I didn't watch the Superbowl, so this is my first exposure to the ads. I love what you had to say about them, but I will say that for me, what I noticed about the first ad was how few Black and brown people appeared. And in the second one, the AI voice serving as an assistant is clearly modeled on the voice of a BIPOC person. Not a hot take but this irked me. Now, I'll just go call my morning commute show to let them know ;)
Really insightful thoughts-- I think the overwhelming whiteness of the neighborhood in the Bud Light ad is definitely not by accident, nor was the Black AI voice. There's something there about White America's desire for a (disembodied) Black best friend, but not literal Black neighbors.
I'm normall equally cynical about the ads, but MY TWO BEST FRIENDS sang the opening / closing of "Country Roads" for that Rocket ad!! Gah!! They are the most wonderful musicians and humans on the planet!! Their names are Michaela Anne and Robby Hecht and, since musicians are usually paid last and least and they didn't even know this would end up in the Super Bowl, I want to encourage everyone in this community to go follow them on social media / Spotify and buy a record from them if you can afford to! www.michaelaanne.comwww.robbyhecht.com
For me, hearing their beautiful, bare voices in the context of this wild political climate brought me to tears. Michaela Anne recorded those vocals super pregnant *on* the due date for her baby boy trying to get in a last-minute gig before giving birth. She and Robby are both incredible songwriters and lend their voices to great humanitarian and social justice causes. Wild times we're living in, but we're all still trying to make art and shine a light. ❤️
Hooray for Michaela Anne and Robby Hecht, and thanks for making sure we knew about them. Their versions is legitimately beautiful and I am now so amped to be able to support their music!
Yes!!! Thank you so much! They're some of the best songwriters I know, super hard-working and it made me so happy to see them win! :D (And see them get paid!)
"and still others got to feel some low stakes self-righteousness about how they ignored it all" - I feel seen! I just cannot and have not for many years, but I appreciate the breakdown of the ads and your perspective on them.
Loved this. What I’ve experienced increasingly since the first Trump - let’s call it a season- is a noticeable transformation in people’s desire to connect, open up, be vulnerable, show up, form community, appreciate each other. This has manifested most clearly in my networking group and in my classes where I’m teaching adults to be confident speakers.
I've noticed that too, and it's so interesting to hear all the ways and places that it's popping up for people. That's so cool that you're seeing it in your students.
I admit I tend to celebrate Superb Owl Sunday more than the football match that occurs the same day. But like you I appreciate any event that encourages us to spend time together IRL. One of my favourite sports memories was during a World Cup match in a pub debating the merits of Samuel Beckett vs Tom Stoppard with a drunk Irishman. Years later, I don't remember who won or even who was playing but the debate was fantastic.
It's nice to be reminded that most of us aren't looking to watch the game with an AI friend or listen to ChatGPT do the drive time recap. All the time and resources being poured into these technologies but are there huge swaths of people eager to buy them, I'm not sure. Market research seems to be suggesting those fickle consumer preferences are yearning for human connection instead.
Ooh that's so well put (and I'm a little jealous I didn't say something this succinct in the essay: "it's nice to be reminded that most of us aren't looking to watch the game with an AI friend or listen to ChatGPT do the drive time recap!" YES! What we're craving is always each other.
That hug in the google ad -- where she's so little and then when she's off to college. It really does happen that fast. THAT's what made me cry.
I was confused to hear Childish Gambino's "This is America" in the background of a weight loss ad. That went faster the Mercedes Benz song.
The Harry/Sally remix was cute, though I wish they wouldn't have released it before game day. And I hope the paycheck helps Billy, who lost his home in the fires.
Oh yeah, I read that "This is America" was being used for that ad, and I had a conniption. I mean, that is NOT what that song is about - then again, I guess he signed off on its use, so...?
Boy, usually there's a clear winner for the title of "wait, were the people making the aware of what this song was about when they chose it?" but between that one and the "Personal Jesus" drop in the Jesus ad, there was some fierce competition this year.
I was just coming here to say that the "This is America" ad made me ragey. I missed the "Personal Jesus" one, but... what an odd choice, considering the song was written about Elvis. (BTW, since it's a cover, they didn't need to get Depeche Mode's permission—and Warner Bros. Records owns the rights to the Cash recording, so no approval from the estate was necessary.)
My husband grew up in Philadelphia, and he and his sister (who still lives in a Philly suburb) are huge Eagles fans. Surely no one other than a diehard Eagles fan or a TV-commercial obsessive actually watched the entire game, right?!
