Ad Bowl 2012: Return to Sanity

While there were no must-see, spectacular ads last night, there were many excellent ads that were well worth the $3.5 million investment for the ad time, pre- and post-game public relations and social media legs.      Super Bowl advertisers returned to their senses with strategically sound brand communications that focused on persuading consumers to buy one return-on-investment, rather than misguided attempts to win on entertainment and humor.   Doritos, Oikos, Skechers, H&M and most of the car ads, just to name a few, had their brands central to the storyline (vs. prop ‘afterthought’) and told engaging stories about the quest for the brand.

Special groans for Chevrolet’s dark and tasteless Silverado apocalypse ad.     Visuals of tragic wreckage, in which the guy in the Ford perished.    Disgusting and a terrible statement, if any, about the brand.

Here are the winners (and worst) from three marketing mavens – USAToday‘s AdMeter (panel popularity) and  USAToday’s Facebook AdMeter (FB popularity), Mullen and Radian6’s Brand Bowl (twitter volume and sentiment), and us (effectiveness).

USA Today – AdMeter                              

Best:
1.   Doritos (dog bribes cat owner)
2.   Volkswagen (dog gets fit, Star Wars)
3.   Skechers (dog in sneakers wins race)
4.   Doritos (sling baby)
5.   M&M/Mars (Mrs. Brown)

Worst:  GE (turbine workers make energy)

USAToday – Facebook Ad Meter

Best:
1.  Doritos (sling baby)

2.  Bud Light (Weego)
3.  Chrysler (imported from Detroit)
4.  Kia (Dream Car)
5.  M&Ms (Mrs. Brown)

Worst:  Go Daddy

Mullen and Radian6′s BrandBowl

Best:
1.  Doritos (sling baby)

2.  H&M (David Beckham)
3.  Chrysler (imported from Detroit)
4.  Pepsi (for all)
5.  Chevrolet (Sonic)

Worst:  Priceline

Katz Marketing Solutions

1.  Skechers (dog in sneakers wins race)

2.  Doritos (sling baby)
3.  Fiat (seduction)
4.  Bud Light (Weego)
5.  Volkswagen (dog gets fit, Star Wars)

Worst:  Chevrolet Silverado

by Tammy Katz