Here's a fun exercise. For a moment, try to imagine what the world might be like if Super Bowl advertising reflected real life.
Men would either be beer-swilling jackasses, interested only in sex or their cars, or mopey whiners dominated by their wives or girlfriends.
Conversely, women would be either nagging shrews focused completely on emasculating their significant others or empty-headed bimbos using their bodies to sell, uh, Web domains.
Is this really how advertisers see society? Are we really so unenlightened that we think telling men to "change out of that skirt" is funny?
I recognize that Super Bowl advertising is meant to appeal to the widest audience possible, but does that also mean it must appeal to the lowest common denominator?
Surely, all Super Bowl spectators can agree that a man shoving his wife out of a car in order to save his tires (thanks, Bridgestone) isn't exactly the best-selling proposition for all-weather tires. I'm no moralist, and I don't want to sound preachy, but I'm truly disappointed that this year's Super Bowl ads resorted to such trite and overused tactics rather than taking the opportunity to try something new.
A quick scan of the social media sphere during and after the game revealed that the most widely admired ad of the night belonged to Google. In case you missed it, Google's spot was a sweet chronicling of a Parisian romance, as told through a young man's Google searches.
Why was it such a big hit? Because it told a story, it made an emotional connection with the audience, and it actually demonstrated the value of its product. Is it really so hard for other companies to do the same?
There's no denying the value of humor in advertising, but if its unconnected to the brand, then what's the point?
When you're trying to make a sincere connection with a consumer, you shouldn't go for cheap laughs. If the rise of social media in the last half-decade has taught us anything, it's that companies shouldn't sink all of their money into slick, overly produced TV spots but focus instead on harnessing the power of the Web to improve their product, engage their customers, and create positive experiences that will deliver significant and lasting value for their brand.
What do you think? Am I being overly sensitive about Super Bowl advertising, or do you agree with my take? Let me know in the comments.
Did you get offended by the Betty White playing football commercial for Snickers, and think it was battery and violence towards women? I think you are being overly sensitive. I was only offended by how bad some of them were...
Syndicated (UK)
on 09 Feb 2010 at 6:02 pm
These ads are made by real men, paid for by real men, appeal to real men. The rest of us don't get a look in.
Heather (Venice Beach CA)
on 09 Feb 2010 at 9:41 am
Well said. You nailed it. Not only were the spots denigrating to women, they also implied that men's entire lives were either dominated by their love for a machine or an alcoholic beverage. These themes are tired and old fashioned. They kept reminding me of 1960. Maybe the marketers have been watching too much MadMen. Thanks for your insightful review.
I will retweet.
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Nicole (Chicago)
on 08 Feb 2010 at 1:03 pm
I think it's sad that companies feel they have to resort to ridiculously outdated gender stereotypes to sell their product.
Watching the commercials, I was offended more than I was amused.
@NewDaySolutions "Most of the jobs lost in the downturn have belonged to men, leaving them feeling powerless and having to rely on women in their lives for support." -This is a great example of the hurtful gender stereotyping I was referring to. Thank you.
Great article, Rob.
@NewDaySolutions (Asheville, NC)
on 08 Feb 2010 at 10:30 am
GoDaddy aside, I think that the image of emasculated men had a lot less to do with sexism and more to do with the current climate. It's a reflection of how men are feeling.
After 10 years of men being portrayed as Dorito armored dorks, men are feeling like a joke in the media and in their real lives. Most of the jobs lost in the downturn have belonged to men, leaving them feeling powerless and having to rely on women in their lives for support.
I think some of the ads, like the Dodge Charger did a good job tapping into this and hitting their targets spot on. Whether we like the message or not, it's what the customer is feeling right now.
