The Most Depressing Super Bowl Commercials Ever

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While not quite the annual tradition it should be, we do periodically round up the millions upon millions invested in Super Bowl advertising. And, for me, beyond the string of not-quite-inspirational, downright depressing, and/or dad-centric commercials, the most memorable 2015 spots were Chevy encouraging folks to watch television behind the wheel and seeing Liam Neeson reprise his Taken character … to pimp an iPhone app. Speaking of recycled fictional characters, Walter White and The Dude also made appearances to further offset the overarching negativity.

Should opinions from my single household be insufficient, USA Today published their 7,000-person strong Ad Meter rankings and TiVo has provided second-by-second analysis of 30,000 DVRs. Plus, we’re always open to your thoughts in the comments below.

17 thoughts on “The Most Depressing Super Bowl Commercials Ever”

  1. Joking aside, I thought GoDaddy.com’s humorous “ISIS Beheads a Busty American” spot was the most attention getting. Surprised it didn’t do well in the metrics.

  2. “Also interesting to see companies advertising for each other”

    Quite true. Brands of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains!

    But the Most Interesting award, (or at least the Most Amazing award), has to go to the Sprint/T-Mobile CEO twitter kerfuffle…

  3. meh – I think you guys are getting cynical and forgetting that the ads are going after the younger viewers who may not even care much about football. The Liam Neesom ad was hilarious to the people who play those apps, even if they did not know about “Taken” which they probably do.
    The Dad centered ones were sappy as all get out but timed when the alcohol was just starting to kick in for most Dads so that played well. All in all the ad bucks seemed very well spent though I think ISIS should get a discount on their ad. Americans were yelling for blood from their favored team already and ISIS was just lost in the noise of it all

  4. “I think ISIS should get a discount on their ad. Americans were yelling for blood from their favored team already and ISIS was just lost in the noise of it all”

    No doubt. But they should get an additional discount for having to follow that GoDaddy.com ISIS parody.

    (Incidentally, CNN is sending out press releases that they got exclusive access to the final creative meeting for – and subsequent filming of – the humorous GoDaddy.com “ISIS Beheads a Busty American” ad, and are going to show a segment about it. And it turns out the beheading was real, not CGI. I don’t understand how that’s even legal, but then again, I don’t follow the inside baseball of ad making.)

  5. No doubt I’m a cynic but, yeah, the Liam Neeson one was my favorite. As far as targeting young people, didn’t know they were in the market for Viagra and Lexus. ;) Jeep’s 90 second spot was a waste of millions I think… had no idea it was a Jeep commercial until the last second when it ended.

    Chucky, the “T-Mobile CEO” seems to be pretty much a marketing creation/act at this point. I have a hard time taking him seriously. But the more customers they attact, the better my coverage will get. ;) Altho I’m hearing there may be Verizon antennas or repeaters coming to my office/neighborhood in the near future. That could force my hand.

  6. “No doubt I’m a cynic but, yeah, the Liam Neeson one was my favorite.”

    So your conscious mind thinks. But I have a hard time believing that your sudden conversion to Scientology today is purely a coincidence…

  7. I just keep picturing you pointing to the depressing commercials saying “zatz not funny”.. yea, you’re right, sorry.

  8. The Liam Neeson was definitely my favorite. It had me laughing out loud. Must be a lot of $$ in phone apps.

    Otherwise, they were pretty sappy or depressing and forgettable. Missed the ISIS GoDaddy commercial and don’t care to go looking for it.

    I was really surprised to see WeatherTech advertising. Guess my next order will be pricey.

  9. “Missed the ISIS GoDaddy commercial and don’t care to go looking for it.”

    Mike Huckabee denounced it today due to sexuality, gore, and Islam.

  10. What’s up with beer ads, right now the Heineken ad on the ship is better than anything we see on the Super Bowl. Remember the Magic Fridge, The beer stealing hawk, the funny commercials we used to get. Thank God will still have the most interesting man in the world from Dos Equis.
    “Stay thirsty my friends…”

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