Believe it or not, I used to actually require students in my Integrated Marketing Communications class the University of Washington to watch the Super Bowl…for the ads.
In the coming weeks I’ll be touching on television advertising a little more than usual, and on February 3rd, I’ll conduct an anonymous poll listing all the main ads for your feedback.
As a warm-up, I’ll list two automobile ads I love (and why I love them) that have aired on the Super Bowl or are “Super Bowl” worthy. Here they are:
Honda’s Rube Goldberg Machine
Filmed in one shot with no CGI or special effects of any kind, this fascinating two minute video uses parts from a Honda Accord as part of a Rube Goldberg-esque machine that will leave you saying, “there’s no way they could have done that without special effects.”
When this ad came out a few years ago, it was forwarded to me a half dozen times in the first week of it release. And I know I shared it with at least two dozen of my friends in the business.
The Renault Ballet
You’ve seen cars doing ballet. You’ve seen it in the desert. But you’ve never seen it quite like this.
This video has been downloaded nearly a half million times in about four months and is heavily commented upon on YouTube.
Oh, and in case you are wondering, the phrase “Das sicherste ensemble der welt” loosely means, “safest ensemble of the world.”
Why do I love these ads? They are creative, captivating and they are driving conversation. And that, my friends, is a very good thing.
Stay tuned for more fun with Super Bowl advertising.
