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Tag: commercials

  • Christina Applegate Stars in Weird New Fruitwater Ad

    Christina Applegate joined her former on-screen mother this week as Katey Sagal accepted a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The two were also joined by former Married With Children co-stars Ed O’Neill and David Faustino during the ceremony.

    The event was a look back at the show that propelled Applegate to stardom. Playing Kelly Bundy on Married With Children made her into an early-90s sex symbol and led to dozens of roles in movies and on TV.

    In addition to her acting work, Applegate has been the face of numerous product campaigns. The most recent is for Fruitwater, a zero-calorie sparkling water beverage that comes in flavors such as watermelon punch, orange mango, and strawberry kiwi. The drink is marketed by Coca-Cola subsidiary Glacéau, the same company that markets the VitaminWater brand.

    Applegate was announced as the spokesperson for Fruitwater back in July, when the actress tweeted that she was “excited for what’s to come.” She could not have known at the time that a bizzare ad featuring her and a a man in drag would follow.

    Fruitwater this week released a new ad titled “Stolen Moments.” Applegate appears in a white dress alongside a man dressed in identical garb. The man, who is large and has facial hair, is described by Applegate as the “decoy” she uses when she needs to get away and drink Fruitwater.

    It is clear the man is intended to be a poor doppleganger. What is unclear is just what the ad is supposed to mean, other than simply juxtaposing Applegate’s beauty with the man’s plainness.

    Since her Married With Children days Applegate has stayed in the public spotlight, starring in movies such as Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead, Mars Attacks!, and The Sweetest Thing. She also continued to appear on television in shows such as Jesse, Samantha Who?, and Friends. Most recently Applegate appeared in the high-profile sequel Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.

  • Coca Cola’s ‘America The Beautiful’ Ad Causes Controversy

    This year Coca Cola ditched its lovable polar bears, opting instead for  for a more arousing Super Bowl commercial.

    Coca Cola chose to go with an ad that they had to have known would spark controversy — but some call that good marketing. After all, the Super Bowl came and went and we’re still talking about the commercial.

    The commercial in question is dubbed “It’s Beautiful”. The ad features a selection of people representing several ethnicities and singing the patriotic song “America the Beautiful” in eight different languages some of which were English, Hindi, Arabic and Tagalog.

    The commercial even show two men rollerskating with their daughter. According to GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), this was the first Super Bowl ad to feature a gay family.

    The ad seemingly attempted to show America as an inclusive and culturally diverse country but many people were not thrilled.

    The main point of contention with the ad, especially among Conservatives,  is that “America the Beautiful” was not sung entirely in English. The view of many is that America is a country routed in its own culture and traditions, part of that culture is the use of English. However, it should be noted that America does not have an official language.

    “If we cannot be proud enough as a country to sing ‘America the Beautiful’ in English in a commercial during the Super Bowl, by a company as American as they come — doggone we are on the road to perdition,” said Allen West, former GOP Rep.

    Many took to social networks like Twitter to express their dissatisfaction with Coca Cola’s ad.

    As you might expect, there were some in favor of the multilinguistic ad.


    Image via YouTube

  • Chevrolet Silverado Super Bowl Ad Gets Romantic

    Hello Ladies

    In what’s becoming a popular move, companies are releasing Super Bowl ads before the big game on Sunday in an effort to generate internet buzz. It’s not a bad decision considering the cost of a 30-second ad this year is at the $4 million mark. Chevrolet released its Sunday-bound ad on Wednesday and because of their marketing strategy, Chevrolet Silverado is currently trending on Yahoo.

    The ad is called Romance. The commercial centers upon an old-fashioned cowboy towing a bull in a large trailer, highlighting the power of his rugged Chevrolet Silverado HD pickup truck. However, it’s not just another western. Instead, it’s more of a love story. Well, maybe not quite a love story. A stud story? Cue the mood background music, You Sexy Thing by Hot Chocolate, and it becomes quite obvious what the cowboy has in store for the bull.

