Pepsi Wins the Battle of Super Bowl Ads (By Not Doing a Super Bowl Ad)

By Steve Wolfberg on 02/08 (0) Comments •
tagged: Betty White, Brett Favre, Dorito's, GoDaddy, Google, Hyundai, Pepsi Refresh project, Snickers, Super Bowl Ads, Tim Tebow, VW

Pepsi went for the "movement" rather than the "moment" by eschewing the Super Bowl for the first time in 23 years and putting their effort behind a social media programs called "Pepsi Refresh."  But, with all the buzz they generated, you'd think they were on the big game.  

The ironic clincher to this is that Google ran their first TV spot ever on the Super Bowl, but Pepsi sat out the game. I really liked the Google spot.  It was simple, demonstrative, story telling.  
 
I also liked the Hyundai spot with Brett Favre. The attributes of the brand and the spokesperson match up nicely.  And the hologram trophy was a nice touch.
 
The Punch Dub spot for VW was good, too.  Funny joke with Stevie Wonder at end.  A better use of nostalgia than Betty White and Chevy Chase.

Bud had the most spots, but it’s the same formula. The Dorito’s formula is similar, but because so-called “amateurs” did them, they at least were less expensive.
 
The Tim Tebow controversy was a whole lotta nothing. Did CBS cave and not show the more pro-life version of the spot, or was that always the plan?
 
Two disturbing trends:  lots of men in underwear and lots of has-been performers (Betty White, Abe Vigoda, Chevy Chase, The Who, Kiss…)
 
GoDaddy reached an all-time low.  The Dr Pepper spot was terrible, as was the Bridgestone spot with the old and “life not wife” joke.

And it's time to retire the E-Trade babies once and for all.