There was a time when the introduction of new model year automobiles was an event. Dealerships would bring the new vehicles in under the cover of night. All windows were whited out so peepers couldn’t steal an early glimpse and photojournalists couldn’t get a picture for publication prior to the unveiling.
The buying public couldn’t wait for the big day to arrive. The anticipation was palpable.
Super Secretive
Super Bowl commercials used to enjoy the same build-up. Advertisers might drop hints at what the viewers were going to see, but the actual creative and all other elements of their commercials were kept under tight wraps until they aired Super Bowl Sunday.
The viewing public couldn’t wait for the big day to arrive. The anticipation was palpable.
Not so anymore.
Now we can see most every commercial that’s going to air during the Super Bowl broadcast online a week or more prior to the game. There are several portals with HD videos staged and a description of the creative. Mainstream media and scores of web publications have been writing about the commercials ad nauseum since the day after the conference championships were contested. Even search engines kick up scores of images from the commercials.
Talk about letting the air out of the balloon.
Instant Everything
It is a reflection on our instant everything in America.
We want to win the lottery, hit it big at the casino, buy that stock that hockey sticks inside of a year or sue somebody rotten so we can become instant millionaires.
We want to know the sex of our baby as soon as possible so we can choose the name, fill out the baby registry with gender-specific items and set up the nursery in the proper colors.
And we apparently want to see the Super Bowl commercials before the Super Bowl. If we could see the gridiron contest prior to Super Bowl Sunday, we’d probably settle for that, too.
Is it just me, or does this mindset sort of take all of the drama out of life?
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