Super Bowl Picks and Pans from Optimus Editor Tim Cahill
Which Super Bowl spots did you love? Which did you not love? Let’s hear what the pros had to say! We were thrilled to have Optimus Editor Tim Cahill stop by Screen after the game to present their picks…
SCREEN: What was your favorite spot of the night?
TIM: It was obviously a very tough choice and creative work is always so subjective but when it came down to execution, clean storytelling, and overall style – my absolute favorite spot had to be the Coors Light “Sloths – Case of the Mondays”…
For me, it accomplished exactly what a super bowl spot should do. I always think that the audience, at their core, wants the super bowl spots to be funny. So, serious ads are a zag to the expectation leaving comedy as the zig or expected. So in order for funny to work I feel the spot has to be truly original, it must surpass the viewers expectations to stand out. As we all know, the super bowl in itself is a form of entertainment to give us fun escape from the day to day. The game carries its own tone, it is somewhat serious and emotional already to the fans more directly invested and the big game spots seem to cut through the super bowl party noise better when they bring a sense of levity. This spot was just outright fun. It grabs the room and silences the side chatter for a moment. It told a clean story in the allotted time, it landed joke after joke without the edit dragging, it featured the product appropriately, the music was perfect, and it resolved cleanly with a big smile. Plus, who doesn’t like Sloths? The police chase, the stationary bike class, the work badge swipe, all amazing creative thoughts explored and executed to perfection. Well done to everyone involved! Also, bravo to the campaign strategy overall. Possibly… (if planned haha) setting up a Super Bowl spot months in advance with a typo on a billboard and taking that viral. Very impressive.
SCREEN: What was your least favorite spot of the night or a spot you felt could have been more successful?
TIM: It’s hard to say what my least favorite spot was because like so many viewers, I go in with high expectations. The thing I know plenty of us dislike is the early release of spots instead of a teaser or supporting spot to set the stage. Another strategy that I am not too fond of, is the rabbit hole approach. For example, the Dunkin spot with the DunkKings. In the allotted time for the spot to air, the story was hard to follow and some of the comedic bits unclear. It felt like it was a celebrity fun “show and tell” more than a comedic spot. However, the online film of the ad is amazing!
Ok Tim, here goes! Enjoy the online full version!
Those are just trends I don’t agree with BUT I have to say that my least favorite spot for the big game was sadly by Skechers. This year’s spots overall really shined a light on some new practices in the CGI/Animation world. We saw it in Mountain Dew (the Seal seal), Michelob Ultra, NerdWallet, Pringles, Little Caesars, and here with Martha dancing up a storm. The idea is funny but the execution landed flat for me and the look felt just too fake. I truly think it would have been funnier with an overtly obvious stunt double. If you have Martha at your disposal, I just think you could find a more clever way to have her showcase and sell your product. The woman, for years, has seemingly been on the go from shows to product demos to collaborations to ads. She never stops, always moving. I feel like even following her around for a “Day in the life” featuring the work her feet do to carry her from place to place might have been a hilarious spot in its own right. At the end of the day, these are all Super Bowl spots. Super fun and masterfully executed by the production and post teams. The idea is what really matters to me.
SCREEN: What would you like to see more or less of in terms of advertising in next year’s Super Bowl?
TIM: I love the super bowl. I love the fanfare. I love the creativity. I love the game. I love the dips. I think it should be viewed as one large collective show. Ads should be surprising, fresh, and digestible. With that in mind, I would call back to my previous point, I really dislike the spoilers and spoiler culture we have created for clicks and visibility. I think as an industry we are doing a disservice to the general appeal, the spots lose their “pop” or impact, deadening an authentic reaction. The work should stand alone and create buzz with its debut only during the big game.
SCREEN: Any final words here, Tim?
TIM: I know this is being talked about but, How wild is it that we had 2 campaigns featuring flying facial hair!? How did that happen!? Both were excellent by the way! Beyond that, I think we had some awesome work out there. I loved the actual edits of the “Jordan – Hurts” and “Novartis- Breast Cancer” spots. Michelob Ultra was a close second for my overall favorite. The Bear fan in me loved McConaughey as Ditka.
I adored the execution of the Liquid Death Ad, the music, style, and messaging were perfect. It’s always fun to see the Muppets but in a bed with mirrors on the ceiling was not on my super bowl bingo card! The 3 Little Bears Ram spot is something I would love to see more of, plus who doesn’t love Glen Powell. The NerdWallet Beluga was fun. It’s just such a joy to see so many fun ads in such a short amount of time. It is even more fun seeing industry friends share their work for the big day. Congrats to everyone who had the opportunity to collaborate on this year’s big game spots! Always inspiring and always fun to see knowing how much work goes into the execution.
Thanks so much for chiming in, Tim! Check back here at SCREEN for more insight and interviews from advertising creatives between the coasts. You can also click right here to subscribe to our weekly email newsletter.
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