Television wags have sniped that the Super Bowl is the only television event where viewership would actually decrease if the commercials were removed. We'd have to agree. Even with sponsors not blinking at price tags clocking in at $2.7M to $3M for a 30-second spot, some ads are thrown overboard into the wake of the information diaspora that is the Internet. Over the years, various networks have turned away many an ad -- judging them as either too offensive, downright embarrassing or masquerading as dreaded 'advocacy ads.' We at The Videologist have labored -- undeterred by the NFL -- to wade through many bouncy chests, bared bottoms and awkward kisses to figure out why exactly these ads were dismissed. It was tough work.
'Britney Spears'
Pepsi, 2002
Spot Remover: Back when she was the embodiment of budding sexuality, Britney Spears brought her dance moves and provocative leering to new heights in this Pepsi commercial. Skimpy outfit aside, her curvaceousness had to be edited onto to the dance floor, leaving us an advert much like a 24-hour old lukewarm Pepsi-Cola. In retrospect though, what was the fuss all about?
A Likely Sponsor: 'Dance War' -- who knew this reject signaled the beginning of dancing as a contact sport?
Most Offended: The marketing geniuses at Coke.
Pepsi, 2002
Spot Remover: Back when she was the embodiment of budding sexuality, Britney Spears brought her dance moves and provocative leering to new heights in this Pepsi commercial. Skimpy outfit aside, her curvaceousness had to be edited onto to the dance floor, leaving us an advert much like a 24-hour old lukewarm Pepsi-Cola. In retrospect though, what was the fuss all about?
A Likely Sponsor: 'Dance War' -- who knew this reject signaled the beginning of dancing as a contact sport?
Most Offended: The marketing geniuses at Coke.
Technorati Tags: Viral Video, The Videologist, AOL Video Super Bowl, Super Bowl Commercials
Reader Comments (Page 10 of 14)
136. I'm With #8 GO CHARGER'S!!!!! fOOTBALL IS FUN AND WE'LL GET EM' NEXT YEAR!!!
Posted at 12:44AM on Feb 4th 2008 by Marcie
137. What happened to the Pepsi ad about 2 deaf men looking for their friends house? There was much talk before hand about that ad and then I didn't see it????
Posted at 12:58AM on Feb 4th 2008 by Tammy
138. I'D LOVE TO SEE THE GORGEOUS BOYISH ELI MANNING NAKED IN A GAME LONG AD FOR SEX! yummy
Posted at 4:24AM on Feb 4th 2008 by SHERI
139. AS LONG AS U SHOW THAT GORGEOUS FACE AND BUTT OF ELI MANNING DURING GAME PLAYS YOU CAN ADVERTISE POOP AS AN APPETIZER! LONG LIVE MY BABY DOLL ELI AND DOWN WITH MISTER PRETTY BOY BRADY! I HOPE ELI TURNS OUT TO REALLY BE GAY CAUSE I'LL MARRY HIM AND GIVE HIM MY MILLIONS TODAY! mmmmmmmm
Posted at 4:24AM on Feb 4th 2008 by tony
140. God I hate to sound like a woman basher but I'm really getting tired of some of the things placed on the Internet. Men crashing into bodies but if you click on her name you will see that she's a member of a woman empowering themselves group. Go ahead and try...no one else is going to...if you click on her name there it goes to an article she wrote on the art of seduction...lol....you know..."whenever I venture out of my circle of my page and my circle friends" lady...get a life...better still try some of the that man crashing into your body once in a while...I think you may enjoy it...lol....domestic violence is not a leading cause of death...in fact I've worked emergency medicine for 35 years and I hate to tell you this but I've seen like five cases of it in that period of time...you know real domestic violence not some bitch who got slapped because she took a swing at the old man and couldn't back it up when he returned fire. I know there are people abused and not reported but it's also not the leading cause of death. Now if you want real statistice divore is at 98 percent....if women all talk like you do and wine and make mountains out of molehills because you don't like or understand something...gee I understand why...I have an idea...the next time superbowl is on....why don't you do some laundry, clean the house and cook that man of yours a good meal...he'll appreciate it and may put you on the table for desert...oops I forgot you don't have a man then do you...well in that case, don't watch the game...but then how will you know what products not to use...and since every car manufacturer is on there then I'm assuming you will get in better shape because you're walking an awful lot. You know what's even worse...me responding to your idiotic remarks and attitutdes. And that is actually what is wrong with this country now. People are afraid to stand up and tell an idiot like Clinton...now how did I know you were voting for her...lol to shut up and to sit down. Well hopefully you've shut up for a while I've got a deer hunting video to watch...lol.....bye bye
Posted at 7:12AM on Feb 4th 2008 by chuck
141. I am just curious.. I turned to this because it was about banned commercials.. I have never understood why this Britney Spears commercial was banned.. because of the way she is dressed? Are you serious? the cheerleaders wear less clothes than what she is wearing in this video... I wish Janet Jackson would have never played the half-time show... T.V. has not been the same since... BTW.. Way to go Giants!!! Can't stand the Patriots!!!!
