Super Bowl XlII Ads: 2008's Best and Worst Commercials

It used to be the word on the Super Bowl was that the commercials were more exciting than the game. After years of hype of Super Bowl ads, the reverse seems to be true. It's getting harder and harder to create a memorable ad that will stand the test of time with the classics of yesteryear. So how did this year's ads fare? Here are my thoughts on each ad as it appeared in the Super Bowl, with a review of each commercial and my opinion of the best and worst Super Bowl commercials at the end.

THE SUPER BOWL COMMERCIALS

Bud Light - Man Breathes Fire

Summary: Guy breathes fire to impress his date, until his allergies get the better of him.

Entertainment: 7 Selling: 4 Overall: 7

Bud Light's first ad would be funnier if it weren't essentially a spin on a Dairy Queen ad from a few years ago. I couldn't tell, did he wind up setting fire to the cat? If so, then I'm taking a few point off. At least until my cat upchucks again, then I may want to ad a couple. A rather lame start.

Audi - Godfather Ad

Summary: Alex Rocco wakes up to find a suprise in his bed, straight out of the Godfather

Entertainment: 9 Selling: 8 Overall: 8

Since I already had read Audi had an ad featuring the Godfather, I knew the gag before it happened, but it still was funny to see Godfather actor Alex Rocco playing the part of the studio head whose prized horse winds up decapitated in his bed. The motor oil and front end of the car were a nice spin on one of the most memorable scenes in film. And it follows the rule of any good car ad, by showing the actual product.

PepsiMax - Haddaway - What is Love

Summary: Sleepy people are awakened by Pepsi Max in a 10 year old joke.

Entertainment: 6 Selling: 8 Overall: 7

The bobbing head joke from SNL is at least 10 years old, so it seems odd to see it reprised for a commercial. But it's a nice illustration of what the product is intended to do and an amusing cameo at the end saves it.

Ramesh uses Sales Genie

Summary: Man uses Salesgenie.com to overcome his boss' pressure to make a sale.

Entertainment: 2 Selling: 2 Overall: 2

Salesgenie.com is priding itself on its cheesy ads. Tomorrow, they're going to have to answer for potentially racist ads. This one is about a "Ramesh", complete with stereotypical Indian voice, who uses Salesgenie.com to win sales awards. The ad could have succeeded without the odd choice of a foreign-sounding character to sell it.

Bud Light - Cheese and Wine Ad

Summary: Man with huge wheel of cheese hides a nice suprise.

Entertainment: 6 Selling: 5 Overall: 6

This ad is more in line with the better Bud Light ads, with a hidden bottle of Bud Lite. Still, not as great as their past ads.

Under Armour

Summary: People wearing Under Armour clothes are summoned to achieve.

Entertainment: 4 Selling: 8 Overall: 6

Nice effects, apparently showing the durability and athletic ability needed to wear Under Armour clothes. Not very entertaining, but a nice showcase of the clothes.

Bridgestone Squirrel

Summary: Everyone panics when a squirrel faces being squished by a car.

Entertainment: 9 Selling: 9 Overall: 8

Funny spot, but what makes it is all the over the top screaming. Yeah, we know he'll be okay, but it is still funny. Plus it points out the benefit of the product.

Doritos Song Competition

Summary: A video by the winner.

Entertainment: 4 Selling: 4 Overall: 4

I'm glad someone got to have their dream. And while the song was pleasant, I'm not going to rush to buy it or Doritos. And is it just me or did this woman sound exactly like that Colbie Caillat chick?

Wanted

Summary: Ad for the movie Wanted.

Entertainment: 7 Selling: 8 Overall: 7

Standard action movie ad, but it sure as heck made me want to see it.

Derek Jeter - G2

Summary: Derek Jeter makes a field appear all around him.

Entertainment: 5 Selling: 4 Overall: 4

With the exception of the mildly amusing tag at the end of the commercial with Peyton Manning, this commercial is all digital effects, and they take away from what is being sold. It's a new sports drink. Yippee. But the ad isn't that entertaining, cool, or amusing. A lot of money wasted.

Go Daddy - Danica Patrick

Summary: Geeks flock to the computer to see Go Daddy's latest insipid ad.

Entertainment: 2 Selling: 7 Overall: 2

Once again the Go Daddy Gods of Stupid kick in, to get us to go to an ad from Danica Patrick, who remains slightly less attractive than all of her sponsors want us to believe. But let's face it, we're all going to the website to watch it. (And it's just about as sucky!)

Buy Dell - Join Red

Summary: A guy gets patted on the back for something. But what?

Entertainment: 5 Selling: 8 Overall: 7

Against a Mick Jagger vocal, everyone's patting this guy on the back for something. The mystery of the ad works, and will probably have me checking out Dell's website.

