It’s a Super Bowl commercial, can you name the product?

CBS aired the Super Bowl's Greatest Commercials 2012 one-hour special program this evening. This is the 12th year for the segment. Advertising professionals and the companies featured in the show each year must be filled with glee. Big bucks were spent creating these Super Bowl commercials and paying for the media time in previous years. Tonight, they’re all going to air free of charge.

In a twist of irony, other advertisers will be paying for the time.

Priceless.

While perusing the various write-ups on the television special, I came across this argument in The Montreal Gazette:

“As anyone who appreciates a really good ad knows — heaven knows, there are enough bad ads — it’s the ad that counts, not the product behind it. An ad may be designed to sell a product, but few of us, when remembering a great ad, can name the product behind it.”

Does the reporter seriously believe his own words? I find it preposterous and a tad sensational to put forth this assertion. The backdrop is absurd. We’re talking about the greatest commercials to ever air during the Super Bowl.  

“…few of us, when remembering a great ad, can name the product behind it.”

On the contrary, it’s a virtual lock that a majority of viewers will recall the product or service. In each of these commercials, the product tends to be front and center. Even when the ad has a superstar spokesperson, most of us will remember the product, and possibly even the company that owns the brand.

Here’s a quick test

Two 2011 Super Bowl commercials with celebrities. Can you name the product, service and/or company?

1. Eminem
2. Danica Patrick

The answers came to you immediately, didn’t they?

Even in this classic Super Bowl commercial from 1993 featuring two of the biggest celebrities in their respective sport (one being a global icon for the sport and a certain brand of shoe*), I’ll bet you can name the athletes and recall the product brand and the company.

Where do you stand

Do you agree with the reporter for The Montreal Gazette? Do you recall really good ads, but fail to remember the product brands they promote?

Or did you ace my quick test and therefore you agree with me? Make your stand in the Comment box.

LiveJournal Tags: Super Bowl commercials,CBS,The Greatest Super Bowl Commercials 2012,television advertising,tv commercial,copywriting,advertising recall,precision in communication,ghost writing,ad copy freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,copywriter,blogger

*Extra points if you can name the shoe company, the shoe brand and describe the logo.