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Worst Super Bowl Commercials

Written by Jimmy Boyd

superbowl_commercial We have already celebrated the five best Super Bowl commercials of all-time so I figured I would give you ladies and gents out there a look at five of the worst Super Bowl commercials in the history of the big game. While some of these might get you to chuckle, the overall ad doesn’t accomplish what it sets out to do in most cases. Instead, it offends various large groups in the process. I hope I don’t offend you by ragging on one of your favorites, but I’m sure you’ll get over it.

Here’s the list:

1. Just for Feet – Kenyan runner ad (1999)

If you have never heard of this company, you’re about to find out why. A band of soldiers in a Hummer are chasing after a native Kenyan running barefoot on African terrain. They drug him to an unconscious state and force a pair of running shoes on him. This ad didn’t accomplish anything it set out to do. Critics thought this add was extremely racist and the company even later acknowledged the mistake it had made. When someone admits their mistake, you know they did it bad. The same year Just for Feet filed for bankruptcy after suing the ad firm which created the commercial. This lawsuit was ultimately dropped and Just for Feet was forced to sell its stores.

2. Burger King – “Find Herb the Nerd” (1986)

While Burger King has a talent at making some delicious burgers (the rodeo cheeseburger creation with onion rings and barbeque sauce for a buck is my favorite), advertising is not its strong point, and it especially struggled with this mid-80’s ad. The fast-food burger giant urged its loyal customers to find Herb, who supposedly was the only person in the world who had not had the joy of tasting BK’s burgers. The actor who played Herb annoyed the heck out of audience members. When you spend tens of millions of dollars on funny and you get annoying, it’s just not going to work. Luckily, they have the great tasting Whopper to fall back on.

3. Holiday Inn – Sex Change ad (1997)

Holiday Inn lit a fire under the butts of the most liberal with this ad. A female high school student is revealed to actually be a man in this commercial that ties her sexual preference to Holiday Inn’s transformation of its hotel chain. Oddly enough, the add made almost no reference to the hotel chain (which may have been to its benefit). Besides getting negative publicity from media critics, the add really upset homosexual groups with its insensitivity.

4. Frito-Lay –Dan Quayle ad (1993)

What better way to launch your new Wavy Lays potato chips than to get former Vice President Dan Quayle to crack a joke about not being able to spell the word “potato.” While this may get a chuckle out of you now, back in 1993 Quayle was in the same league as Lorena Bobbitt as far as popularity goes. Someone didn’t do their research.

5. Budweiser – “upside Down Clown” (2003)

Because Budweiser has made so many great commercials, when they drop one not quite as clever as the rest, it really tends to stand out. The clown with an upside-down suit appearing to drink a brew from his bum didn’t quite do it for me. Scientifically it is somewhat funny as I learned on Spike TVs “Manswers” that drinking through your butt will get you more drunk way faster. But as far as getting me to want to enjoy an ice cold Bud, drinking through my butt doesn’t do it. That’s alright to give Bud one slap on the wrist as it only inspires this top notch marketing group to come up with better and better material each year.

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