Light humor, emotional tugs, social messages rule ad spots

Associated Press

NEW YORK

Advertisers played it safe in Super Bowl ads this year.

There were no crude jokes. Sexual innuendo was kept to a minimum. And uncomfortable story lines were all but missing. And in their place, much more sedate ads.

From the light humor of RadioShack poking fun at its image with ’80s icons such as Teen Wolf and the California Raisins to a Coca-Cola ad showcasing diversity by singing “America the Beautiful” in different languages, it was a softer night of advertising.

With a 30-second spot costing around $4 million and more than 108 million viewers expected to tune in to the championship game, it’s was crucial for advertisers to make their investment count. The shocking ads in years past have not always been well received. So this year, advertisers went out of their way to use more family-friendly themes: socially conscious statements, patriotic messages and light humor.

Chevrolet’s ad showed a couple driving through the desert in remembrance of World Cancer Day. Bank of America turned its ad into a virtual video for singing group U2’s new single “Invisible” to raise money for an AIDS charity. The song will be a free download on iTunes for 24 hours following the game and Bank of America will donate $1 each time it is downloaded to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS.

Meanwhile, a Microsoft ad focused on how its technology helps people in different ways. The ad is narrated by Steve Gleason, a former prof football player who is living with ALS. He uses a Surface Pro running Tobii’s eye gazer technology to speak. And an Anheuser-Busch “Hero’s Welcome” ad was an ode to U.S. soldiers. The spot showed how Anheuser-Busch helped prepare big celebration that included a parade with Clydesdales as a surprise for a soldier returning from Afghanistan.

Chrysler debuted a two-minute ad starring Bob Dylan, who discusses the virtues of having cars built in Detroit, the theme that it has stuck with in previous ads with Eminem and Clint Eastwood. “Let Germany brew your beer. Let Asia assemble your phone. We will build your car,” Dylan says in the ad.

There were mini-sitcom reunions: in an ad for Danon Oikos, the “Full House” cast reunited. And Jerry, George and even Newman came back to Tom’s diner in New York City for an ad for Jerry Seinfield’s show “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.”

Stephen Colbert appeared in a pair of 15-second ads for Wonderful Pistachios. In one he predicted the nuts would sell themselves because “I’m wonderful, they’re wonderful.” He was back soon after covered in green branded messages because the nuts hadn’t sold out in 30 seconds.