Laughlin Constable EVP Vincent Geraghty Shares His Super Bowl Picks and Pans

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 Vincent Geraghty, EVP, Production and Hive Content Studio at Laughlin Constable, stop by Screen after the game to present their picks…

SCREEN: What was your favorite spot of the night?

VINCENT: As usual there were a lot of great ads in the game and it’s hard for me to pick a single favorite. I really liked the Instacart, Spike Jonze-directed Ben Stiller and Benson Boone spot. Ben Stiller’s one-upmanship and the awkward dancers in vegetable costumes looking on had me laughing. The set up of the classic 80’s variety show was perfectly captured. It brought back memories of Spike’s Beastie Boys “Sabotage” music video with its 70’s, 80’s cop show title sequences…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTleZejhlqk

I also liked The Hellman’s Andy Samberg/Neil Diamond Parody Fitting “Baloney” and “touching ham” seamlessly into a cover of “Sweet Caroline” is great.

And the Claude “Can I Get a Six Pack Quickly” spot was a favorite – going head on with the Open Ai competition. With great performance, casting and production with a perfect music track.

SCREEN: What was your least favorite spot of the night or a spot you felt could have been more successful?

VINCENT: Two of my least favorite spots where both AI based. Svedka Vodka just felt cold, not crafted and unappealing. The Svedka Robots didn’t look like fun party companions. The looked sharp, cold and a little concerning.

The GenSpark “Matthew Broderick taking the day off” was also not one of my favorites. I get the Ferris Bueller reference, but telling people they can take the day off because AI will do their work seems a little tone deaf…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJUuJtGgkQg

SCREEN: What would you like to see more or less of in terms of advertising in next year’s Super Bowl?

VINCENT: Given the roughly $10 million media investment – often matched by another $10 million for talent and production – it’s understandable that brands want to maximize their spend by releasing spots ahead of the Super Bowl across multiple platforms. But I do wonder if the effectiveness and viewer attention during commercial breaks is the same as it used to be. I do miss the surprise of a true in game commercial premiere with maybe a unique teaser that helps build anticipation.

SCREEN: Any final words here, Vincent?

VINCENT: AI based visual effects added some brilliance to this year’s Super Bowl commercials. Making actors younger, creating realistic composite scenes, and I am sure improving speed to market for a lot of complicated productions. But I have yet to see a full AI commercial that moves me. With so much AI slop and fake AI realities in the world, real visuals and original creative concepts will continue to have a valuable currency in our industry.

Thanks so much for chiming in, Vincent! 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.