While many of you tuned into the Superbowl last night to watch the Colts and Bears battle it out in Florida, I’m willing to bet that at least a few of my readers also paid attention to the commercials aired during breaks.
The Superbowl commercials represent an entertainment realm all their own, commenting in clever ways on the fears and dreams of Americans even as they bring to one’s attention the key features of a particular product or service. This year’s batch of commercials was as good as ever. Two of my favorites, which both have to do with mobile technology, were from Garmin and Sprint.
In the Garmin commercial, a lost motorist attempts to figure out where he is by unfolding an old-fashioned paper map. The map invades the car, growing in size and then turning into a giant monster. But never fear! Our intrepid hero grabs his Garmin GPS device from the dash, and uses its powers to turn himself into a sleek, silver giant who quickly kills the map monster.
In the Sprint commercial, a depressed air traveler sits dejectedly with his laptop closed on his lap waiting for his flight. He’s surrounded by happy looking people working on their laptops. We quickly learn his ailment: Connectile Dysfunction, characterized by an inability to “take care of business the way others can,” due to “inadequate broadband coverage.” The broadband card he has for his laptop can’t receive signal, so he’s unable to get any work done. Luckily, an attractive woman nearby offers to lend the traveler her Sprint Mobile Broadband card, and everything ends happily-ever-after.
These two commercials not only comment on experiences or ideas that are part of the American cultural consciousness, but also on the rapid pace of technological change. Only a few years ago, after all, there were no such thing as consumer-grade GPS devices for vehicles or broadband cards for laptops. These products are very recent addition to the technology landscape, and as we can see in the commercials they have changed the way people go about their business.
One element that was missing from the Garmin commercial: after the guy kills the map monster, it seems to me that he should be seen folding up the map neatly (the ability to do so granted by his superpowers) and tossing it in the trash. Who needs a map anymore when you’ve got your trusty Garmin?
Which were YOUR favorite Superbowl commercials? Let me know.