Fed Ex -- Carrier Pigeon

Summary: A guy's decision to deliver everything by pigeon causes trouble for his business.

Entertainment: 10 Selling: 9 Overall: 10

So far, this is the funniest ad in Super Bowl. I have to admit that even though I saw everything going wrong, it was hysterical to have every package being dropped right outside the companies window, and as things got worse, I laughed even harder.

Cars.com - Glondor

Summary: A guy threatens a car salesman with a fight from a warrior.

Entertainment: 5 Selling: 5 Overall: 5

Slightly amusing, but not Super Bowl caliber.

Tide To Go

Summary: A job interview is interrupted by a talking stain.

Entertainment: 8 Selling: 9 Overall:: 9

I thought this was going to be an ad for a career website saying that appearance matters. The talking stain was a nice touch, and I thought this ad was a nice balance of humor and selling.

Budweiser - Hank Doesn't Make the Team

Summary: A clydesdale trains to make the Budweiser Team.

Entertainment: 8 Selling: 5 Overall: 7

This is a beautifully shot ad, with some nice effects and humor, but this doesn't match up to their best advertisements. It would have been better if Hank the Horse had somehow found a way to spurn the guy who didn't want him the previous year. And let's face it, dogs and horses don't make me want a beer.

Iron Man - Movie Ad

Entertainment: 5 Selling: 6 Overall: 6

I have to admit that another superhero movie isn't really that interesting to me. What is interesting is seeing that Robert Downey Jr. is playing him. Isn't he about 10 or 15 years older than what you want to build a franchise on?

Toyota Corolla - Badgers

Summary: A man is locked in a car with badgers to prove how quiet a Corolla is.

Entertainment: 8 Selling: 6 Overall: 7

The first truly violent ad of thisSuper Bowl, and while it is very effective at showing that the new Corolla is quiet (and therefore luxurious for its class), the concept overshadows the car itself. I spent so much time staring at the animal and the guy that I didn't pay attention to what the car looked like, a sin for a new car. The ending could have been tightened as well. It should have ended with the guy's phone ringing.

Leatherheads -- Movie Ad

Entertainment: 3 Selling: 4 Overall: 4

This is a nice looking film, but this movie comes off looking like a higher budget Adam Sandler comedy. Which is not what you want for a movie with George Clooney in it.

Garman GPS

Summary: I have no idea what happened in this ad.

Entertainment: 1 Selling: 2 Overall: 1

Okay, I don't get the point of this ad. Is he reenacting a battle? Is the joke that he couldn't find a way? This ad sucks. Garmin should set their GPS to a new ad agency, and QUICK!

Follow your Heart - Career Builder.com

Summary: A woman's body rebels against her boss.

Entertainment: 8 Selling: 9 Overall: 8

This commercial is probably one of the grossest in quite awhile, with a bit too realistic heart jumping out of the woman's chest. But honestly, who hasn't had days like this at work. And the "I Quit" was straight out of a Looney Tunes cartoon. Great ad, just not on a full stomach.

Sobe Life Water - Thriller Ad

Summary: A bit of Sobe Water makes a lizard dance.

Entertainment: 7 Selling: 7 Overall: 7

Okay, this ad recycles the Super Bowl standbys of Michael Jackson and Lizards (who have more in common than once imagined) and turns them into something fresh. I'm not sure I'll go get life water after this ad, but it's clear that it's supposed to make you feel good, and my daughter started dancing with it.

Parents - The Anti Drug

Summary: A drug dealer warns parents about the dangers of their RX medication.

Entertainment: 3 Selling: 8 Overall: 7

Nice ad. Much more effective than the "your brain on drugs" type ads.

Yukon Hybrid -

Summary: Animated ad sells the virtues of a hybrid.

Entertainment: 2 Selling: 8 Overall: 6

The tone of this ad put me in mind of a financial services ad. The copy brings home the point that getting decent mileage out of an SUV is hard, but not impossible, which makes this ad effective for me. Just not much of a Super Bowl Ad.

Bud Light - Foreign Accents

Summary: Carlos Mencia teaches foreigners to pick up chicks.

Entertainment: 4 Selling: 2 Overall: 3

"We make sandwich I am meat." That's the tag line to a crude gag that goes back to at least Stripes, in which unfunny comedian Carlos Mencia lets stereotypical foreigners test their accents on women. Bad.

Narnia -- Movie Ad

Entertainment: 8 Selling: 7 Overall: 7

Nice ad for the Narnia sequel.

Planters Cashews - Unibrow Woman

Summary: An ugly woman attracts the men.

Entertainment: 8 Selling: 6 Overall: 6

This one is funny and disturbing. And disturbing doesn't sell food for me. The idea that an ugly woman rubbing nuts on herself could make her appealing to men is not as amusing as the buildup to finding out why the men are so attracted to her. In the end, the ad seems more mean spirited than funny. I laughed, but felt dirty after.

