The NFL championship game is officially in the books, and with it, another year’s worth of unbelievable advertisements from some of the world’s biggest brands. While we love sports here at Stephen Arnold Music, as a sonic branding agency, we naturally pay close attention to the sounds of every spot, knowing that no matter how funny or weird or dramatic your commercial, one of the most eloquent and memorable expressions of a brand is through sound. Of course we had to rank our favorites. With over 60 commercials to choose from and actual costs skyrocketing to $40M for a :30 spot, we definitely had our work cut out for us this year.
Here are SAM’s top picks for the best sounding spots of the big game.
Doritos – Invasion
Talk about tension and release! This spot combines drama-infused sound effects, impeccable timing and minimal dialogue – with no music soundtrack whatsoever. You can almost taste the crunch of the Doritos and understand why he doesn’t want to lose them! The drama builds as he struggles to hold onto the bag, and then the sound snaps like a rubber band. Plus, the quick shot of the tin foil hat in the upper right corner was an unexpected “Easter Egg.” Sometimes shorter commercials are the most effective!
Coors Light – Slow Monday
We’ve all had a case of the Monday blahs, right? Well, Coors Light nailed this concept with stunning imagery of slow-paced sloths dealing with everyday situations at their natural pace. But what about the sound? In this case, a perfectly selected music track completes and amplifies the visuals and seamlessly stitches the scenes together. The fact that it is a familiar and memorable song transfers all the good feelings associated with it to the commercial and the product. It’s a simple solution brilliantly executed, making an indelible impression on the audience.
Squarespace – A Tale as Old as Websites
Amid the bombast and cacophony that surrounds the big game, we have a tale borne from rural Ireland, with a baleful bagpipe soundtrack and initially perplexing soundbites from the actor. But we eventually realize that he is repeating “Squarespace” and flinging laptops to those whose crafts would benefit from a website. The fact that his utterings are marginally understandable makes us listen even more closely. The product name is shouted repeatedly, while the bagpipe continues to add to the mystical nature of the setting. It’s compelling storytelling – and superb branding.
Squarespace – A Tales as Old as Websites
Budweiser – First Delivery
High expectations usually come with a Budweiser Clydesdale commercial, and this year’s edition doesn’t disappoint. The commercial begins with a beautiful natural soundscape, placing you in the idyllic rural setting. As the lonely pony begins his quest, the story is enhanced by a familiar, feel-good track from The Bellamy Brothers. Again, it’s a perfectly chosen selection, resulting in a feel-good resolution about the steadfast, Americana qualities of the Budweiser brand.
Mountain Dew – Baja Blast
Oh, to have been in the meeting where they dreamed up this commercial! This spot tops the weirdness scale, but is extraordinarily memorable for it. The jump from selling Mountain Dew Baja Blast to “Seal as a seal” is a huge one, but one certainly worth taking. The modifications to the lyrics are hilarious. The dramatic pause as the sharks swim by refocuses your attention. And the admission that this is the weirdest thing EVER underscores what the audience is already thinking. It’s one thing to license a popular song, but a whole other thing to license the performer to sing it as a seal!
Rocket – Own the Dream
This spot reflects a truly innovative idea while advertising in a live, televised event. Reflecting the yearning for people to return home to their roots, it uses a re-sing of the track “Country Roads” by John Denver. As the commercial progresses, it evolves into a sing-along as all actors in different shots become part of a chorus of voices. Not groundbreaking – but when the spot ends we are treated to the live crowd at the game singing the song together with the Rocket Mortgage logo displayed on the digital signage in the stadium. The transition from produced commercial to live crowd participation is a triumph of breakthrough branding, more of which we are sure to see in the years to come.
Honorable Mention – Taco Bell The Fans
As a soundtrack, it’s perfectly matched to the visuals. It’s mixed well, edited well and fun. But the real magic is in the message. Taco Bell understands that your brand is defined by your CUSTOMERS, not how YOU feel about it. And “It’s All for You” acknowledges the brand loyalty and passion for the product that any company would crave for themselves. But most importantly, as a sonic branding agency, we need to recognize the brilliance and simplicity of the Taco Bell signature sounder – the iconic bell tone at the end of the commercial. In the sonic branding environment, where we all seek to develop and implement the perfect audio identity, Taco Bell’s sonic signature checks all the boxes. It’s simple, it’s memorable, and reflects the brand’s emotional essence.
Whether you’re a Philly or a KC fan, advertisers put together a terrific body of work for this year’s game. While there were a lot of close calls, we feel that the above sonic examples stood out in their ability to engage audiences and deliver maximum emotional impact. What were your favorites? Review all the commercials here, and whatever you do, keep listening!
