So usually I'm all about watching the Super Bowl. Last year was a no-brainer because my team (49ers) were playing against the Chiefs.
HAD TO WATCH!
This year, however, I was struck with a huge feeling of apathy towards watching the Super Bowl.
I honestly wasn't even going to watch until a friend invited me over for his little shin-dig. If it wasn't for Rick's party, I'd probably just stay home, help with kids and watch Severence.
I don't know what it was. Maybe because it was the matchup: Chiefs vs Eagles for the 2nd time in the last 3 years (3rd in a row for the Chiefs), so it might have been a 'been there, seen that' type of situation with the game.
Or maybe it was the commercials.
Let me back up here.
For years now, the Super Bowl commercials have gotten less and less 'Oh Wowy!' / watercooler-worthy. They just have.
There's been a few articles about why the commercials have gotten less awesome. Regardless, they have. That is pretty much quantifiable and not subjective.
So maybe the commercials were the reason, maybe the game. I tend to think it was a little bit of both.
But dating back at least 5 years I know I was still able to get interested in the Super Bowl if, for nothing else, the commercials! But even the commercials couldn't draw me in this year.
That said, I only watched the first half of the game. Just enough to catch a lop-sided game and 1 good Uber Eats commercial with Matthew MacConoughey . So my sample size is too small to really make a general assessment of the commercials. But what I DID watch was (much like the last few years) just....meh.
Like I said, the 'Uber Eats' spot was good. It was nice to see Matthew putting some comedic effort into it as he seems to be kind of sleep-walking most things he does in front of the cameras anymore.
Let me be clear: All of those commercials were well-made and the efforts of their writers, producers and performers did not go unnoticed. It's a tough gig to do a commercial that's not only selling a product but doing it in a fresh and entertaining way.
Kudos to the people who make 'em.
I guess my apathy towards the Super Bowl and the commercials is that maybe it's a bit...too much?
Remember when you didn't see the Super Bowl commercials until they actually aired DURING the game? Nowadays, the spots are released a week ahead on Youtube, Twitter, etc. and everyone knows what's coming. That, to me, ruins some of the fun of these commercials.
It's kind of like Christmas. If you knew a week ahead of time that you're getting that Tonka truck you asked for, what would be your reaction when you actually peeled off the wrapping paper on Christmas morning? It wouldn't be 'OH, WOW!' ...that's for sure.
The Super Bowl commercials need to get back to the excitement.
They need to tease more and reveal less.
I know that society in general is more polarized so advertisers are less willing to take a chance on an 'out there' concept for a commercial or a campaign. But I think there's a way to navigate these divisions without 'revealing the bag.'
Otherwise, we're just gonna have to have Matthew McConaughey starring in all the commercials!
PS...check out my previous post about the 2023 super bowl commercials.