Posted at 7:15AM on Feb 4th 2008 by Brad
142. I think the half time has gone down hill. They used to be really good and the commercials used to be great. I don't think it would help to have advertisements on abuse or how many women are killed. They are not the ones watching the game and it would only re-inforse to the ones that are doing it that are not the only ones. These women aren't theones sitting with the guy's watching the game. As for the women abusing the husbands, that's not right either.
Posted at 7:44AM on Feb 4th 2008 by pamela
143. SuperBOWEL? ::snorting with laughter::
Posted at 7:55AM on Feb 4th 2008 by Spyderbytz
144. It's too bad that didn't show last night on superbowl tv. I thought it was a good commerical. It probably would have given Brit a little lift. This little girl needs love and friends not users.
Posted at 7:58AM on Feb 4th 2008 by bin
145. The Superbowl was great!! Halftime show was the best,Tom Petty still rocks! The Giants should be proud, and enjoy their win! By the way, this is not a place for abused wives,Im sure you can find another place on the internet to talk to other women about your problems! And dont blame the superbowl for Christsakes!!!! Oh and Go PACKERS!! I am a female and i've enjoyed football all of my life! Not just for the guys! Nuff said..
Posted at 8:08AM on Feb 4th 2008 by sam
146. Only two words......TOM PETTY.
Posted at 8:24AM on Feb 4th 2008 by Heavy
147. I don't see anything wrong with Brit's commercial, and I don't even like her!
We all know why the ad was pulled, stop trying to say different! Had this been a Black entertainer, it would be all out in the open!
Posted at 8:59AM on Feb 4th 2008 by Itsie
148. She's Jessica Simpson hot but Charles Manson crazy.
Posted at 9:00AM on Feb 4th 2008 by Rich
149. mzz, time and place for everything, this wasnt the place and time for your pet peeves.
Posted at 9:19AM on Feb 4th 2008 by Jim
150. MZZTLOVE,
Have you ever been to a Domestic Violence (DV) shelter? I have had the same discussion with a coworker in one. She said the same thing and tried to justify her belief by saying she had been working with victims for years.
If you want to find out the real story, go to: http://www.snopes.com/crime/statistics/superbowl.asp
Just because this tidbit of information was released at a news conference siting a report done 3 years earlier. No one (i.e. media) bothered to check it out. Had they done so, they would have found it to be FALSE.
There is no doubt that DV is prevalent throughout the world, not just in our society. It is wrong, however, to try to perpetuate a lie.
Granted, the Super Bowl is often settled by halftime, but the occasion has grown to be more than the game itself. Some people genuinely love to watch the game, others the commercials and more still use the occasion as a social function.
This blog is not a proper platform for your cause. Take it to your elected representatives and news outlets where you might get some positive results, not to a blog concerning commercials. All you accomplish is turning more people away. This will not help advance your cause.
Posted at 9:47AM on Feb 4th 2008 by The Truth For A Change