that new or innovative. Viewers have become familiar with Snickers and its ability to curve hunger.
Mountain Dew Super Bowl Commercial 2015 Ads | Mtn Dew: Kickstart: “Come Alive”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wR-bZTTGLoA
The way the Mountain Dew ad brings people to dance is especially funny, considering that inanimate objects start dancing with them. But considering there’s nothing else new or creative, viewers are left with nothing more than a commercial adaptation of director Shawn Levy’s “Night at the Museum” trilogy. Viewers know how quickly the trilogy is losing its appeal, and if given a few views, the same can be said of this ad.
T-Mobile Kim Kardashian Super Bowl 2015 Commercial Kim’s Data Dash
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzDMZzrnOiM
It’s funny to see the reality TV star Kim Kardashian, who is arguably most famous for her attempt to “break the internet” in 2014, encourage viewers to maximize the potential of the Internet. What makes her a legitimate figure to promote T-Mobile and its Internet services? Some media consumers are still puzzled as to why we still remember the name Kim Kardashian after all these years. Her sex tape with R&B artist Ray J came out over a decade ago and yet the tabloids continue to pursue her daily.
Invisible Mindy Kaling Nationwide Super Bowl XLIX Commercial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yrq8ruhmCX0
On Super Bowl Sunday, audiences met Mindy Kaling, a girl who believes she has been invisible. After failing to track down a cab, she’s sitting nude in a park, she’s downing a large tub of ice cream, and she’s entering the local car wash to cleanse her body, as opposed to her vehicle.
All of her eccentricities may seem funny, but after a while, it can be annoying. Viewers will understand the idea that she’s eccentric, but there’s a point of going too far. Did we need the cameo by Matt Damon after all that? Shouldn’t individual diversity be promoted, not degraded?
Lindsay Lohan Super Bowl Commercial 2015 Sorta Mom by Esurance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7om3X28wlQ
Seeing Lindsay Lohan in this ad may be difficult for some fans. Some viewers would like to see if the childhood star could make a comeback. This commercial tries to play off of Lohan’s past troubles to get laughs. The attempt ultimately fails, however. Viewers have seen people bash Lohan so much that’s almost not funny anymore.
Nationwide 2015 Super Bowl Commercial on Childhood Death
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRVslkan08U
A little boy on a tricycle is faced with dilemma in seeing how life waits for no one. The idea of not being able to experience life’s joys—because of statistics showing an increase in childhood deaths—is central to the story conveyed in Nationwide’s ad. There is no happy ending to this ad, but it reminds viewers of how precious our young ones are, and in turn, shows how important it is to be insured with Nationwide. But the struggle with this ad is the blunt and heart-wrenching presentation of a child’s death.
Skittles Super Bowl XLIX Commercial: Settle It
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDwRN2GBUj8
The Skittles commercial takes viewers back to Wild West. It’s a visually compelling ad in terms scenery, but the theme does not work so much on a conceptual level. Although bicep prosthetics were used to amplify an arm-wrestling contest, the effect is less than flattering.
This ad didn’t have the “oomph” that makes a Skittles commercial a Skittles’ commercials. Viewers are used to seeing more from Skittles, but with this ad, we’re left to wonder ‘Where’s the rainbow? Where’s the magic we’re all used to seeing?’
