With the New England Patriots at the White House yesterday, it prompted me to think about the best Super Bowl ads I've seen over the years.
Here's my top four, and why I think each are awesome:
4) Reebok - Terry Tate Office Linebacker
Why it's great: Countless inside jokes for anyone who's worked in an office. Drinking all the coffee and not brewing more. Making long-distance personal calls at work. Improperly filing reports. In a normal office environment, these things often go unpunished... Not when Terry Tate is on staff.
3) Volkswagen - The Force
Why it's great: The contrast of the fragility of boyhood and the Darth Vader Costume. The stirring iconic music of the Imperial March. The timeless question the boy is trying to answer ... am I powerful? And, a great payoff at the end.
2) Apple - 1984
Why it's great: Apple's 1984 commercial is considered by many to be the greatest TV ad of all time. It ran during the Super Bowl, and it's incredible, so that's why it's on my list. I'm a huge fan of Apple products, and this commercial really set the stage for their company. The irony of this ad is that they go after IBM for being too big and Big Brotherish. Today, Apple's market cap about five times that of IBM ($750 Billion vs. $150 Billion), and the roles are reversed. Regardless, if you haven't seen this commercial it's a true work of art.
1) Bud Light - Magic Fridge
Why it's great: To me, Bud Light's Magic Fridge commercial is the quintessential Super Bowl ad. It's about friendship, hanging out, and the fruitless pursuit of protecting your beer stash. What puts this ad apart from the rest of the pack is how well it sets the viewer up for the punchline. I won't give away any more in-case you haven't seen it.