Why not jump in line behind everyone else who's already weighed in on the Super Bowl commercials with a few thoughts? To me, it wasn't the typical appeals to sexism, racism and homophobia. Nor was it the yearly "controversy" - this year's centering around a terrible spot in which we learn that, apparently, a woman's right to choose is wrong, but knocking the hell out of your mother isn't. No, none of those things, by themselves, are prompting this.
This is: The ads were spectacularly unoriginal.
Think about it. Every year, we see the same things. Dopey men supposedly under the thumb of angry women. Sarcastic talking animals. Sarcastic talking babies. Scantily-clad women. Morons turned into MacGyver when beer is at stake. Lather, rinse, repeat. The memorable ads, from the 1984 Apple ad to this year's Google spot, cut through the clutter thanks to their simplicity of concept. But they work for another reason, too: They don't assume the worst from their audience.
Not only that, but they also don't talk down to their audience. Or alienate, thanks to tired fallbacks like sexism, half of their potential customers. They inspire, they motivate, they make you think. A bunch of us got together over lunch a few months ago to watch the most recent Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival winners. I don't remember seeing someone being punched in the crotch, nor do I remember seeing very many appeals to the lowest common denominator.
The lesson, I suppose? Good ads take work, but are often deceivingly simple. They're intelligent without pandering. They stem from a strong concept. They've got heart. We - this goes for audiences, agencies, and clients - should demand more from our creative. The potential is there, and it's time advertisers embrace it, and not what brought us this year's unremarkable spots.
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