The rest of the 2006 super bowl XL reviews

Third Quarter (previously - the 2nd quarter)

Ameriquest Mortgage Co. - "Turbulence" :30 Summary: Plane turbulence creates awkward situation. Ad Agency: DDB, Los Angeles [Review]
Dab:
Hands up those who didn't see that gag coming! Oh. You didn't? Really? Does this stuff only happen to me when I fly?
Caff :
Less interesting of the two.
Clay:
Very Three's Company, and in a good way.

Motorola - Moto - Pebl Summary:The Pebl phone is created from a meteor over time. [Review]
Dab:
I like. Nice drama-rama, and it looks awesome. Makes me wanna seek a shop just to touch the phone, and that's what they want me to do isn't it? Sneaky buggers.
Caff:
Cool animation.
Clay:
This commercial was a beautiful thing. The product looks more like a CLM than a PEBL though.

Rubbermaid - Sharpie Markers - "Pirate" :30
Summary: Shows a pirate theme-park walkabout signing autographs with a retractable sharpie pen Ad Agency: McCann Erickson, New York
Dab:
AaaaaRRrr-Arrr, pirates, gar! That's great. I know one hundred other thin's he could have done with that blasted hook though. Me want t' see the outtakes. Pray tell, what did they not dare t' show?
Caff:
Good demo-type ad. I wanted more "argh-matey" talk. Great way to show the benefit of the product though. Would have been better if he replaced his hook with a Sharpie.
Clay:
Hooray! We got a pirate into this year's Super Bowl! Pirates are the new bears.

Budweiser- "Help"
Summary: A baby Clydesdale gets ahead with some help. Ad Agency: DDB
Dab:
Did it really need the guy explaining what just happened at the end? Tsss. Only thing good about that was our old pal, the dalmation.
Caff:
Cute. Could have been better without the fella at the end.
Clay:
Awwwwwwwwwdorable.

Nationwide Insurance - "Gondola" :30
Summary: A fake shampoo spot features Fabio in a gondola with a woman and when she looks up he's a 85-year old man. Ad Agency: TM Advertising, Irving, Texas
Dab:
Heh, Fabio mocks his own image. Always good when celebs do that.
Caff:
Fabio's "rrr" at the end is uber-creepy! Feels like there's a piece missing in this spot.
Clay:
Eh. It was funny.

NFL Mobile - Old way
Summary: A guy checks the scores at the market on his phone when another patron tells him how it used to be done.
Dab:
Caff:
Clay:

GM- H3 - "Monsters" :60
Summary: A monster and robot fall in love and their baby is the H3. Ad Agency: Modernista!
Dab:
Aaaaaw isn't that sweet? But yeah this isn't new to me since the ad has aired before. Still, I dig.
Caff:
Recycled spot. Seems common this year. Good for the brand though.
Clay: Previously aired - no score

American Home Health - PS - "Best Defense" :30 Summary: People in biohazard suits doing everyday things in a suburban setting. Ad Agency: Ronin Advertising Group, Coconut Grove, Fla.
Dab:
They misplaced the punch from the punchline somewhere. Bummer, it had such potential.
Caff:
Starts off good, ends flat.
Clay:
The home biohazard/bubblesuit thing has been done to greater effect. I'm guessing this is one of those products that disappear within a year of its Super Bowl ad.

Career Builder.com :30
Summary: Employees commiserate about workplace animals. Ad Agency: Cramer Krasselt, Chicago
Dab:
Jackass. Heh. What next, working with a bunch of snakes? Sharks? Sloths? Oh yeah, sloths. I wanna see that one. It'll have to be a five minute commercial.
Caff:
Budweiser football playing horses used that one 10 years ago. This idea is getting old.
Clay:
Once again, see Budweiser's Zebra/Referee spot. Career Builder, it's time you evolved.

Taco Bell Summary::Love is better the second time around Ad Agency: TBA
Caff::
Points for the voice over of Adam West. It's just crap to show this type of ad during the SB though. No wonder people are disappointed.
Clay:
Third version of a campaign that started a week or so earlier. Taco Bell usually doesn't invest much in fresh creative for the Super Bowl, and it shows.

Slim-Fast Optima :15 Summary: Women dancing to song "Time Is On My Side" to show that product controls hunger up to 4 hours. Ad Agency: Ogilvy & Mather, New York
Caff:
No! Whoever told these folks to put this ad on the air and waste their money should be fired.
Clay: Previously aired - no score

Gillette Fusion Razor and Fusion Power :30

Toyota - Tacoma - "Tide" /r Summary: A kayaker paddles off, while the Tacoma is swept up by the surf, bashed on the rocks, and submerged, but ends up unscathed. Ad Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi, Torrance, CA
Dab:
Nice time-lapse.
Caff:
Invincable? Hah! Because we all know saltwater can't hurt a truck made out of plastic. ;) This concept is crappy. There's exaggeration and then there's just stupidity.
Clay:
Nice followup to the Meteor spot and the campaign before it.

Sprint - "Couch" :30 Summary: Bragger sits on couch and touts how he downloads music for any occasion, couch then bursts into flames . Ad Agency: TBWA/Chiat Day, New York
Dab:
When I last thought Benny Hill was funny, I was 9 years old.
Caff:
Benny Hill, hmm I wonder how many will get that reference. I wish the straightman in the spot wasn't so stiff with his lines.
Clay:
With guys, you can't go wrong with the Benny Hill theme. Needed more cleavage.

