Superbowl XLVIII Commercials Celebrating America

Last night, we all gathered around the buffalo chicken wings and the television set to watch the biggest game of the year. By no means can we call it the best game of the year, judging by the scoreboard and the many memes floating around the Twittersphere of a disappointed Peyton Manning.

Regardless, there were still 96.9 million of us tuned in. Maybe you were decked out in your Broncos orange or your Seahawks green, but if you didn’t have a specific side to root for, you could have just worn the colors of the team that we were all proud to be on last night: Red, White and Blue.

While celebrating a sport that originated in this country, it is impossible not to feel proud. And in between plays, the commercials kept that pride coming.  They celebrated all things American: our troops, our cars, our beers and our countryside.  These three advertisements got it right:

“America is Beautiful.” Coca-Cola is one of the biggest brand names in the world. Founded: 1892. Country of Origin: The United States of America. In a minute’s time, they took us from sea to shining sea, showcasing the blessed soil upon which they were founded. America is a melting pot of race and religion, and the background music reflected this. The song alone was enough to bring a room full of rowdy friends to a hushed silence, lulled by the anthem.

“Every soldier deserves a hero’s welcome.” Budweiser is the great American Lager. They never disappoint when it comes to Superbowl commercials, and this year was no different. Their commercial about a friendship between the Golden Retriever puppy and the Clydesdale horse had all of the girls in the room “awwing,” but it was the ad that followed a soldier’s homecoming that reminded us of what this country is truly about. Budweiser saluted to our troops. The return of an American soldier can bring goosebumps to the arms of everyone in the room, and this commercial did just that.

“Chrysler and Bob Dylan.” This third advertisement started out with a simple sentence. “Is there anything more American than America?”

But the real question should have been, is there anything more American than the Chrysler Superbowl Commercial? With Bob Dylan, a man who has crooned his way into this country’s heart for over five decades, as the spokesman and United States landscape as the backdrop, Chrysler made it impossible for us to tear our eyes away from the screen. Above all, it was the words that struck a chord with viewers.

“You can search the world over for the finer things, but you won’t find a match for the American road, and the creatures that live on it. Because we believe in the zoom, and the roar and the thrust. And when it’s made here, it’s made with the one thing you can’t import from anywhere else: American pride. So let Germany brew your beer, let Switzerland make your watch, lets Asia assemble your phone. We will build your car.”

While the game was none too exciting, these advertisements did not disappoint. Superbowl XLVIII Commercials: We salute you.

Photo credit: adweek.com