    A man, his truck and a very eligible bachelor. It all leads to romance for the bull and the group of lady cows waiting with bated breath and licking-lips for their stud.

    Big time companies like GoDaddy and Budweiser are also of the opinion that it’s best to release Super Bowl ads days if not weeks before the game. The Super Bowl attracts over 100 million viewers worldwide, many of whom are more interested in the funny and expensive commercials, rather than what Peyton Manning is doing on the field.

    Speaking of the big game. The high-powered Denver Bronco offense will face off against the defensively-built Seattle Seahawks for Super Bowl XLVIII on February 2nd in New Jersey. Vegas odds makers are predicting the contest will be a close one. The current line has the Broncos favored by only 1.5 points. And if the game turns out to be a blowout, at least fair weather football fans will have the commercials to look forward to.

    Image via Twitter

  • Kids Remain Focal Point Of Netflix Marketing

    Netflix has released yet another ad pushing its Netflix Kids offering with a new YouTube upload “Netflix ‘Supplies’ Ad Spot”.

    “Everyone remembers building a pillow fort as a kid. Now imagine you could take Netflix inside!” the company says in the video description. “Netflix has tons of movies and TV shows for the whole family, including new and classic titles from Disney, Dreamworks, Cartoon Network, Scholastic and more. Oh to be a kid again.”

    Netflix has included kids content as its main focal point of video marketing all summer long, and continues to do so as kids go back to school. In early summer, Netflix launched its Netflix Families site aimed at generating a bigger spike in children’s video streaming while they were on summer vacation. Then, at the end of July, Netflix launched a Netflix Kids TV spot as families prepared for the back-to-school season.

    These are all just parts of what seems to be a broader strategy to push Netflix as a family service. Earlier this year, the company launched a new Family plan, giving subscribers access to four simultaneous streams for $12. More recently, it launched user profiles, which are designed to let households divide up queues and suggestions for various family members.

    Of course, Netflix is working to expand its family-friendly content as well. Most of the company’s original shows have been pretty adult-themed, but in July, it debuted Mako Mermaids for kids, and more episodes will hit the streaming service in September. In addition to that, Netflix recently partnered with DreamWorks Animation, which will see Netflix gaining over 300 hours of new, original programming targeted at young people, and just made all episodes of Goosebumps and The Magic Bus available.

  • Here’s That Awesome Walking Dead Time Warner Ad

    There were a lot of commercials during the Super Bowl that got people talking, as usual. For some reason, I haven’t heard much today about this one, when it was easily one of the best.

    AMC has uploaded it to its YouTube channel for The Walking Dead fans to enjoy, so here you go:

    The show returns this Sunday.

    More The Walking Dead fun here.

  • Dell Dude (Slacker Steve) Thinks He’s The Cure for Dell’s Ailments

    Dell Dude (Slacker Steve) Thinks He’s The Cure for Dell’s Ailments

    Last week, it was announced that former force in PC manufacturing Dell was participating in buyout talks, which have included rumors of Microsoft throwing a few bucks at the deal. Dell clearly isn’t what it used to be. But a figure from Dell’s past says that in order to get back to where they used to be, they need to revive an old strategy.

    Dude, you’re getting a computer with speakers, a monitor,a keyboard, a year of MSN internet access, and a Pentium 3 processor – for $849! Dude, you’re getting a Dell!

    That’s right, the Dell Dude has spoken. Ben Curtis, also known as Slacker Steve from those early 2000s Dell commercials, thinks that all Dell needs to do to return to their former glory is kick the “dude, you’re getting a Dell” ad blitz back into gear.

    “I think they’re making a huge mistake and simply need to bring back the Dell Dude!. That’s it. That’s all they need to do. If they brought me back, their sales, stock and media presence would skyrocket. That is by FAR the smartest move they could make,” he told Bloomberg.

    It’s hard to tell just how serious he is. Since being let go from Dell in 2003 (after being busted for buying pot, although he was already on the way out before that arrest), Curtis has acted in a few off-Broadway shows and done some minor work on a couple of network dramas. He also worked as a waiter at Tortilla Flats for a little while.

