Falling lemons hit the nail on the head, and other heads as well, in the most-praised ad in a funny, fractious and fraternal yearly assessment of Super Bowl commercials by Arkansas advertising pros.
Mimi San Pedro reminded reviewers in a postgame virtual gathering by Dan Waymack that there actually was a football game, albeit not a particularly good one, Sunday evening in Tampa. On their home field, the Buccaneers manhandled the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs, 31-9.
San Pedro, the former Stone Ward accounts director and now chief strategy officer at the Venture Center, spoke for just about everybody in saying that Bud Light Seltzer’s “Last Year’s Lemons” expertly walked the fine line between humor and spectacle and the gravity of the pandemic year.
She and Wade McCune, CJRW’s creative director, figured the spot was well worth the $10 million minute of air time on the most-watched TV event of the year, and the many more millions spent to make it by the Wieden+Kennedy agency.
“This probably cost more to make than most independent films,” said McCune. “But the investment shows. Clever concept and nice execution.” Myron Jackson, CEO of The Design Group in Little Rock, called the lemon ad “hilarious and memorable,” but wished the cast had been more diverse.
More: See all the Super Bowl 55 ads.
The seltzer spot drew the top score of four stars collectively from the panel at Waymack & Crew, the Little Rock video production firm, but the next-rated commercial, “Jason Alexander Hoodie” from Tide, proved that experts can disagree.
The crowd at the Cranford Co. and Denver Peacock’s virtual preview of the big game’s ads on Friday laughed aloud at Alexander’s face contorting variously on a mistreated dirty hoodie, and Jay Cranford laughed loudest. San Pedro also loved it, but McCune boiled it down to this: “Tide needed a commercial. Jason Alexander has a good agent. That’s the only reason for this to exist.”
Chip Paris of Paris Marketing in Fort Smith said “Seinfeld” fans got the point, but “my daughter had no idea.” Jay Stanley, creative director at Stone Ward in Little Rock, loved the execution and the “Greatest American Hero” theme song, but felt the ad “could have had more of a tie-in with Tide somehow.”
The Alexander ad typified what Cranford called a Super Bowl ad tradition of “letting the stars shine.”
Ashton Kutcher caught Mila Kunis orange-handed (and mouthed) from munching Cheetohs, but some viewers were grossed out. Rob Roedel wondered if Cheetos residue on mouths, hands and walls was the best signal to send in a pandemic, and Shawn Solloway of Thoma Thoma said the star power — including Shaggy — lacked narrative punch. “The concept felt forced and too unrealistic,” he said. Waymack and Paris could have done without Kutcher’s singing
Dolly Parton’s singing, on the other hand, was fine. But her “Working 5 to 9” ad for Squarespace left some folks scratching their heads on just what was being advertised. It was a common complaint, that remembering the commercial is not the same as remembering the brand or product.
“Who doesn’t love Dolly?” asked Natalie Ghidotti, but Jackson thought the revamped song was “forced,” and San Pedro, a fan of the original “9 to 5,” called it “bastardized.” Several commenters said they were puzzled about what Squarespace does, even after the commercial.
Amy Westlake of The Peacock Group and Becca Green appreciated the steamy star of Amazon’s “Alexa’s Body” ad, the actor Michael B. Jordan, who is envisioned as an even more appealing version of the redesigned home assistant. “Love it, and I love Michael B. Jordan!,” said Green, director of public engagement for Rock Region Metro and a former marketing chief for the Arkansas Repertory Theatre.
Cranford noted that the cost of a 30-second spot was $5.5 million, the same as last year, when about 100 million people viewed the Super Bowl. This year, though, a once-in-a-century pandemic complicated messaging, and made tone even more important for the 80% of advertisers who usually seek to use humor. Even Jeep’s attempt to unite the country by meeting Bruce Springsteen in “The Middle” drew a mixed response.
Other local favorites included M&Ms, which gave consumers a reason to buy the candy and give it to others, “Wayne’s World”’s Mike Myers and Dana Carvey teaming up with Cardi B for Uber Eats and local restaurants, and Robinhood’s “We Are All Investors.”
Chipotle’s “Can a Burrito Change the World” drew praise for its cinematography and beauty, but others weren’t sure of its messaging. “It’s shot so well, but my experience with a burrito is nothing like that,” said Stanley of Stone Ward.
“Great spot, beautiful images,” Waymack said. “You had me till Chipotle.”
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