Banned Super Bowl commercials better

By: Steve Maloney – Columnist, Senior

“Boy that was some good chili.”

That pretty much wraps up my overall impression of Super Bowl Sunday. The game was a blowout, I lost both of the squares games I bought into, and most of the commercials were nowhere near exciting.

Don’t get me wrong. I still had a great time with friends and the food was outstanding. But I just thank God that both were present because had I watched that by myself, I would’ve felt that I flushed four hours of my life down the drain.

As a society, we really need to get over this whole “appropriate” threshold that limits where commercials can go. A couple weeks before the game, there were videos popping up on Facebook and Twitter about a “banned” Super Bowl ad.

I would watch it and actually laugh, imagine that. Those are the ads that we should be airing, and we need to “ban” these boring, over-the-top commercials produced by Tommy Try-hard that get lost in the mix.

I understand there are intellectual property infringements at risk, but when the content is a bit edgy and that’s what is keeping a certain advertisement from making the cut, let’s put on our big boy pants and just go for it.

This country was founded on a risk that colonials could outlast the Redcoats in a seemingly one-sided affair. Spoiler alert: those armed farmers pulled it off and founded this beautiful country.

So why should we be afraid to show a little skin, drop some risky puns, or create some controversy? Are we afraid that people might actually talk about it, thus driving corporate awareness and business, and stimulate the economy? That’s the whole purpose of advertising in the first place, right?

Anyway, I can’t say that all the commercials were bad. I think the two ads everyone will talk about were both produced by Budweiser. Who doesn’t love to see a hero’s welcome after a tour overseas and witnessing the growth of a friendship between a puppy and a Clydesdale can make even the most hardened criminal cry.

And Esurance really nailed it with the post-game appearance of John Krasinski and the announcement of their $1.5 million giveaway over Twitter.

Many of the commercials seemed to be geared toward the patriotic, middle-class, hard-working individual who strives for greatness through their own will.

That persistent message was one thing I will say felt good going down throughout the game. Our country needs to hear that message loud and clear.