The marketing ideas behind many of the commercials may have lacked brilliance, but the music in the spots was frequently outstanding. Scott G gets into the sweeping orchestral scores, the pounding rock rhythms and the ‘moderne’ sound of lounge.

Music in the Super Bowl spots, continued.

CBS Promos
There were 3000 of them, at least 2000 of which were for disgusting gooey crime dramas (which used mainly crunchy compressed rock music) and the rest for the demeaning “Survivor” (good mix of music and SFX) or that overly cutesy teleprompter-reader Katie Couric (her phony-earnest bits were backed with basic “news theme” clichés).

Nissan
In an okay ad for the Versa’s roominess (avoid bad hair days with Versa’s headroom), a chorus was merged with some lounge-style music and the whole thing took on a very jaunty air. I say, “cool, baby.”

Panasonic
Fast-paced presentation of the Toughbox featured techno-ish music that was quite good. (This is one of my primary genres, so you’d think I might tend to be overly critical of it out of jealousy, but I have to admit it was good stuff.)

Acura
Minor spot notable for using “Dreamer” by Supertramp, from their “Crime of the Century” album. Is it Acura’s intention to make us think about the mid-seventies? (“Crime of the Century” was released in 1974.)

Walt Disney Pictures
The forthcoming “Meet the Robinsons” movie looks tired despite the spirited old-style big band music.

Coke
“Happiness Factory” seems like it uses a Danny Elfman score, which is a high compliment.

Revlon
What a great ad for Sheryl Crow’s new version of the Buddy Holly/Norman Petty song, “Not Fade Away.” It even directs viewers to go get the song on iTunes. Since the spot shows the beautiful Ms. Crow using Revlon hair color for her rock concerts, it even works as a promotion for Revlon. Everybody wins.

Van Heusen
The presentation of the clothing moving backwards in active lifestyle situations was all right, and the music was some fun moderne lounge.

Emerald Nuts
More moderne lounge sounds in a funny-spooky ad that explains why things disappear from your desk (Robert Goulet steals them).

T-Mobile
Hey, “I’m famous,” says Charles Barkley. Way off in the background of the restaurant is some nice-sounding Latin-lounge music.

Nationwide
K-Fed raps. And truth be told, it was legit-sounding AND funny. Despite all the carping from fast-food “restaurateurs,” this was a nice spot.

Bud Light
“Hitchhikers” was enjoyable. “He’s got an ax!” “But he’s got Bud Light.” Can’t argue with that. The mystery movie theme music worked great.

CBS Promos
I’m glad they kept reminding me why I don’t watch the crap they seem to love: CSI, Katie Courec, Pro Bowl, Masters (people actually watch golf? What demographic is that – mummified?)

Lexus
One car races as another is dropped from a helicopter. Beautiful photography. Excellent blend of SFX, bass and synth tones on the soundtrack. A spot that almost doesn’t seem like a commercial.

Budweiser
Stupid crab ad. (What IS their fetish about animals and Bud?) Nice use of music that morphs from lounge to full orchestra and choir.

Prudential
Modern rock music for “the rock.” Oh, there’s an orchestra in there, too.

Honda
Elvis Presley’s “Hunk of Burnin’ Love” was remixed by Hum and it is slammin’! This nifty music track compliments a disco dancing spot for the CR-V, which appears to be a box-on-wheels. WTF?

Hewlett Packard
Computers are used by a guy on one of those “Choppers” programs. Nicely put together spot, and the mysterioso-surf rock music is a kick.

Van Heusen
This one was for their Izod brand and the monster rock track was heavy, completely over-compressed, and wonderful.

Budweiser
Jay-Z plays Don Shula to rule the world. Or something. The dialogue didn’t work, and I have no idea what the beer had to do with anything, but the hip hop movie music theme was first-rate.

Time Out
No, not an ad for the London magazine. I just got so bored by the game that I went online for a while. I have all the spots on TiVo, but frankly, I just don’t care if I missed anything.

Honda
Nice vocal and percolating electronica music. (Again, one of my genres, so if I’m not consumed by envy that someone else was hired for this, it must have been a damn good track.)

Snapple
Chinese-sounding music and insect noises. Silly.

NFL
Over-hyped consumer-generated idea (but selected and produced by professionals, including monster commercial director Joe Pytka). Not bad at all. The N’Orleans music (“St. James Infirmary”) was terrific.

Smart vs. Dumb Marketing
Based on the ads during Super Bowl 41 (I refuse to use Roman Numerals), we must ask ourselves the following question: Are today’s brightest minds in the advertising industry interested in creating spots that entertain for the sake of entertaining, or is there a marketing plan at work in here somewhere?

Last Word
Let’s face it, I loved “The Commercial Showcase Show” and only wish they had stopped interrupting it with those long lame promos for what could only be called “The NFL’s Greatest Fumbles.”

Photo illustration by Phil Hatten Design.

[tags]G-Man, Gman, gman marketing, Scott G, Music Critics Must Die, advertising, marketing, ad rants, Super Bowl[/tags]