THE BEST
Product: EDS
Premise: Running of the Squirrels
Why it works: Brilliant visuals and lampoon of macho bull-running attitudes underscore the point: Big competitors aren’t always the problem and EDS “can help you compete with the nimble ones.”
THE WORST
Product: Doritos
Premise: Buxom babe takes chip in forehead
Why it doesn’t work: Misogynistic and inane. The tennis setting is irrelevant and ad comes off as excuse to show supermodel type getting hit, knocked down by Dorito fired from ball machine.
THE REST
MOST AMUSING
Product: Budweiser
Premise: Parody of white guys (mis)using “Wassup” catch phrase
Why it works: Just when you thought the concept was dead, these very uncool guys ask each other, “What are you doing?” One answer: “Just watching the market recap, drinking an import.”
MOST SLYLY SELF-REFERENTIAL
Product: E Trade
Premise: Chimp rides horse through e-business ghost town
Why it works: Funny survey of year’s dot-com meltdown reinforces “invest wisely” message, comments cleverly on dot-coms disappearing from Super Bowl.
MOST CRASSLY MANIPULATIVE
Product: cingular
Premise: Disabled man is artist, supposedly reinforcing wireless company’s self-expression message
Why it doesn’t work: Use of man’s handicap to move product is emotionally manipulative, has nothing to do withcell phones.
LEAST TASTEFUL
Product: “Survivor: The Australian Outback”
Premise: Promos for upcoming show
Why they don’t work: Relax, CBS, we’ll watch even if you don’t show one contestant using the air-sickness bag, another promising, as if auditioning for “Springer,” that show will be the “battle of the bitches.”
MOST EFFORT WASTED
Product: accenture
Premise: Ad series details brave new world developments
Why it doesn’t work: Lame new name for Andersen Consulting sounds more like the latest Honda model. And the stray, linguistically inappropriate math symbol-turned-accent mark gives it that heavy metal feel.
MOST OUT OF PLACE
Product: Dentyne Arctic Chill
Premise: Attractive man, woman chew gum
Why it doesn’t work: Uh, Dentyne, this is the Super Bowl. You know, where you do a special ad, not some run-of-the-mill thing you had hanging around.