    It’s doubtful that even the power of Stoner Slacker Steve could fix all of Dell’s problems. But I wouldn’t be opposed to some new duderiffic ads.

    Upon watching that relic of the past, did anyone else notice who’s riding in the car with Steve?

    [Photo via IMDb]

  • Make Your Kids (And Potential Employers) Think You’re Smarter Than You Are With The Google Search App

    Google has put out a couple new ads for its Search App. The last time they did that (in November), we saw a little girl and her mother figure out how to come up with a Martin Van buren costume and an umpire use Voice Search to look up the strike zone in a baseball game.

    In the new ones, we see a dad explaining Mars to his son, using info from Google to answer all questions without hesitation, and a guy getting ready for a job interview using search by image to figure out what his potential employer’s painting is, so he can start a conversation with him.

  • James Franco Multitasks With His Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 In This New Ad

    Samsung has put out a new, nearly three-minute commercial for the Galaxy Note 10.1, featuring (and apparently directed by) James Franco, showing us how James Franco uses the device.

    Franco is presented as “the ultimate multitasker”. He engages in numerous activities while using his tablet, including a pillow fight with young girls and making breakfast.

    As Samsung notes in the description, “James Franco, the ultimate multitasker, reveals how he’s able to do so much with his time and how the GALAXY Note 10.1 helps him accomplish it all.”

  • A Different, Funnier Take On That Martin Scorsese Siri Commercial

    Last week, we showed you an a new iPhone 4S commercial featuring Martin Scorsese using Siri. While much tamer, we couldn’t help but be reminded of a certain uncomfortable scene in Scorsese’s Taxi Driver.

    Now, there’s a funnier take on the ad. AppJudgment has uploaded the following parody to YouTube (via 9to5Mac):

    This video is even funnier considering that a real Siri ad was recently called out for delivering bogus information.

  • This New Martin Scorsese Siri Commercial Is A Lot Tamer Than Taxi Driver

    Apple has put out a new iPhone/Siri commercial featuring famed director Martin Scorsese. This follows ads featuring Samuel L. Jackson, John Malkovich and Zooey Deschanel.

    Watching the new one, I can’t help but think about a classic scene from Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, where he is also riding in the back of a cab talking like Martin Scorsese. The biggest difference is that in the Taxi Driver clip he is playing a homicidal racist talking about murdering his wife with some pretty disturbing dialogue.

    Here’s the new Apple ad:

    Here’s the Taxi Driver clip (contains NSFW language):

    People have been pretty fond of Apple’s other celebrity Siri ads for the most part. People apparently really liked the Zooey Deschanel one in particular.

    What do you think of the new Marty ad?

  • Google’s Nexus 7 Is The Perfect Dinosaur Hunter

    We were pretty impressed with Google’s Nexus 7 tablet. It’s a great piece of hardware that’s complemented by the always impressive Jelly Bean. If anything, it’s only fault is that of Google Play and its somewhat paltry offerings.

    Well, Google is now kicking the Nexus 7 marketing machine into gear with the device’s first ad. It’s pretty cute and does a good job of selling the Nexus 7 as a device that’s ready for any occasion. Check out how the Nexus 7 can be used on a camping trip:

    Does the ad make you want to buy a Nexus 7? I already want one after playing around with the tablet here at the office, but the ad only terrifies me. It’s one thing to go on a camping trip, but the Nexus 7 also confirmed the existence of velociraptors in suburban backyards everywhere. I guess it’s a blessing in a disguise that Google was the first to document the proliferation of violent dinosaurs.

    If the ad has you wanting a Nexus 7 for camping (or dinosaur hunting), you can pick one up right now at Google Play. The tablet will also be available at select retailers like Staples and GameStop. You might want to wait on buying the tablet from the Play Store, however, as the 16 GB model is sold out.

  • Are Toshiba’s New Device Commercials Unnecessarily Sexist?

