(Editor's Note: In anticipation of editing the Best/Worst Super Bowl ads, I paid close attention to the ads while I was watching and decided that some could go either way. Sure enough, Rich and Bob picked a couple of the same ads - Cash4Gold and CareerBuilder. Check out Rich's Best Super Bowl ads, and tell us which category you think the ads fall into ... Jane Boursaw)There weren't any Super Bowl ads that made me want to kick in my television set this year, but I think that says more about the dullness of the ads rather than any brilliance. There weren't many memorable ads. I asked a friend of mine about the ads, and she said, "I think there was a cute one, I don't remember what it was."
Below are the five ads I chose as the worst of the night (not including the movie ads - those are in a different category and shouldn't be counted when you're judging the commercials). They range from confusing to lame to downright sad.
1. Sobe: "Lizard Lake." They were on my Worst list last year, too. This ad manages to squeeze everything into one ad - quirkiness, supposedly cute animated creatures, funky music, and a bit of strangeness. The result is just dumb and laughable (and not laughable in a good way). Hard to tell what the hell they're even selling until the very end of the spot.
2. Cash4Gold: "Heeeere's Money." Here was the sad commercial I mentioned above. It's one thing to see MC Hammer in an ad like this, but it continues to bum me out to see Ed McMahon in them, looking frail and desperate. And for the last time, Cash4Gold, I AM NOT GOING TO SEND YOU MY GOLD THROUGH THE MAIL IN AN ENVELOPE.
3. All the car ads. 99.9% of all car ads, even if they're not on Super Bowl Sunday, are pretty lame. What can they possibly tell you in a quick, catchy ad, especially when most of the car ads don't even say anything about what the car actually does. I also hate when they put cars and trucks through outrageous obstacles (fire, drops from high places, flying through the air) that would never, ever happen in real life.
4. All the Monster.com/CareerBuilder ads. I don't get these ads at all. They make it sound like if you're fed up with your dead-end cubicle job, you can log onto these sites and get the job of your dreams. But is that really the case? Aren't the jobs listed on these sites just the same type of job you already have? If you really want to change your life, start your own business or marry someone who has a lot of money. Going to these sites is fine if you know what types of jobs you're going to find there, but if you're expecting something life-changing, it's probably not going to happen. You would think that in this economic climate, these sites would be able to grasp the opportunity to appeal to job-seekers, but these ads are just lame.
5. Bud Light: "Swedish." I think there was a time when just seeing Conan O'Brien mugging would guarantee a bunch of laughs. That time has now passed. Maybe this ad was better on paper than actually filmed. We get it: Sweden, Conan is wacky, etc. It just wasn't funny, and it certainly doesn't make me want to drink Bud Light.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-02-2009 @ 2:30AM
Cyantre said...
The CareerBuilder commercial was 10x funnier because it featured Vork from The Guild. =D
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2-02-2009 @ 6:44AM
Adam said...
All of us at my party were asking all through the Cash4Gold commercial and for a few moments after it, "is this real?" We kept anticipating that it was some skit for another product, possibly some sort of SNL commercial type of thing.
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2-02-2009 @ 8:49AM
Austin said...
That Careerbuilder.com one wasn't that bad. I was in a bar with about 60 other people, everyone probably three pints in, then this came on. So watch it again, turn off the volume, drink three pints, and you'll get a better idea of how hilariously odd it looks. So in context, I think that fared much better. Especially against that blasted GI Joe train wreck.
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2-02-2009 @ 9:03AM
yaksplat said...
Budweiser - Stop wasting you money with the stupid horse ads. They're not funny or even interesting.
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2-02-2009 @ 9:26AM
ac said...
Oh come on the Koloa Bear getting punched in the face was hilarious in the career builder ad. And the Audi commercial was the only decent car ad.
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2-02-2009 @ 9:46AM
Maria T C G said...
Lighten up dude! They were funny! What you want more Budwiser horse ads?
You said:
"All the Monster.com/CareerBuilder ads. I don't get these ads at all. They make it sound like if you're fed up with your dead-end cubicle job, you can log onto these sites and get the job of your dreams. But is that really the case?"
Well, its not reality-its supposed to be a funny view of life and jobs. What are you upset when you found out the four fingered hamburger helper glove wasnt real too? Sheesh! I thought they were fun!
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2-02-2009 @ 9:52AM
ladytex said...
Hated the careerbuilder one with the koala and the Conan commercial was dreadful.
I did like the Audi commercial, though. What a diss to MB, lol
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2-02-2009 @ 10:50AM
aaron said...
ladytex, the Audi commercial was saying it was their time to shine, like MB in the 70's and BMW in the 80's. It was a parody (and actually a respectful nod) of their german competition.
Lexus was the one dissed since Jason Statham decided to keep running instead of stealing the ES300. A good idea. Second time Audi has dissed Lexus. I loved it 'cause I can't stand Toyota/Lexus souless products.
2-02-2009 @ 10:00AM
Sam said...
MacGruber.
That is all.
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2-02-2009 @ 10:34AM
vacelts said...
Ok, I liked the careerbuilder one where the you wanted to hit small animals. It was hilarious.
http://redlightnaps.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/2009-super-bowl-commercials/
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2-02-2009 @ 10:35AM
ladytex said...
oh yeah ... the mcgruber one was THE worst
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2-02-2009 @ 11:55AM
Frank said...
"All the Monster.com/CareerBuilder ads. I don't get these ads at all. They make it sound like if you're fed up with your dead-end cubicle job, you can log onto these sites and get the job of your dreams. But is that really the case?"
Not all of us can sit in our mother's basements blogging...
j/k.
Come on... A koala with glasses getting punched in the face is hilarious. There is no denying this.
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2-02-2009 @ 12:08PM
eric f. said...
Come on... A koala with glasses getting punched in the face is hilarious. There is no denying this."
It was funny... once. Showing it a dozen times was not funny.
The budweiser horse in love commercial was the worst waste of money, I'd say. it looked pretty expensive to produce and was completely pointless. Sobe came in a close second. besides the technology, shooting in the studio is cheaper.
2-02-2009 @ 12:51PM
Ryan said...
I LOVED the careerbuilder ad with the koala! It was really the only commercial that was immediately unforgettable and hilarious at the same time.
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2-02-2009 @ 1:35PM
Joe said...
3 of your worst I have in my top 10 best. I think the Conan Swedish Commercial was the best of the night.
http://www.joeonthetube.com
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2-03-2009 @ 8:58PM
CJC said...
The opening of MacGruber was hilarious: a dead-on parody of the MacGyver opening credits, down to the fuzzy '80s film quality. Sadly, the rest of the spot sucked.
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2-02-2009 @ 8:15PM
RobynM said...
I thought the Conan commercial was amusing, but I saw it as a parody of all the big stars who shill for Japanese products with "no viewing in America" clauses in their contracts, so that helped.
MacGruber seriously sucked, though. Even RDA himself couldn't save it.
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2-03-2009 @ 6:24AM
mc said...
Why has no one reviewed Puppy Bowl V? It was great.
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2-03-2009 @ 11:07AM
Gill Garcia said...
I enjoyed both the CareerBuilder.com and Monster.com ads, I felt that they were the most unique amongst the field of ads that were shown on Sunday. The car ads were annoying, save the Audi one as pointed out by an earlier poster, but I truly loved the one second Miller ad!
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