It's almost here. The day nestled neatly between MLK and Valentine's Day. The day that convinced Hallmark they could create holidays like Sweetest Day and Boss's Day. The one day a year when we invite some friends over and settle in to . . . watch commercials!
Sure, between the commercials there's some football played, even some pretty decent football in recent years. But that's really just so we have a chance to refill our beverage and reload on bean dip. Because, from the moment Farah Fawcett sensuously rubbed Noxema on the face of Joe Namath way back in 1973, the Super Bowl has been more about Madison Avenue than about the NFL. What else explains why over 100 million people will watch the Pittsburgh Steelers play the Green Bay Packers in Dallas, Texas? Even this diehard sports fan will admit, the Super Bowl is not as much about the game as it is about the commercials.
So, as we prepare to settle in and indulge ourselves viewing a couple dozen $2.5 million marketing gambles, let's think back to the best Super Bowl spots of all time. Here's my countdown of a dozen spots I think are worth honoring with a yellow blazer.
#12 – Pepsi, "Cindy Crawford" (1992) Who would have believed that Pepsi's new can would look better than Cindy Crawford in her prime. No one, until the end of this cute spot.
#11 - McDonald's, "Big Mac" (1975) Kids today think they made up the "two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun" rap. I've got bad news for you kids, your parents learned it in grade school courtesy of this ugly, but memorable Mickey D's spot. Of course, they called it a jingle, you call it rap.
#10 - Wendy's, "Where's the Beef" (1984) Not one of the most entertaining Super Bowl spots of all times, but a branding strategy that put Wendy's on the map and made them a player in the burger wars.
#9 - Electronic Data Systems, "Herding Cats" (2000) Most people had never heard of EDS until a well-shot "Bonanza"-like family of cat herders talk about life on the range, herding cats. Strategically simple, but exceptionally well executed. Probably would have been more acclaimed if it was from a more memorable brand.
#8 - Budweiser, "Frogs" (1995) Who, above the age of about 25, can forget the three Bud frogs sitting on lily pads croaking the words "Bud" "Weis" and "Er." The camera pans and their muse become clear — a neon Budweiser sign is seen hanging in the window of a bar. Cute, effective and the genesis of other campaigns like "whassup" and "wasabi."
#7 - Apple, "1984" (1984) Probably the most hyped spot of the early Super Bowl years, this multi-million dollar spot was Apple's introduction of Macintosh, with a play off of Orwell's novel 1984. Not my all-time favorite, but definitely in the Top 10.
#6 - E*Trade, "Trading Baby" (2008) One of the most entertaining campaigns of the last decade was born when we saw the E*Trade baby buy stock, followed by a burp barf. As long as you didn't lose your Super Bowl appetizer, you were probably amused.
#5 - Reebok, "Terry Tate: Office Linebacker" (2003) This is one of those Super Bowl spots that is just fun. A struggling company hires an overly aggressive football player – Terry Tate - to help keep things in order around the office. He tackles underperforming workers – including one who is playing solitaire - while saying things like, "You know you need a cover sheet on your TPS reports, Richard!"
#4 - McDonald's, "The Showdown" (1993) Most people don't realize the birth of the viral craze of impossible basketball shots and other feats (performed today by kids born around 1993) was this McDonald's spot. Michael Jordan and Larry Bird face off in the ultimate game of H-O-R-S-E, throwing shots through windows, off walls and from the top of skyscrapers — each time calling "nothing but net."
#3 - Monster.com, "When I Grow Up" (1999) Exceptionally well-written satire ("I want to claw my way up to middle management") , excellently produced, and effective in helping Monster.com to position itself as the leader in the online job wars. Possibly one of the most underrated spots of the last 15 years.
#2 - Budweiser, "Respect" (2002) This list wouldn't be complete without a nod to the Budweiser Clydesdales. There's a stable of good spots (all cinematically excellent), from Trainer to Donkey to Streaker to Dalmation. But perhaps the most moving was the 2002 spot that followed a team of Clydesdales to a snowy field across the Hudson from New York City, where the horses stop and kneel with Manhattan in the background, as a tribute to the lives that were lost during the Sept. 11 attacks.
#1 - Coke, "Mean Joe Greene" (1979) The production value isn't up to today's standards, but the Coca-Cola Mean Joe Greene commercial of 31 years ago is a classic and tops my list. Long before most pro athletes were prima donnas, and decades before kids rudely begged for every stitch of an athlete's uniform, we had a Coke . . . and a smile. Heck, I'm a Pepsi drinker and a Dallas Cowboy fan, but this spot still gets me every time.
That's my list . . . what about yours? Which of your favorites did I miss?
And don't forget to enjoy the game . . . I mean, commercials.