Lewis Lazare also liked the Fed Ex “stick” spot from last night’s big game.
But Lazare loses me soon thereafter, as he believes the Escalade spot, and the Ameriquest Mortgage hospital spot are “touchdowns.” Ameriquest’s key message, “don’t judge too quickly” does come across loud and clear in the spot, but I question the appropriateness of death bed “humor” used to deliver the message.
Stuart Elliott of The New York Times, was also more generous than I.
The Burger King Corporation offered a twisted, over-the-top tribute to Busby Berkeley, the movie musical maven, by way of “Springtime for Hitler” from “The Producers.” The hilarious spot presented chorus girls dressed as Whopper ingredients, piling atop each other to simulate the making of a sandwich. Let’s hope there is a sequel next year honoring Berkeley’s big number from “Dames,” retitled “I Only Have Fries for You.”
Elliott redeems himself somewhat with this critique:
The creation of the new Gillette Fusion razor, sold by Procter & Gamble, was compared to the effort of master fusion, the process that powers the sun. Really. No kidding. This smug, self-important spot may be the most bombastic since a campaign that peddled the 1957 Mercury as “dynamite from Detroit!”
USA TODAY readers liked the Bud Light “secret fridge” spot best. While there have been many funny executions in this campaign over the years, the idea that Bud Light is so good it needs to be hidden and/or horded is ludicrous.
For the crowning achievement in Super Bowl 40 ad criticism, you’ll need to jump over to Soxaholix. Believe me, it’s well worth the click.
