Super Bowl lessons can be learned despite its excitement.It is important for coaches to observe new strategies and techniques that can enhance their team’s performance in the future.This is a showcase of talent.Marketers can also gain valuable insights from it.The Super Bowl’s commercials and branding strategies offer lessons in audience engagement and creative advertising.This year’s Super Bowl serves as a comprehensive platform for marketers, illustrating the power of effective communication and brand positioning through understanding consumer behavior and implementing innovative marketing techniques.
How?
The ads, of course.
Between 80 and 100 ads run annually during the Super Bowl. Companies pay millions to have their commercials aired for 30 to 60 seconds.
While many companies see success from their ads, others end the game, facing some alarming results.
So, what makes a bad ad?
I’ll highlight the basics of bad advertising and walk you through ten of the worst Super Bowl ads ever. These lessons apply to all forms of marketing, too, so whether you’re a blogger or a scriptwriter, you’ll gain some takeaways.
What makes an ad flop?
Super Bowl commercials rank among the year’s most talked-about marketing efforts. Some make a substantial impact, while others are memorable for less favorable reasons.
As a marketer and as a consumer, there are a few things that make an ad flop, including:
- Offensiveness. While some argue that “all publicity is good publicity,” offensive ads can negatively impact a company’s bottom line. A reputation can affect between 3-7.5% of revenues annually.
- Confusing messaging. Confusing ads don’t always face the public backlash that offensive ads do, but they aren’t very effective. If viewers don’t know what the ad is or who it’s advertising, it’s tough to take action.
- Irritating. Annoying ads sometimes have jingles that get stuck in our heads, but it’s not always good. In fact, irritating ads can diminish a brand’s authority.
In my experience, prioritizing clear and suitable messaging is crucial across all marketing channels, irrespective of the ad format. When companies overlook clarity and appropriateness, they risk failure.
The Worst Super Bowl Ads of All Time
Since its inception in 1968, the Super Bowl has served as a potent platform for advertisers. Even in its inaugural year, companies invested $150,000 for a single minute of ad space.
Over 58 years of Super Bowl commercials, there have been some notable ad flops. Let’s explore some of the worst Super Bowl ads in history and examine what led to their failure.
Pepsi x Kendall Jenner
In 2017, a Pepsi advertisement featuring supermodel Kendall Jenner was launched, depicting her handing a Pepsi to a police officer at a protest. Once the officer took a sip, he smiled, prompting laughter and cheers of joy from the protesters.
What Makes It a Blunder
The Super Bowl ad faced significant backlash for being “tone-deaf.” Although its intention was to raise awareness about social justice issues, viewers felt it undermined activists’ struggles. The choice of influencer, who had little connection to social justice and was somewhat controversial, only compounded the misstep. As a marketer, I’ve learned that both the message and the messenger are crucial. Pepsi’s oversight of these elements ensured the ad’s failure, prompting many to voice their opinions on Twitter.
Lifeminders
In 2000, Lifeminders.com aired what is now regarded as the most economical Super Bowl ad ever. The ad begins with text on a yellow screen declaring, “This is the worst Super Bowl ad of all time.”
The ad goes on to describe the company, which offers personalized emails.
What Makes It a Blunder
Although the ad aimed to be humorous, it came across as somewhat off-putting. The unclear messaging confused audiences, as it offered little information about the company.
What it did say about the company also seemed in direct opposition to the ad’s style, which was exceedingly bland.
Despite the ad’s unfavorable reception, Lifeminder reported gaining 700,000 new customers in the weeks following their Super Bowl ad, proving it wasn’t a complete failure.
Sad Robot
The infamous GM Sad Robot ad, which aired in 2007, begins with a robot being terminated for making an error. It then attempts to find new employment but repeatedly fails. After several unsuccessful attempts, the robot leaps off a bridge, implying suicide.
Then viewers discover this is only a dream, and a message about GM’s 100,000-mile warranty appears.
What Makes It a Blunder
GM faced significant criticism for this ad, which, at first glance, is unsettling and disturbing, leading to audience offense. Super Bowl audiences are diverse in age, and most ads tend to be lighthearted or positive.
This tone clash was jarring for viewers. As a marketer, I know the value of ensuring your tone aligns with your context.
GM’s advertisement was ill-timed, coinciding with significant layoffs. Its messaging addressed this situation in a manner that was both insensitive and offensive.
5 to 9
In Squarespace’s 2021 Super Bowl ad, Dolly Parton sings a reimagined version of her iconic song, “9 to 5,” celebrating the website builder.
Instead of “9 to 5,” she’s singing “5 to 9,” highlighting side hustles that bring meaning to employees’ lives.
What Makes It a Blunder
Squarespace and Dolly Parton faced criticism for their Super Bowl commercial, with many viewers finding it offensive for implying that overworking is necessary to have value.