    Sex sells. If you’ve been around any commercials that are shown during sporting events, this is readily apparent. Whether it’s Budweiser girls in swim wear or Miller Lite girls wrestling it out to see what catchphrase best applies to the beer, the use of titillation in mass advertising is nothing new. However, when these advertising methods leave the world of beer-drinking and move to the tech industry, the level of outrage exponentially rises.

    Take the latest commercials from Toshiba, for instance. In an effort to better compete in a mobile computing industry dominated by Apple and Android, Toshiba decided they would take things up a notch by using an attractive spokeswoman doing yoga to help pitch the products. The idea is to cut down on stress in the fast-paced business world by buying reliable technology, but the final product come across as more of an advertisement for the attractive woman doing yoga (and her boobs) as much as it does for Toshiba’s devices.

    I mean, what else is the following freeze-frame trying to advertise?

    (image)

    The actress’ chest or the tablet beneath it?

    (image)

    What’s being sold here? The actress’ ass or the copier she’s apparently staring longingly at?

    Is Toshiba being light-hearted or overtly sexist? Or are they making fun of the sexism used in commercials be featuring some of their very own, done in a over-the-top manner? Take a look at all the commercials for this campaign and you decide:

    There’s even version for those who speak French:

    So, do these work or is Toshiba’s self-awareness approach miss the target and offer only sexist content? Are the “My Toshiba’s getting hot” responses to these commercials the kind of reaction Toshiba was hoping for?

    [Via Buzzfeed]

  • Durex Commercials Push The Envelope, Still Fun

    When making a commercial, or, well, any attempting any big marketing push, the goal is to get people talking. Talking about the product, the commercial it appeared in, and any fallout that occurs from it. Face it, if a commercial accomplishes any of these things, it’s done its job. That is, as long as it’s not lambasting negativity, but then again, following the Marilyn Manson approach to marketing, all pub is good pub.

    While there’s truth to that, if you’re selling a consumer product–and not an image–perhaps people trashing your product isn’t the best way to attract potential consumers, but the point does remain. If a commercial can generate a buzz-worthy reaction, it, in all likelihood, accomplished its goal. Take the new Durex condom commercials for example. Focusing directly on the “sex AND titillation sells,” the company has introduced two new commercials that are playfully risque, while incorporating a little bit of misdirection.

    Take a look at both of them:

    The second one, while playful, doesn’t quite nail it the way the first one did. Of course, when you adding the idea of orgasms to your misdirection, you’re doing it right. In other news, another publication referred to these commercials as “vulgar.” Now, the second definition Google uses to define the word is as follows, “Making explicit and offensive reference to sex or bodily functions; coarse and rude: ‘a vulgar joke.’” Yes, these commercials are incredibly suggestive, but do they feature an “offensive reference to sex or bodily functions?” Or does the fact that, especially in the first commercial, a bodily function is suggested make it vulgar? If so, perhaps a lighter approach to such subject matter would be better.

    Finally, the lead image is courtesy of Durex’s Facebook page, which features a map called “The United States of Durex.” From here, visitors can discover their state’s official sex position. For Kentucky, the official position is, as the image suggests, the derby. Consider Kentucky’s connection to the horse industry, that only makes sense. What about you? What is your state’s “official” sexual position? Let us know in the comments.

  • Google+’s First Commercial For the UK

    While Google+‘s commercial with The Muppets has been on in the United States since the Oscars, the search engine introduced the ad copy to the United Kingdom, making it Google’s first ad campaign for that particular region. Apparently, the tag line for this particular campaign is “That’s a plus.”

    I, for some reason, am happy Google didn’t capitalize the “plus” when it appeared. As The Guardian points out, Google+‘s reach in the United Kingdom is lacking, at best:

    Meanwhile Facebook remains the monolith of the web – taking almost 18% of people’s entire internet time in the UK during January. None of the other social networks managed more than 1% of UK “user minutes” for the same period; the blogging site Tumblr.com managed 0.55%, followed by Twitter, with 0.27%, and the “business social network” LinkedIn with 0.22%. Google+ and Pinterest both had 0.01% of total internet time, by ComScore’s figures.

