Bud, Coke provide buzz Bears couldn't

By no means a Super Bowl of Advertising for the ages. Some very fine spots, but too many were simply forgettable.

Comedian Carlos Mencia is new to the Anheuser-Busch roster of celebrity talent. And what a super welcome addition he is. This Hispanic comedian is nothing short of brilliant in this spot where he tries to teach a classroom full of immigrants how to say "Give Me a Bud Light" in various distinct American dialects. It's smart. Hugely funny. And it scores big.

"But He Has Bud Light" Aside from Anheuser-Busch's triumph with Carlos Mencia, this might be the most exquisitely produced of all the brewery giant's commercial entries in the Super Bowl. The acting here is topnotch, the comedic timing exquisite, and yes, it's more than a little amusing to watch a possible ax murderer tremble at the sight of a chain-saw wielding killer.

"Video Game"

It's a pleasure to welcome the world's most famous brand, Coca-Cola, back to the Super Bowl after nearly a decade. And what a triumphant return it is. This commercial is infused with all the good feeling that one used to associate with this well-known cola. A great piece of music and slick visuals combine to build toward a thrilling finale in this impressive piece of brand advertising.

"Not What It Seems"

Not a big spot, but a much, much more hilarious FedEx commercial than the shipping giant's "Moon Office." This little spot gets big laughs out of our realizing a group of office workers have real names that quite hilariously reflect aspects of their various personas. The theme is quite intelligently utilized to help explain why FedEx ground shipping isn't as slow as it might seem.

"Happiness Factory"

Coca-Cola hits the jackpot not once, but twice in this Super Bowl. Filled to overflowing with ornate imagery, this fanciful commercial purports to imagine what must be happening inside a vending machine when a customer puts in some money and waits for the Coke bottle to emerge. It's charming. It's visually compelling. Another tour de force for Coke.

"Rock Paper Scissors" This Bud Light spot starts out feeling like it's a setup for a punch line. And sure enough, we get it when two guys vying for the last Bud Light decide to play a little game of rock, paper, scissors to see who gets it. Nice setup. But the payoff isn't quite as satisfying as we might have hoped. The "low-five" is a nice, unexpected way to end the commercial, though.

"Fist Bump"

Our first reaction was not to like this one, but finally we had to confess it's pretty amusing. Still, for the longest while, it's painful to watch people slapping each other, which the commercial suggests is the new hot move to replace the fist bump. Though the slapping grows in painful intensity as the commercial progresses, the end gag of a guy smacking his boss is simply too well done to resist -- making this ultimately a slap-happy treat.

"Darts"

The office as jungle is the theme in a new round of Careerbuilder.com commercials. When writing instruments masquerading as darts suddenly invade the jungle workplace, all hell breaks loose as employees flee to avoid having to volunteer for a training seminar. The visuals in this spot are strong and definitely make the point that some people are dying to find a new job.

"Mouse Click"

Blockbuster was a late entry in the 2007 Super Bowl of Advertising. And it has brought back Carl and Ray, two characters it introduced during the 2002 Super Bowl, to star in a new spot promoting the new Total Access online and in-store movie rental service. This spot is likely to draw howls of the wrong sort from animal rights activists who take issue with the way a mouse is treated. As for us, we just wish the work was less about mouse jokes.

"Goulet"

Robert Goulet should have simply said "no." This foolish commercial for Emerald Nuts does the veteran actor no favors. He looks like a dead man walking -- or feebly dancing, as the case may be -- in this stupid excuse for a spot about how eating nuts can keep Goulet from haunting the office. This spot is proof positive that using big names doesn't ensure a commercial will work.

"Federline"

All the hype about this Nationwide Insurance spot, unveiled well in advance of the Super Bowl, reminds us that chatter can go a long way toward masking the fact a commercial just isn't very good. Great production values make Kevin "the former chorus boy" Federline look super in the rap sequences, but his sudden return to reality as a french fry cook is not funny. We wish the hype had never happened.

"Do Something Manly" This may prove the 2007 Super Bowl of Advertising's worst spot. Two mechanics try to take a bite from the same Snickers candy bar, and wind up thinking they've mistakenly kissed each other. One screams they should do something manly, presumably as antidote to the kiss. Dumb. Tasteless. And shockingly homophobic.

"Clydesdale Spot"

The teaser we saw for this spot made it seem so promising. But the complete piece of work is a total letdown. Dog is splattered with mud that turns him into a faux dalmatian that gets the dream of a lifetime to ride with the Clydesdales in a big parade sequence. Good news for the dog. Bad news for a beauty queen who tries smooching with the dog. Not at all sentimental. And the sight gag is hardly that hysterical either.

"Great Apes"

We just didn't get this one. It's an underwhelming setup for a commercial -- two apes plotting to steal some Bud Light from a delivery man. But the commercial never takes off. Maybe if the apes had been given funnier lines. Or something more was done with the photographer who causes the apes to bungle their scheme. But for sure, this spot needs a big boost.

"Moon Office"

FedEx was a huge winner last year with its caveman-inspired "Stick" commercial. This year's big effort feels way too much like a ripoff of last year's concept, despite the different, futuristic setting -- an elaborate office on the moon. The FedEx creative team seems to be vamping for time here until the big sight gag at the end. What a major disappointment this is after the inspired winner FedEx gave us last year.