Humor, action score for Super Bowl advertisers

Martin Wolk Chief economics correspondent • Profile • E-mail

The Pittsburgh Steelers were not the only winners in Super Bowl XL. While linemen sucked oxygen between plays, marketing teams from Ameriquest, Anheuser-Busch and Pepsico were among those scoring off the field.

There were a few fumbles as well, including Ford’s decision to use Kermit the Frog to underscore the “green” credentials of its hybrid Escape SUV. Who is supposed to buy the car, pre-schoolers?

Here is a rundown of some of the game’s most memorable ads.

WINNERS
Ameriquest — The mortgage company that scored a breakout hit in last year’s game returned with its darkly humorous approach, including a show-stopping ad featuring a doctor with bad timing. The ad worked well because of its dual punch lines — first the doctor finds an innovative use for heart paddles, and then he makes an unfortunate remark when the patient’s family enters the room.

The follow-up ad, featuring an inadvertent attempt to join the mile-high club, also worked well. What all this has to do with mortgage lending is less clear.

Budweiser — Not only the king of beers but king of the bowl, the beermaker and its parent company bought some $25 million worth of airtime this year. That enormous investment paid off, but the best of this year’s bunch was not the typical 30-second slapstick. Instead Bud scored with an ad featuring a blimp’s-eye view of a stadium as fans filled and then emptied a giant glass of beer by flipping colored cards.

The wow factor made that ad work, but Bud Light also had several humorous, if formulaic, winners, including one featuring beer drinkers worshiping a “magic fridge.”

FedEx — The Jurassic-era drama was only marginally funny until the final second, when a hapless caveman is flattened by what appears to be a giant elephant.

Sierra Mist — The beverage maker also used offbeat humor to good advantage, playing on the now-common fear of being hassled by airport security.

Toyota —It’s tough to stand out from the crowd with a completely “straight” ad, but the Japanese carmaker managed the feat with its bilingual ad for the hybrid Toyota Camry. The moment of bonding between a Spanish-speaking father and his son surely resonated well with the target market for the family sedan.

Toyota also managed to grab viewers’ attention with a second-half ad featuring a fantasy sequence of its Tacoma truck being tossed around mercilessly in the ocean surf and then emerging to drive away.

Diet Pepsi — The can is the star? You’ve got to be kidding. That was my first thought when I saw Diet Pepsi’s ad featuring Sean “Diddy” Combs, but the corny humor works, largely on the strength of a strong hip-hop soundtrack and its “brown and bubbly” message. The follow-up was less successful, featuring Jackie Chan and a Diet Coke can that ends up pretty much like the FedEx caveman.

Mobile ESPN —Another musical extravaganza that worked, featuring dozens of sports and star athletes in a rapid-fire musical montage. I’m still not convinced that sports is larger than life on a two-inch screen, however.

Sprint — The phone company found some innovative uses for its cell phones in two slickly produced ads. I’m not quite sure why they didn’t just use the cell phone to put out the couch fire.

Degree — Action and humor mix well in the Super Bowl context, and the deodorant marketers were able to get their brand image across in a single 30-second spot. Remember, no helmets allowed in Stunt City.

Nationwide — Hunky male supermodel Fabio was back and looking better than ever, at least until the final frame, when he was revealed as a wrinkled, gray lecher. You knew it wasn’t a shampoo commercial, right?

MasterCard — Even if you don’t remember the “MacGyver” series of the 1980s, this miniature action film was better than most of the many parodies inspired by the card company’s long-running “Priceless” theme. My favorite moment: “Dramatization. Do not attempt.” You mean you can’t do that with a tube sock?

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