    Will The Muppets help save Google+ in the UK or will it remain an also-ran to services like Facebook and Twitter? As The Next Web indicates, a few the UK’s major media outlets have joined Google+–The Financial Times and The Telegraph–as have Prime Minister David Cameron, Nick Clegg (the liberal leader) and Ed Milliband (leader of the Labour Party). Does the presence of political leaders make Google+ a more attractive service to use for UK citizens?

    Let us know what you think.

  • Kate Upton’s Zoo York Commercial Is Too Hot For MTV, Adult Swim [Video]

    Last month, model and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue covergirl Kate Upton blew up the twitterfeed when she filmed the hottest hamburger advertisement ever for Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s. Now she has a new steamy commercial coming out, this time for skateboard and clothing company Zoo York, and this one’s so racy that MTV and Adult Swim won’t run it.

    Thats right: MTV and Adult Swim won’t touch it. Now that’s risqué.

    Here’s the rundown (though you won’t find it nearly as interesting as the video below): Upton runs through New York’s Tompkin’s Square Park in a sports bra. She gets ogled by a pair of profane, lascivious talking cockroaches, who sit on a dumpster and play with skateboarding-themed innuendo. But why am I still typing? Here’s the video, which is most definitely Not Safe For Work:

    MTV and the Adult Swim Network have refused the ad, but it is still scheduled to run on other networks starting in April. The profanity will be bleeped out, but Upton will still be hot.

    [Hat Tip, Business Insider]

  • Covering The Three Little Pigs In a Social Media Era

    How would the modern world cover the conspiracy surrounding The Three Little Pigs? Would they blame the wolf? Would Twitter trends pop up in support of the Wolf’s plight? What about the Pigs? Would their hard scrabble life–having to move again and again because of unsound housing conditions, which were exacerbated by their natural predator–make them sympathetic figures while they were being arrested for murdering the Wolf?

    Would Facebook accounts pop up here, there and everywhere supporting either side of the coin?

    If The Guardian’s awesome commercial for open journalism is accurate, then yes, all of the above would happen in short order. Actually, you don’t need the commercial to confirm things we already know. Just ask the movements surrounding #Occupy, SOPA, and ACTA. Without the help of social media keeping these unsatisfied factions in the loop, how successful would the SOPA-protesting Internet blackout have been?

    It is, however, impressive to see such a succinct take on The Guardian’s part, because they absolutely nailed it. This is exactly how a connected public would react to such a story, even if they knew all the facts or not. Whether it’s the investigating blogger digging for facts or the random Facebook supporter joining the popular trend their friends are taking part in, the proliferation of electronic communication and the devices that allow us this luxury has made this kind of reality very, very real.

    And The Guardian captured this phenomenon perfectly.

  • New iPhone 4S Ads Still Pushing Siri As Standout Feature

    Are you guys still using Siri?

    As an iPhone 4S owner myself, I’ve noticed that I’ve been using Apple’s voice assistant less and less as time goes on. It’s not that Siri wasn’t useful on many occasions – because she was. It probably has something to do with being set in my ways. My first thought is always to just do something manually – set a reminder, look up something – before I even think about poor Siri just sitting there, waiting to help me.

    For their part, Apple is still pushing Siri as the main draw of the iPhone 4S. They’ve just released two new TV spots, both of which highlight some of the various ways that Siri can be rather useful.

    The first ad, called “Road Trip,” shows all of the things that Siri can help you with while you’re, well, on a road trip. The users ask for directions, nearest gas stations, facts about Orion, and even “where are we” when they get lost. Check it out below:

    The next ad, entitled “Rock God” is probably the best of the two. It also stars Siri, but this one is about an aspiring musician. Siri helps him locate a guitar, learn how to play a couple of classic rock songs, and even text some girls about his garage show. Check it out:

    As you might have caught, both ads feature Siri calling up Wolfram Alpha in order to fulfill her requests. That partnership has been particularly beneficial to Wolfram Alpha, as they recently said that Siri accounts for about 25% of their queries.