T-Mobile -- Charles Barkley

Summary: Charles Barkley annoys the people in his calling circle.

Entertainment: 7 Selling: 5 Overall: 6

Charles Barkley goes from mentor to annoying caller in the space of this ad. The ad is amusing, but seems to go on a bit too long in making its point. And it really wasn't clear what wireless company this was for until the end.

Pepsi Stuff - Justin Timberlake

Summary: Justin Timberlake gets sucked closer to a fan.

Entertainment: 8 Selling: 8 Overall: 8

Slapstick, pretty girl, Justin Timberlake getting hit in the crotch and head. What more is there to a good ad? Probably will be the favorite tonight. Not my favorite, but a good ad.

Doritos - Mousetrap

Summary: A man catches a mouse with Doritos

Entertainment: 9 Selling: 8 Overall: 8

Okay, this one made me laugh. The way the man daintily cuts the Dorito, puts it on a trap and then patiently waits. I honestly thought that a small mouse would come out, do something funny, and run away with the Dorito. The guy in a mouse suit pounding the crap out of the guy in formal wear made me laugh out loud.

HALFTIME!!!!!!!

NFL Network

Entertainment: 7 Selling: 8 Overall: 7

A bunch of clueless sports fans make fools of themselves. Love the car getting crushed in the background.

Zantac

Entertainment: 5 Selling: 8 Overall: 6

An older commercial, but it has pretty effective special effects to show how Zantac can improve your life.

Semi-Pro -- Movie Ad

Entertainment: 6 Selling: 9 Overall: 7

Will Farell in a movie where he appears to play a buffoon who engages in slapstick. It practically sells itself, and it'll gear up its intended audience.

Claritin -- Carl Edwards

Summary: I don't know, I fell asleep.

Entertainment: 1 Selling: 8 Overall: 2

Carl Edwards sells Claritin. The drug may not put you to sleep, but the ad did.

Cars.com - Witch Doctor Shrunken Head

Summary: Guy threatens auto salesman with shrinking his head.

Entertainment: 4 Selling: 5 Overall: 4

Another dumb Cars.com ad.

Panda - Sales Genie

Summary: A Chinese stereotype playing a panda uses Salesgenie.com

Entertainment - 2 Selling: 3 Overall: 1

This commercial uses a stereotypical Chinese character only Jerry Lewis or Mickey Rooney could love. This will probably be the worst ad of the Super Bowl.

Horseracing - Shaq Rides a Horse Vitamin Water

Summary: Shaq wins a horse race.

Entertainment: 7 Selling 7 Overall: 7

As a big horse racing fan, the idea of someone Shaq's size getting on a horse, much less racing it is funny, as is the kid picking his nose and the other jockey swatting him on the behind and Shaq not being able to find him.

Bud Light - Prehistoric Party

Summary: Cavemen and Beer

Entertainment: 8 Selling: 5 Overall: 7

Cavemen trying to get their rock cooler full of Bud Light to a party are rescued by another who invents the wheel. Only they don't use the wheel correctly, they use it to carry the cooler on. Funny

Carmen Electra - Ice Breaker Ice Cubes

Entertainment: 3 Selling: 1 Overall: 3

Is it just me or is Carmen Electra looking like a chipmunk in need of a bath? Wasn't she considered beautiful 20 years ago? Stupid ad.

Richard Simmons Bridgestone

Summary: Richard Simmons could die on a dark road.

Entertainment: 7 Selling: 7 Overall: 7

Nice use of Alice Cooper and Richard Simmons, and the guy waiting before swerving from Richard Simmons was a nice touch.

Career Builder - Firefly Wishing

Summary: A guy wishes for a better job with a firefly.

Entertainment: 7 Selling: 6 Overall: 6

Okay, the first one was disturbing, this one really creeps me out. A cutesy firefly gets eaten by a spider that's far too realistic for me.

Hyundai Genesis

Summary: Car Ad for cheap luxury car.

Entertainment: 3 Selling: 7 Overall: 6

The nicest part about this commercial is the copy, and the tagline about the "big twist" which reveals the car is a Hyundai. Did they have to copy the "Genesis" logo on the license plate from the SEGA video game system though?

Wall-E Movie Ad

Entertainment:5 Selling: 7 Overall: 6

A PIXAR movie is an event. This commercial is a lame tease. A robot and a vacuum squaring off while Woody and Buzz (who appear to be voiced by different actors than Tom Hanks and Tim Allen) talk about it. Lame.

Jumper Movie Ad

Entertainment: 7 Selling: 8 Overall: 7

A cool concept, some spectacular looking effects, and Samuel L. Jackson. All the makings of a blockbuster, or an overhyped piece of junk.

