Empowering the world
Unless you’re a Broncos fan, this year’s Super Bowl commercials were a bit lackluster.
Though Broncos fans probably welcomed the commercial breaks as a respite from the on-field slaughter, Super Bowl XLVIII featured pretty disappointing advertising on the whole. Many of the commercials had already been on TV for a while before the Super Bowl aired, and there were surprisingly weak offerings from Doritos and Bud Light, big brands whose names have in recent years become practically synonymous with funny Super Bowl advertising. Bruno Mars’ high-energy halftime show performance was a refreshing change of pace from this year’s uninspired ad turnout.
Yet there were some genuinely entertaining commercials amidst the rabble. For the Seahawks fans who were likely on a high from the absolute dominance of their team and glazed over the commercial breaks, here are some of this year’s exceptional Super Bowl ads.
1. Microsoft: “Empowering”
In a moving one-minute piece, Microsoft briefly lets the audience peek into the lives of people whose experiences have been changed by the latest advancements in technology. A young boy totters around on prosthetic legs, an on-duty soldier witnesses the birth of his child through a webcam and a woman hears her own voice for the first time with the help of hearing aid technology. The commercial is narrated by former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason, who lives with ALS and uses a text-to-voice program to speak.
2. Coca-Cola: “America The Beautiful”
Coca-Cola’s Super Bowl contribution featured the ever-patriotic anthem “America The Beautiful,” sung in not only English, but Spanish, Hindi, Arabic and Tagalog as well, communicating the sense of diversity that makes America such a melting pot. Despite the backlash Coca-Cola received on Twitter for this commercial, the company’s advertising team should be commended for what was a truly meaningful and thoughtful piece.
3. 24: Live Another Day: “Street Chaos”
The hyped up commercials for the highly anticipated new season of 24 were surprisingly and pleasantly subtle. The first couple of ads aired vignette-style, with a couple of TV spots sprinkled amongst the usual beer and car commercials featuring no distinct mention of 24 other than the familiar ticking of the digital clock that gives the show its name. Finally, fans were treated to 45 seconds of England, destruction and the show’s protagonist, Jack Bauer, firing his weapon in a fit of badassery.
4. Kia: “The Truth”
Despite appearances from celebrities such as Jerry Seinfeld, James Franco, Tom Hiddleston and Scarlett Johansson, the most delightful cameo in a commercial came when Laurence Fishburne reprised his role as Morpheus from The Matrix for Kia’s Super Bowl ad. In the commercial, Morpheus asks a couple to choose the blue key or the red key and sings opera in the backseat of a car. Kia’s ad is charmingly funny and ends with exploding lamps and cars flipping in midair.
5. Duracell: “Trust Your Power”
Duracell’s advertising campaigns typically feature images of the company’s batteries being used in critical situations, such as powering a firefighter’s equipment in a burning building or an emergency worker’s flashlight in a raging storm. Their Super Bowl ad was no exception, and included a touching human element in Seattle Seahawks player Derrick Coleman, who has been deaf since age three but can hear with the help of two hearing aids powered by Duracell batteries.
