When it comes to the Super Bowl, not everyone’s a football fan, but we can all agree the commercials are at least half the fun — and the tech industry has contributed some of the most memorable big game ads of all time.
As you watch this year’s commercials, measure them against these five ads, which set the standard for memorable.
Apple’s “1984” ad (1984)
One could call this ad the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time). Directed by Ridley Scott, “1984,” which introduced the Apple Macintosh, put Super Bowl commercials on the map. British discus thrower Anya Major smashes a foreboding and gray presentation by a Big Brother-type figure, showing that “1984 wouldn’t be like 1984.”
Monster.com’s “When I Grow Up” (1999)
Forget the want ads—you can look for a job online! Monster.com introduced a new approach to the job search in 1999 with “When I Grow Up,” which featured a group of children offering such depressing yet memorable lines as, “When I grow up, I want to file all day.” Shot in black and white like “1984,” “When I Grow Up” breaks into color with the display of the Monster.com logo — and the promise that “there’s a better job out there.”
(One of many) GoDaddy controversies (2005)
Hosting company GoDaddy has taken a provocative approach to marketing, each year attempting to create buzz with almost-NSFW content. GoDaddy’s 2005 effort was so controversial that Fox network officials pulled it before a planned repeat airing during the Super Bowl’s second half. In the commercial, a woman wearing a tight tank top experiences a “wardrobe malfunction” while talking to a government committee.
The E-Trade Baby (2008)
Babies are a crowd-pleaser. Talking babies are even better — and starting in 2008, the E-Trade baby began its five-year run as a Super Bowl fixture. The E-Trade baby “quit” advertising in 2014 during another major sporting event: March Madness.
Amazon’s “Alexa Loses Her Voice” (2018)
One of 2018’s top Super Bowl commercial was “Alexa Loses Her Voice,” a fanciful game of “what if?” What if Alexa’s soothing tones were replaced by a swearing Gordon Ramsey or a comical Rebel Wilson? Even Amazon’s Jeff Bezos had a cameo.
Photo: gpointstudio / Shutterstock
