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Bob Case Breaks Down Super Bowl LVII ads with Fox 10’s Troy Hayden and Syleste Rodriguez
February 13, 2023
The ads didn’t add up to the thrills of years past, Bob said, and here’s why:
PHOENIX – (Feb. 13, 2023) – LAVIDGE Chief Creative Officer Bob Case joined Fox 10’s Arizona Morning show today to critique Super Bowl ads, keeping alive the years-long tradition with anchors Troy Hayden and Syleste Rodriguez.
After a warm welcome, Case kicked things off by noting there were a lot of good but not great television spots in this year's NFL lineup. Still, he did like some ads more than others.
In his own words, (mostly) here are the highlights of the Phoenix-based ad agency CCO’s takes on what was good, not so good, disappointing, and straight-up surprising.
Bob’s favorite Super Bowl ads
Amazon – “Saving Sawyer”: The dog spot with the twist at the end was great, and once again, tied so well to what Amazon does: stocking products you want and delivering them to you.
Google Pixel – “Removing ‘mistakes’": Starts out so prescriptive then pivots to being just fun. Our agency internal group messaging was all about seriously wanting to switch based on this. It’s so motivating.
Bud Light – “On Hold”: It might not make the big lists, but I love this spot because it celebrates what feels like a real moment. Who hasn't tried to stay entertained when on hold?
GM/Netflix - “Why not an EV?” Will Ferrell makes everything work, so having him deliver a corporate message about an agreement between two corporations was just entertaining.
Bob’s least favorite Big Game spots
Michelob Ultra – Caddyshack: Some classics just shouldn't be messed with. This was just a miss. It leverages the music, and Brian Cox is always good, but the rest of it just falls flat. And Tony Romo....No.
Avocados from Mexico - “Make it Better”: this isn't a horrible spot, but you have Anna Faris and if you make Anna Faris a physical comedian, then you've misused the talent.
Downy Unstopables – “Call Me Downy McBride”: Another one that's not as bad as some, but another one where you've got a great talent and you resort to a pun? Hellman's did the pun thing better, but not much.
Bob’s greatest disappointment: “FanDuel Kick of Destiny featuring Rob Gronkowski”: Weeks of buildup to a flash of “Gronk” kicking in an underlit desert where you couldn't really tell what the kick did and then it was over? Where was the payoff to that buildup?
The Super Bowl ad ‘elephant in the room’: The Signatry – “He Gets Us” campaign including “Love Your Enemies”: The Jesus spots felt so heavy and heavy-handed for a sporting event. It speaks to the size of the audience the Super Bowl delivers that this is a hard opportunity to pass up.
And the Best Super Bowl 2023 ad of all: Rihanna using her Fenty Beauty Compact mid-performance. What a flex!
“It feels like we've reached a place where the spots are so expensive to produce and place that the reliance on established stars and storylines is the least risky path brands are taking,” Case said. “It looks great on paper but lacks the ‘wow moment’ of a new idea being shared in a fresh way.”
Watch the full Fox 10 Phoenix Arizona Morning segment for additional insights and commentary on the Super Bowl 2023 advertisements.