Ads of Super Bowls Past
Super Bowl it a highlight of the year for many people. For some it is a day where their favorite team has worked its way to the top, and has a chance of glory. For others, it is a day when some of the most creative commercials are released. So why are these advertisements so popular? Is it because they tell stories that follow the story timeline? Or are they simply entertaining. To evaluate this I will be looking at Chobani’s 2014 Super Bowl ad “Ransacked,” along with Oreo’s 2013 ad, “Whisper Fight.”
Chobani’s advertisement is about an ordinary day in a small town convenience store, at least until a bear arrives. This commercial takes on a suspenseful/action approach which is geared towards people who care about products being natural, most likely moms. The advertisement doesn’t mention Chobani until nearly the end of the commercial. This story does have a beginning middle and end, and follows the story narrative fairly well. The exposition of this advertisement sets up the scene of a quiet small town, and its convenience store. The inciting incident is when customers begin to scream and it is revealed that a bear is in the store. The rising action showcases the bear destroying the store, and the clerk hiding. The climax is reached when the bear walks up to the counter and places a Chobani on the counter and leaves the store. The falling action is the explanation of the yogurt, and the women staring at the untouched Chobani.
The second advertisement is Oreo’s “Whisper Fight.” This commercial takes an action/humor approach. However, the target audience appears to be geared towards young males. It is clear from the get-go that this is an Oreo commercial, with the first line being “I’ve always preferred the cream part of an Oreo.” This advertisement takes place in a library where a fight breaks out over which is better, the cookie or the cream. The exposition of the story is where it introduces two guys studying in the library. The inciting incident occurs when one guy says that the cream is the best part of the Oreo. During the rising action a fight breaks out in the library where everyone is choosing a side. The fire department and cops arrive to the scene. The Climax is a scene we don’t see in this advertisement, it would be right after the cops arrive where we find out what happens to everyone involved in the fight. This advertisement does not have a falling action, it cuts straight to a call to action, telling people to choose their side.
When the two commercials are compared, I think it is clear that one has a much stronger narrative. I think that Chobani’s commercial tells a better story, and keeps the viewers’ attention, mainly because they don’t know what is going to happen. As far as which one is more share worthy, it could go either way. Both advertisements are funny and engaging, but for different groups. Each advertisement has different target audiences. Both advertisements were successful at creating an advertisement that the specific target audience could want to share.