Furthermore, the song lacks the catchiness of the original, which places the ad squarely in the irritating category.
Make Safe Happen
Nationwide’s 2015 Make Safe Happen ad featured a young child narrating the experiences they would never have, such as catching cooties or getting married.
At the conclusion of the ad, a young child reveals they won’t experience any of those moments because they died in an accident. It then emphasizes that Nationwide cares about what truly matters.
What Makes It a Blunder
This advertisement ranks among the most widely criticized campaigns ever. It is notably morbid, often deemed overly dark and unnerving. The fact that it was intended to sell insurance struck many as exploitative and offensive.
Overall, this ad flopped on more than a few marks.
Perfect Match
GoDaddy’s Perfect Match ad, which aired in 2013, showcases a supermodel alongside a nerd. The spokeswoman asserts that GoDaddy embodies both sexiness and intelligence.
Then, as a representation of the fusion of those two attributes, the clip features 10 seconds of kissing — a third of the entire ad.
What Makes It a Blunder
This GoDaddy ad was criticized for making viewers extremely uncomfortable. While the intent was certainly playful, viewers felt the kiss lingered for far too long and became inappropriate for television.
Like many of the ads on this list, GoDaddy neglected to consider the context of its ad.
Ace Metrix, an ad ranking site, stated that this ad had the 2nd lowest rating for Super Bowl ads that year.
Sony Experia
In 2011, Sony released an advertisement for a new Android phone equipped with gaming controls. The ad depicted a man navigating dark streets and eventually arriving in a back room where surgery was performed on an Android.
The Android received human thumbs and went out onto the streets, ready to game.
What Makes It a Blunder
The 2011 Sony ad made viewers extremely uncomfortable. The sight of human thumbs on the robot was visually jarring and, for some viewers, terrifying. Additionally, the messaging in the ad was fairly confusing.
Although the end of the commercial clarified the product being advertised, the 60-second ad provided scant information about it throughout.
As a marketer, it’s crucial to make purposeful use of all available space. Whether crafting an informative blog or a commercial script, your primary objective is to sell a product. In this ad, Sony failed to prioritize that goal.
MLK Dodge Ram
In 2018, Dodge Ram’s Super Bowl ad powerfully encapsulated the brand’s motto, “Built to Serve.” The commercial showcased compelling images of individuals performing acts of community service.
The ad was accompanied by an MLK sermon from precisely 50 years prior on servanthood.
What Makes It a Blunder
Some viewed the ad as powerful and inspirational, while others felt it diminished the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. Critics were outraged by the use of an MLK speech to promote truck sales.
Overall, the commercial was thought by many to be an exploitative use of Martin Luther King’s words.
Temu’s 2024 Ad
If you tuned into the Superbowl this year, you undoubtedly caught Temu’s advertisements, which aired an impressive four times. The ad showcases animated visuals depicting how Temu enhances lives by offering each item at impressively low prices.
It’s accompanied by brand audio and concludes with Temu’s motto: Shop like a billionaire.
What Makes It a Blunder
The Temu ad didn’t offend (though there are many critics of the brand itself). Instead, the frequency of the ad annoyed viewers and resulted in a significantly negative perception.
Viewers took to social media to lament their irritation with the Temu ad that really did play four times.
The brand likely spent tens of millions on this campaign, as four 30-second ads is no cheap deal — and the frequency turned out to be an issue.
Groupon’s Tibet Ad
Finally, we’ll take a look at Groupon’s 2011 Super Bowl ad. The first half of the ad featured a narrative about the people of Tibet and how the culture is “in jeopardy.”
Then, the ad cuts to Timothy Hutton sitting in a restaurant being served Tibetan food by a Tibetan man. Finally, Timothy explains that he got this delicious meal for a deal, thanks to Groupon.
What Makes It a Blunder
Groupon’s ad faced an exceeding backlash for offensiveness. The ad was criticized for racism and diminishment of the struggles facing refugees of Tibet.
It was a poorly timed, poorly executed ad — and a major flop. The ad was pulled promptly from television after viewer response.
What We Can Learn From Ads That Flop
As we conclude our examination of some of the Super Bowl’s most notable advertising blunders, let’s shift our focus toward learning and innovation.
The main takeaway? Remain authentic, positive, and in tune with your audience’s preferences. Advertisements that missed the mark serve as prime examples of what to avoid, providing valuable insights for crafting effective marketing strategies.
We have a tremendous opportunity to turn these missteps into significant successes. Strive to create messages that truly resonate — be engaging, thoughtful, and reflective of your audience’s interests, supported by robust data for relevance.
Regardless of your company or ad format, prioritize clarity and uphold your brand’s integrity. Even with bold content, ensuring it is well-received should be a top priority.
Maintain a balance of casual professionalism, and let’s create marketing that truly stands out.