    [Hat tip to Slashgear]

  • The Will Ferrell Super Bowl Commercial You Didn’t See [VIDEO]

    Whatever you think and feel about the Super Bowl and the highly commercialized cult of consumerism that permeates every vein and pore of the event, you can’t really deny this: Will Ferrell had an awesome spot in that Old Milwaukee Beer commercial.

    The only catch: you didn’t see it.

    Nobody did. Well, almost nobody – one small community of people in North Platte, Nebraska, saw it because that was the only area in the country where the ad appeared. In fact, Deadspin reports that North Platte is the second-smallest TV market in the country. In case you don’t live in North Platte (and since there’s less than 25K people that live there, you probably don’t) and thus missed the commercial, here’s the epically elusive ad for Old Milwaukee Beer featuring Will Ferrell:

    Beyond the hilarious fact that this ad was only seen by a mere handful of people on a day celebrated for commercial exuberance, the 15-second ad cuts off to the local news affiliate right as Ferrell beings to talk! That totally wins February. It does. It wins this month, likely March, and maybe even a few more months ahead. Amazing.

    Somewhere, whether he’s dead or alive, Andy Kaufman is wearing that crazed smile of his with approval.

    PS – If you’re so inclined, an HD version of this can be viewed at the above link to Deadspin.

  • Super Bowl Commercials: What Makes Them Effective?

    What is it that makes a Super Bowl ad so great? Is it something funny, inspiring, unbelievable, or what? According to Ace Metrix CEO Peter Daboll, a likable ad doesn’t necessarily mean it’s an effective ad. As he explained, great ads are likable, but they have to do more in order to be effective.

    Peter Daboll, CEO of Ace Metrix “The ad has to really connect with consumers on an emotional level,” he said.

    Daboll went on to say that consumers should be able to remember the brand, the product, and goal of the ad.

    What’s your all-time favorite Super Bowl commercial? We’d love to know.

    Interestingly, many brands think that getting a celebrity spokesperson will automatically guarantee success. Based on the ad effectiveness research from Ace Metrix, Daboll said this is completely false. The company found that, during last year’s Super Bowl, ads that didn’t include celebrities performed 9.2 percent better than those ads with celebrities.

    What’s even more interesting is that Ace Metrix found that animals are a much safer bet than celebrities. According to its data, 21 percent of ads with animals performed better than ads with celebrities.

    Daboll told us that celebrities stir emotions, both for the good and for the bad. Animals, on the other hand, appeal to a large demographic.

    It appears that Sketchers is paying attention to this research since it replaced its spokesmodel Kim Kardashian with a dog earlier this month.

    Here’s Kardashian’s 2011 Super Bowl ad for Sketchers:

    Last year’s research also shows that Internet companies need to step up their game this year. Half of Ace Metrix’s 10 least effective Super Bowl ads were from dot-com companies such as Salesforce, Groupon, LivingSocial, and GoDaddy.

    “The Internet companies think they’re funny and just roll with it,” said Daboll. “A lot of times they just completely miss the mark.”

    Chances are, everyone remembers Groupon’s Tibet ad that sparked so much conflict for the company.

    Daboll believes if Groupon had tested this ad, it wouldn’t have been aired. He said testing is a key component of success and that it’s surprising how many ads are not tested, even though the companies pay millions for them.

    For Groupon specifically, the company was forced to deal with a major PR crisis following last year’s Super Bowl, which, no doubt, cost the company considerably.

    Many brands also make the mistake of targeting too narrowly for the big game. Daboll told us that Super Bowl ads should be created for broad appeal. If a brand is trying to reach a group of young males, a specific group of women, or some other very niche demographic, he said that the Super Bowl was not the right venue.

    For this year’s Super Bowl, there has been a little controversy since more and more companies are releasing their ads early. They’re argument is that the ad can gain more momentum, especially in social media.

    One of the most popular early releases is Honda’s CRV commercial that is a mini follow up to the hit movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”

    While Daboll understands the justification for releasing ads early, he thinks it is risky since there is an advantage to having a “surprise factor.”

