The 2018 Super Bowl has come and gone, leaving behind another class of incredibly expensive car commercials. Now, while you may have been distracted by hot wings, Justin Timberlake, and the actual game we were locked in on the latest car ads. After sifting through Sundays offering we have determined which ones worked and which ones didn’t. Here is our list of the Top 5 Car Commercials from Super Bowl LII, and a few of the misses.. Let’s see if you agree!
5. Toyota: Mobility Anthem
After skipping out on the previous Super Bowl, Toyota came back this year with its biggest Super Bowl ad buy ever. Toyota aimed to highlight their new brand message “mobility for all” with two powerful commercials. This idea is echoed in Toyota’s latest concept the e-Palette, a radical multipurpose vehicle that was unveiled at this years CES. Toyota seems dedicated to innovating the possibilities of mobility, and establishes this with the closing phrase “when we’re free to move, anything is possible”. We couldn’t agree more.
4. Lexus LS 500: Black Panther
Black Panther is less than two weeks away from hitting theaters and Lexus gave us a cool preview with their Super Bowl commercial. This ad features awesome action sequences and showcases the beauty of their new LS 500 F. “This spot feels beautifully cinematic from start to finish,” Mindy Hamilton, Marvel’s senior vice president of marketing, said. We definitely agree!
3. Kia Stinger: Feel Something Again
Three Words: Steven Tyler CGI. What’s not to love?
2. Hyundai Kona: Ref to the Rescue
Hyundai debuted two commercials during the Super Bowl. The first focused on a referee who made the best possible effort to end a youth soccer game early enough so that everyone can go home and watch the Super Bowl. It was cute, and watching a referee throw a bunch of red cards at kids turned out to be pretty entertaining.
1. Jeep: Anti Manifesto
In our opinion Jeep had the best Super Bowl ads of any automaker. They used their three commercials to focus solely on their product and its capabilities. This was never clearer than in their final spot of the day, the Anti-Manifesto. In this 30 second commercial there is only one camera, one car, zero music, and a simple voice-over. It allows the product to speak for itself, something car commercials rarely do. You can’t top an SUV playing around in its natural habitat.
– The Misses –
Ram 1500: Dr Martin Luther King Jr
Ram used a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr speech in an attempt to conflate owning its Ram 1500 with the legendary leaders words about being great through acts of service. The commercial was almost immediately panned across the internet for being tone deaf and left most just shaking their heads.
Hyundai: Hope Detector
Hyundai’s second add provided a mixed reaction. The ad highlights the automaker’s charitable donations for pediatric cancer. While it definitely hits you right in the feels, it also feels like a below-the-belt shot. So, if I don’t buy a Hyundai, then sick kids are going to stay sick? Way to make a guy feel bad. Guilt is not the best way to sell cars.
Alright that’s our list, let us know what you’d do differently in the comments below!