E-Trade

Summary: A baby talks about using E-trade.

Entertainment: 5 Selling: 6 Overall: 6

Baby Bob strikes again in this insipid, "It's so simple to use E-Trade that even a baby could do it" that ends with the baby puking. Lovely. My advice.... SELL!

Bud Light - The Ability to Fly

Summary: Bud Light makes you fly.

Entertainment: 8 Selling: 6 Overall: 7

A man drinks Bud Light and can fly. Okay, we all know how it is going to end up, but kudos to Bud Light for showing us the guy survived his collision with a jet engine.

Chester Pitts - NFL Superad

Summary: The story of Chester Pitts, NFL star, oboe player.

Entertainment: 8 Selling: 8 Overall: 9

The idea that the NFL is the place where dreams are made is nicely illustrated in this commercial in which we find out Chester Pitts was discovered bagging groceries at his local supermarket.

Sunsilk

Summary: Shakira, Madonna, and Marilyn Monroe sing and push shampoo.

Entertainment: 2 Selling: 2 Overall: 2

Sunsilk Sunsucks.

Coca-Cola

Summary: Stewie and Underdog balloons go head to head over a Coke balloon in a parade.

Entertainment: 10 Selling: 10 Overall: 10

Okay guys, we have a winner. I'm a huge fan of Family Guy, used to love Underdog, and watching them fight it out was a amusing. The end, though, was so sweet that it brought a tear to my eye. This is going to be the spot with staying power.

Coca-Cola

Summary: Bill Frist and James Carville play Jinx.

Entertainment: 3 Selling: 3 Overall: 3

Two annoying and hated political wonks help erase goodwill of previous Coke ad.

Big wheel race -- Toyota Sequoya

Summary: After a big wheel race, people pile into a Sequoya

Entertainment: 6 Selling: 7 Overall: 5

Nicely displays the vehicle's place in your active lifestyle. Boring for a Super Bowl ad.

You Don't Mess with the Zohan -- Movie Ad

Entertainment: 6 Selling: 7 Overall: 5

Adam Sandler in a movie. Will sell tickets to his core fans. Does nothing to excite anyone else.

E-Trade -- Baby Bob -- Part 2

Summary: Baby hires clown after E-trade success.

Entertainment: 8 Selling: 7 Overall: 7

This one is funnier, if only because of the "I really underestimated the creepiness" of renting a clown line.

Taco Bell Fiesta Platters

Summary: 2 guys are confronted by mariachis over Taco Bell food.

Entertainment: 4 Selling: 7 Overall: 4

Sorry, this one is just dumb. Yes, it shows us you get a lot for your money, but traveling mariachis aren't funny. Bring back the dog.

Gatorade

Summary: A dog drinks a lot of water.

Entertainment: 6 Selling: 9 Overall: 6

A dog drinks the entire ad, driving home the point that Gatorade will quench your thirst. Effective ad, but not particularly entertaining.

Jackie Moon-Bud Light

Summary: Will Farell films a commercial in character from his new movie.

Entertainment: 6 Selling: 6 Overall :6

Amusing but slight.

Hyundai Genesis

Summary: Another car ad for a cheap luxury car.

Entertainment: 5 Selling: 6 Overall: 6

Nice copy again, indicating that they don't know how their ad will fair with the critics, but they do know luxury car makers won't like it. Still, it's a Hyundai.

Victoria's Secret

Summary: A half naked woman encourages me to enjoy Valentine's Day

Entertainment: 8 Selling: 8 Overall: 8

Okay, I rated this too high. But MAN!

AMP -- Battery Charge

Summary: A mechanic charges a car using some speakers, jumper cables attached to his nipples and a car.

Entertainment: 7 Selling: 8 Overall: 7

I have a feeling that this ad will score high on the Ad Meter tomorrow. The ad seems more designed to shock than entertain, with a shirtless fat guy sticking jumper cables on his nipples and then using Amp Energy Drink and some fancy dance moves to charge a dead car battery. If I were younger, I'd probably find it funnier than I do now.

SUPER BOWL COMMERCIAL WINNERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best Commercial

Coke's parade ad with Stewie, Underdog, and a suprise guest was everything a Super Bowl ad should be, funny, clever, and heartwarming.

Worst Commercial

Salesgenie.com's Panda ad (and to a lesser extent, it's Ramesh ad) deal in racial stereotypes for no particular reason. This might work for another product, but not one aimed at businesses.

Biggest Disappointment

Budweiser/Bud Light used to be the big winner every year, with a long shelf life. This year the ads do little to distinquish themselves and create no catchphrases.

Overall Verdict

This was another disappointing year for Super Bowl commercials. While there were some very amusing spots, there wasn't much of anything that broke new ground. These commercials were better than the last few years, but not as good as the golden years.