Industry Info

Super Bowl Halftime: Prepare to be Offended

OK, so going into Super Bowl week, I posted a blog topic about the upcoming halftime commercials and the effort invested by brands to “out do” each other.  

Now that it’s Super Bowl Sunday and we’re through the first half of the game there’s been some entertaining commercials.  However, this year’s brand loser (in my book) is the same loser company of Super Bowl’s past:  GoDaddy.com.  Note to Go Daddy’s ad agency:  how about actually including ad content related to domain registration and/or hosting to woo customers?

While I’m trying to chill on my sofa with my 9 year old son to enjoy the football game, I have to quickly change the channel so he doesn’t have to see another irresponsible perverted GoDaddy commercial  – this time its a couple of high school voyeurs hovering over a PC to peep on Danica Patrick in the shower.  Another “honorable mention” for immature advertising is the Doritos commercial with the magic chip where the guy bites into a chip and a woman’s clothes disappear on the sidewalk.  Again, how irresponsible for a brand that wants mom’s to buy their snack products and put them in the lunch box of little girls.  As the for agencies perpetrating this junk — seriously, is that the best you can do?

This is an example of not just interruption, but a violation of family viewing rights.  

It’s equally ironic that the NFL is so aggressively trying to woo families to the stadiums and market itself overseas — yet they have no problem with the brand association with these commercials.  Yes, they made a big stink over Janet Jackson’s halftime wardrobe “malfunction” — but these commercials are apparently OK.  Oh wait a minute — I realize why its OK … its because those perv commercials generate income for NBC (who in turn pays the NFL for broadcasting rights), but the Janet snafu didn’t produce any income.   In fact, the NFL can add sex appeal to their sport by allowing advertisers to do it; then if there’s push back by consumers the NFL can distance itself by blaming the advertisers.

Years ago it was the drunks shouting “F bombs” that drove me out of pro sports stadiums, now I can’t even chill in my home without my kids being morally assaulted.  Good thing my 6 year old is upstairs playing — maybe he’s the smartest of all.

THE MORNING AFTER (2/2)

It’s now Monday morning and Time Magazine has rated the Super Bowl commercials.  Reviewer James Poniewozik has this to say about the GoDaddy ad: “GoDaddy’s annual sex-sells spot with Danica Patrick crosses the line from titillating to creepy, with a room of geeks using their laptop to compel Patrick and another woman to take a shower together. Ewww. After watching this, I need a shower myself.”   His grade for this commercial is a “F”.  

Tags: brand consistency, interruption advertising