It wasn't a good year, and Super Bowl advertisers let us know it.
Serious tones and fall-flat jokes marked this year's group of advertisements, which were comparatively weak as a whole, said David Bohan, chairman of Nashville-based ad agency Bohan Advertising Marketing.
"I think everybody thinks this is a little more somber time, and it might be a time to be a little more serious," Bohan said.
Some brands typically known for their humor missed the mark during their $100,000-per-second ads, Bohan said. Bud Light's first-half ads, including one with late-night host Conan O'Brien, were particularly poorly done, Bohan said.
"These guys have been at the Super Bowl for a long time, and they had three real disappointing spots," Bohan said.
Local companies Bridgestone and Mars Petcare had good showings, said Bohan, who thought Bridgestone's "Taters" spot with Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head was one of the best of the night.
Here is Bohan's take on the rest.
WinnersBudweiser: Another brand in the Anheuser-Busch stable stayed away from the lowbrow humor and focused on its famous Clydesdale horses, a move Bohan considered smart: "They had a consistent formula and did a really good job."
Teleflora.com: The online floral delivery company surprised with its "Talking Flowers" spot, which featured boxed flowers ripping their recipient. "It was really clever execution, and it really delivered their distinct message," Bohan said.
Pepsi: The soft-drink company pitched its Pepsi Max beverage to guys, but the real one people will talk about is the old-is-new-again "Refresh Anthem" ad featuring Bob Dylan and hip-hop star will.i.am. "Pepsi has a great tradition of doing blockbuster spots," Bohan said.
NBC: The host network made a point of making their network promos stand out, unlike previous networks, Bohan said.
LosersAudi: The German automaker attempted to show up its rivals with a commercial showing Transporter star Jason Statham moving through time, trying to steal a luxury car. When he finally succeeds, he steals an Audi. "They have a $6 million investment, and they used the formula from a movie to show their car," Bohan said.
Cars.com: The 60-second spot, about a man who loses his otherwise extraordinary confidence when buying a car, took too long to develop, Bohan said. "I thought the (ad) might be more effective as a 30-second spot." (Gannett Co. Inc., which owns The Tennessean , is a partner in the parent company of Cars.com.)
Castrol Oil: The "Edge Monkey" spot was this year's shot at simian humor, and it seemed stale — "a very weak attempt," Bohan said.
Hollywood: The multitude of movie trailers probably won't do anything to boost box-office sales that a regular spot couldn't do, Bohan said. "They're a waste of money, and they come off as very formulaic."
Investor Report: Self-Storage Facilities
100 Stable Housing Markets
PlayStation 2 finally goes country with new game