Up next - 4rd Quartersrc="adland.tv/ore-superbowl-reviews">the 2nd quarter)

Ameriquest Mortgage Co. - "Turbulence" :30 Summary: Plane turbulence creates awkward situation. Ad Agency: DDB, Los Angeles [Review]
Dab:
Hands up those who didn't see that gag coming! Oh. You didn't? Really? Does this stuff only happen to me when I fly?
Caff :
Less interesting of the two.
Clay:
Very Three's Company, and in a good way.

Motorola - Moto - Pebl Summary:The Pebl phone is created from a meteor over time. [Review]
Dab:
I like. Nice drama-rama, and it looks awesome. Makes me wanna seek a shop just to touch the phone, and that's what they want me to do isn't it? Sneaky buggers.
Caff:
Cool animation.
Clay:
This commercial was a beautiful thing. The product looks more like a CLM than a PEBL though.

Rubbermaid - Sharpie Markers - "Pirate" :30
Summary: Shows a pirate theme-park walkabout signing autographs with a retractable sharpie pen Ad Agency: McCann Erickson, New York
Dab:
AaaaaRRrr-Arrr, pirates, gar! That's great. I know one hundred other thin's he could have done with that blasted hook though. Me want t' see the outtakes. Pray tell, what did they not dare t' show?
Caff:
Good demo-type ad. I wanted more "argh-matey" talk. Great way to show the benefit of the product though. Would have been better if he replaced his hook with a Sharpie.
Clay:
Hooray! We got a pirate into this year's Super Bowl! Pirates are the new bears.

Budweiser- "Help"
Summary: A baby Clydesdale gets ahead with some help. Ad Agency: DDB
Dab:
Did it really need the guy explaining what just happened at the end? Tsss. Only thing good about that was our old pal, the dalmation.
Caff:
Cute. Could have been better without the fella at the end.
Clay:
Awwwwwwwwwdorable.

Nationwide Insurance - "Gondola" :30
Summary: A fake shampoo spot features Fabio in a gondola with a woman and when she looks up he's a 85-year old man. Ad Agency: TM Advertising, Irving, Texas
Dab:
Heh, Fabio mocks his own image. Always good when celebs do that.
Caff:
Fabio's "rrr" at the end is uber-creepy! Feels like there's a piece missing in this spot.
Clay:
Eh. It was funny.

NFL Mobile - Old way
Summary: A guy checks the scores at the market on his phone when another patron tells him how it used to be done.
Dab:
Caff:
Clay:

GM- H3 - "Monsters" :60
Summary: A monster and robot fall in love and their baby is the H3. Ad Agency: Modernista!
Dab:
Aaaaaw isn't that sweet? But yeah this isn't new to me since the ad has aired before. Still, I dig.
Caff:
Recycled spot. Seems common this year. Good for the brand though.
Clay: Previously aired - no score

American Home Health - PS - "Best Defense" :30 Summary: People in biohazard suits doing everyday things in a suburban setting. Ad Agency: Ronin Advertising Group, Coconut Grove, Fla.
Dab:
They misplaced the punch from the punchline somewhere. Bummer, it had such potential.
Caff:
Starts off good, ends flat.
Clay:
The home biohazard/bubblesuit thing has been done to greater effect. I'm guessing this is one of those products that disappear within a year of its Super Bowl ad.

Career Builder.com :30
Summary: Employees commiserate about workplace animals. Ad Agency: Cramer Krasselt, Chicago
Dab:
Jackass. Heh. What next, working with a bunch of snakes? Sharks? Sloths? Oh yeah, sloths. I wanna see that one. It'll have to be a five minute commercial.
Caff:
Budweiser football playing horses used that one 10 years ago. This idea is getting old.
Clay:
Once again, see Budweiser's Zebra/Referee spot. Career Builder, it's time you evolved.

Taco Bell Summary::Love is better the second time around Ad Agency: TBA
Caff::
Points for the voice over of Adam West. It's just crap to show this type of ad during the SB though. No wonder people are disappointed.
Clay:
Third version of a campaign that started a week or so earlier. Taco Bell usually doesn't invest much in fresh creative for the Super Bowl, and it shows.

Slim-Fast Optima :15 Summary: Women dancing to song "Time Is On My Side" to show that product controls hunger up to 4 hours. Ad Agency: Ogilvy & Mather, New York
Caff:
No! Whoever told these folks to put this ad on the air and waste their money should be fired.
Clay: Previously aired - no score

Gillette Fusion Razor and Fusion Power :30

Toyota - Tacoma - "Tide" /r Summary: A kayaker paddles off, while the Tacoma is swept up by the surf, bashed on the rocks, and submerged, but ends up unscathed. Ad Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi, Torrance, CA
Dab:
Nice time-lapse.
Caff:
Invincable? Hah! Because we all know saltwater can't hurt a truck made out of plastic. ;) This concept is crappy. There's exaggeration and then there's just stupidity.
Clay:
Nice followup to the Meteor spot and the campaign before it.

Sprint - "Couch" :30 Summary: Bragger sits on couch and touts how he downloads music for any occasion, couch then bursts into flames . Ad Agency: TBWA/Chiat Day, New York
Dab:
When I last thought Benny Hill was funny, I was 9 years old.
Caff:
Benny Hill, hmm I wonder how many will get that reference. I wish the straightman in the spot wasn't so stiff with his lines.
Clay:
With guys, you can't go wrong with the Benny Hill theme. Needed more cleavage.

Up next - 4rd Quarter