    “If someone tells you a joke for the first time, it’s a lot funnier than if you heard it 3 or 4 times,” he pointed out.

    This year will also likely see a greater integration with social media. Daboll said there would be a lot of experimentation in this area as brands determine how they can incorporate interactive elements.

    Although the winners won’t be known until Sunday, Daboll said that since Coca-Cola, M&M’s, and Doritos consistently produce effective spots, they would likely be in the top this year too.

    What do you think makes an effective ad? Please share your thoughts.

  • Relive Super Bowl Commercial History With Hulu’s AdZone

    Relive Super Bowl Commercial History With Hulu’s AdZone

    Hulu hopes to make some people’s favorite part of the Super Bowl, the ads, more accesible. Today, they announced the launch of AdZone, where they’ve collected many of the best and most iconic ads of all time for your viewing pleasure.

    As the 2012 Super Bowl ads roll in during the big game on February 5th, they will become available on the channel as well.

    We’re kicking off the Hulu AdZone, presented by Toyota. AdZone offers you easy access to all of the Super Bowl ads available on Hulu today, from iconic ads from as early as 1973 to preview ads from 2012 (like VW’s Bark Side). Browse through ads from 2008 to 2011, and new this year, Hulu has partnered with Advertising Age to highlight celebrity cameos as well as their expert picks for the most iconic Super Bowl ads of all time, including Apple’s groundbreaking “1984.” And don’t forget to come back on game day, February 5, to watch all of this year’s ads in real time, share them with your friends, and vote for your favorites. We’ll announce our users’ pick for the best ad of 2012 on Monday, February 6.

    YouTube has also launched their Super Bowl ad channel this year, Ad Blitz. It works a lot like Hulu’s Ad Zone – as in it will display all the new ads once they air during the game, and users will be allowed to vote on their favorites.

    Hulu’s interface is putting a little more emphasis on the nostalgia of Super Bowl ads and taking you on a trip down memory lane – from Mean Joe Green to Volkswagen’s popular ad “The Force.”

    Along with the Ad Age’s “best ads of all time” category, AdZone has categories for leaked and preview ads, Hulu editor picks, celebrity cameo ads, baby and animal ads, and fan-made submissions.

    Head on over to AdZone to see a comprehensive playlist of the most memorable Super Bowl ads of all time. Or whet your appetite with my favorite, Terry Tate: Office Linebacker.

  • Watch Super Bowl Ads With YouTube’s Ad Blitz

    Sometimes, if you’re uninterested in the teams playing or simply uninterested in football entirely, the Super Bowl commercials are the best part of the whole production. Companies spend big bucks for prime-time ad real estate, knowing that their ads are going to be seen by millions and millions of prospective customers.

    Because of this, companies tend to bring out the big guns for Super Bowl ads, which means that they are often better than your everyday run-of-the-mill ads.

    So if you enjoy Super Bowl commercials, YouTube and NBC have a place you can go to catch all of them. YouTube Google+Reader”>is returning with Ad Blitz, the “premier online gallery” of Super Bowl commercials.

    YouTube’s Ad Blitz channel will post the Super Bowl ads after they’ve aired during the game on NBC. After the game is over, a voting period will begin allowing users to choose the best of the bunch.

    The YouTube Ad Blitz channel is already live, but it doesn’t yet include any 2012 commercials. You can find tailgating videos, party food recipes and dozens of the best ads from 2011, however.

    Troy Ewanchyna, Vice President, Business Development & Digital Strategies, NBC Sports Group, noted, “YouTube’s Ad Blitz is the perfect platform for us to extend our online promotion for our coverage of Super Bowl XLVI. The post-game Ad Blitz and the next-day Google+ Hangout allow us to extend our coverage and continue to serve viewers even when the game has concluded.”

    BONUS: During the post-game, Google+ will host a special hangout with an “NBC Celebrity.” More to come on exactly who that will be.

    Hulu also announced their own Super Bowl ad-viewing service today with the launch of AdZone. There, you can take a trip down memory lane with the best commercials from as early as 1973.