The Game

Description

Big picture: In the beginning -- 1984: Big bang -- Eighties -- Nineties -- Arenas: This bowl's for you -- Roll 'em -- Sneaker wars: Going toe-to-toe -- End runs -- Food fight -- Money plays -- Some surprising plays -- Monkey business: Sex and animals -- Fast forward: Tech tsunami -- Dot-com bowl -- Calm ... and then the storm -- For those who think young -- 2003: Short of the goalposts -- Index.;The Super Bowl is not just the crowning glory of football. It is the ultimate arena for advertising--the most watched, most anticipated, most expensive, most influential venue for major-league television commercials. It is the place for advertisers to be seen and to showcase their best work to some 800 million viewers around the world and is of intense interest to advertising, marketing, and branding professionals. Many tune in just for the ads, which cost millions to produce and air. From the Bud Bowl and "Whassup?" to "Mean" Joe Greene and Micahel Jordan, the commercials have tickled the nation's funny bone and tugged at its heartstrings. The commercial spectacle has grown in magnitude along with the game itself to become an integral part of the annual event. This book is a tour of the advertising evolution--noting the triumphs and embarrassing flops; lassoing behind-the-scenes stories of ads that are significant--because they broke new ground; inaugurated a major campaign; defined a new movement; set a milestone; or reflected life at the time in a unique way. Illustrated throughout with color stills from the commercials, The Super Bowl of Advertising will bring back memories and remind us of how, for many, the commercials are the best part of the game.