For this Super Bowl Sunday, which is predicted to be snowy for us in the Northeast United States, I wanted to take it a little easy. I thought: How about some Super Bowl commercials, past and present? You don't need to like football to enjoy these, I promise.
In some quarters, caution has replaced celebration. In other quarters, people are trying to pretend the pandemic doesn't exist. That isn't a good game plan.
It's ironic that about 1/3 of the 22,000 seats at the Super Bowl this year have been reserved for health care workers - the people charged with saving those who have contracted the virus and need medical care. These workers have been working non stop, despite ridicule and denial. If Super Bowl parties become superspreaders, they will be working many more hours.
Does anyone care? Does anyone care that, besides hospitalizations, the virus rapidly multiplying may cause current mutations to spread faster, and new ones to develop?
This is a sore point for me. Someone I've worked with for years lost her father this week thanks to COVID. My sister in law has a cousin in the hospital right now with COVID. COVID has touched the lives of my family, and other people I know, and I don't even know that many people.
Maybe we should all just sit home and watch commercials or a good movie.
As my readers in the United States know, big bucks are spent on these commercials because they cost so much to air. Commercial air time rates at the Super Bowl are - well, supersized. The cost has been downsized a bit due to the pandemic, and many of the usual big players sat this one out.
Today, let's see some classic commercials, and a couple of new ones.
With a few small changes, this could be 2021 - Clint Eastwood and "It's Halftime in America" from 2012.
Ray Charles in 1990 picks the right diet cola.
Nowadays, some of the commercials are released ahead of time. Here are two of them, with a number of cameos.
Speaking of cameos, here are some sports cameos, but with a great message about Joy.
Back to the past: In 1984, Apple introduces what many consider as the best Super Bowl commercial ever. And, in that year, guess where the Super Bowl was played?
Tampa, Florida.
Stay safe, my readers.
Join me tomorrow for Super Bowl music and #MusicMovesMe.
I think most of us care, but too many still don't. The ones that don't are just loud to make sure we all hear their complaints. It's just a football game, they could very well have cancelled it. We all know there will be parties big and small.
ReplyDeleteWe sure do know that there will be lots of parties. We will never learn.
DeleteI don't do Super Bowls, but I admit the commercials are sometimes clever and interesting.
ReplyDeleteThis year (commenting at halftime) I am less than impressed but there were two - three good ones.
DeleteI'll be skipping the game and the commercials. Perhaps I'll find a nice movie streaming and work on my sweater.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your movie!
Delete1984 ...seems so long ago.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't it, Songbird.
Delete...one of my all time favorites is:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6_eWWfNB54
ReplyDeleteIt was created by Joe Sedelmaier and is recognized as the director of some of television's best known and most honored commercials with humorous spots like FedEx's "Fast Talking Man" ads.
I came so close to using Where's the Beef. Maybe I should have. It's a classic (so are the FedEx Fast Talking Man ads.)
Delete