By Madeline Bauer, Staff Writer
Every year, there seem to be nearly as many people who watch the Superbowl for the commercials or the halftime show as there are those who watch it because of the football game itself. Super Bowl commercials run the gamut from sentimental to snide, from happy to hysterical, from head scratching to heartwarming. Most years, the competition for the “best” Superbowl commercial concerns only which one is the funniest.
This year, however, there were many more than usual that dealt with more important issues than simply trying to sell a bag of Doritos.
One such issue was the Nationwide Insurance commercial about childhood accidents. At first, many watchers laughed at the child facing cooties or learning how to ride a bike until they all realized that he had died from a preventable accident before he had a chance to experience any of those things. Another featured a woman who calls 911 but, strangely enough, is heard ordering a pizza after being informed repeatedly that she had called the police. When she confirms that there is another person in the room with her, the operator immediately sends an officer to her location. This spot, inspired by a real 911 call, was aired by the NoMore foundation, which raises awareness of domestic violence and sexual assault; issues which have recently become more relevant within the NFL.
According to Nielsen statistics, this year’s Super Bowl was the most watched event in American television history, so it was an effective place to raise awareness for national and worldwide issues.
Though there were some serious ads aired this year, there was of course no shortage of comical ones as there has been in the past.
A personal favorite for many viewers was the Snickers “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” commercial which replaced Marcia and Jan from “The Brady Bunch” with Danny Trejo and Steve Buscemi. Coming in at a close second was the Loctite Glue commercial with middle aged dancers wearing fanny packs and two even going so far as to declare that Loctite Glue saved their marriage. It was strange, but effective.
YouTube user Stephen Stahr said “I really don’t need any glue, but now I am going to buy some Loctite. That is how much I enjoy this.”
This just goes to show that even the most ridiculous of commercials can increase sales if aired during the Superbowl.
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