That would be an interesting thing to know-- of the people who watch this Super Bowl or an average Super Bowl, how many stick around for the end of the game?
I didn't watch the Superbowl, so this is my first exposure to the ads. I love what you had to say about them, but I will say that for me, what I noticed about the first ad was how few Black and brown people appeared. And in the second one, the AI voice serving as an assistant is clearly modeled on the voice of a BIPOC person. Not a hot take but this irked me. Now, I'll just go call my morning commute show to let them know ;)
Really insightful thoughts-- I think the overwhelming whiteness of the neighborhood in the Bud Light ad is definitely not by accident, nor was the Black AI voice. There's something there about White America's desire for a (disembodied) Black best friend, but not literal Black neighbors.
I'm normall equally cynical about the ads, but MY TWO BEST FRIENDS sang the opening / closing of "Country Roads" for that Rocket ad!! Gah!! They are the most wonderful musicians and humans on the planet!! Their names are Michaela Anne and Robby Hecht and, since musicians are usually paid last and least and they didn't even know this would end up in the Super Bowl, I want to encourage everyone in this community to go follow them on social media / Spotify and buy a record from them if you can afford to! www.michaelaanne.com www.robbyhecht.com
For me, hearing their beautiful, bare voices in the context of this wild political climate brought me to tears. Michaela Anne recorded those vocals super pregnant *on* the due date for her baby boy trying to get in a last-minute gig before giving birth. She and Robby are both incredible songwriters and lend their voices to great humanitarian and social justice causes. Wild times we're living in, but we're all still trying to make art and shine a light. ❤️
Here's the ad in case you missed it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxH8dlWyjNU
Hooray for Michaela Anne and Robby Hecht, and thanks for making sure we knew about them. Their versions is legitimately beautiful and I am now so amped to be able to support their music!
Also, if there is THIS MUCH money being thrown around for these ads, I'm so glad that some of it is going to good independent artists.
Yes!!! Thank you so much! They're some of the best songwriters I know, super hard-working and it made me so happy to see them win! :D (And see them get paid!)
I have nothing nice to say about football or the NFL, but I do wish everyone loved something as much as Philadelphians love Philly <3
Well put. Holy cow.
"and still others got to feel some low stakes self-righteousness about how they ignored it all" - I feel seen! I just cannot and have not for many years, but I appreciate the breakdown of the ads and your perspective on them.
I had a hunch that there were more than a few readers who were in that bucket :)
Loved this. What I’ve experienced increasingly since the first Trump - let’s call it a season- is a noticeable transformation in people’s desire to connect, open up, be vulnerable, show up, form community, appreciate each other. This has manifested most clearly in my networking group and in my classes where I’m teaching adults to be confident speakers.
I've noticed that too, and it's so interesting to hear all the ways and places that it's popping up for people. That's so cool that you're seeing it in your students.
I admit I tend to celebrate Superb Owl Sunday more than the football match that occurs the same day. But like you I appreciate any event that encourages us to spend time together IRL. One of my favourite sports memories was during a World Cup match in a pub debating the merits of Samuel Beckett vs Tom Stoppard with a drunk Irishman. Years later, I don't remember who won or even who was playing but the debate was fantastic.
It's nice to be reminded that most of us aren't looking to watch the game with an AI friend or listen to ChatGPT do the drive time recap. All the time and resources being poured into these technologies but are there huge swaths of people eager to buy them, I'm not sure. Market research seems to be suggesting those fickle consumer preferences are yearning for human connection instead.
Ooh that's so well put (and I'm a little jealous I didn't say something this succinct in the essay: "it's nice to be reminded that most of us aren't looking to watch the game with an AI friend or listen to ChatGPT do the drive time recap!" YES! What we're craving is always each other.
Really excellent stuff, thanks, Garrett. I'll read this several more times - tonight was my first run thru.
Oh thank you!
That hug in the google ad -- where she's so little and then when she's off to college. It really does happen that fast. THAT's what made me cry.
I was confused to hear Childish Gambino's "This is America" in the background of a weight loss ad. That went faster the Mercedes Benz song.
The Harry/Sally remix was cute, though I wish they wouldn't have released it before game day. And I hope the paycheck helps Billy, who lost his home in the fires.
Oh yeah, I read that "This is America" was being used for that ad, and I had a conniption. I mean, that is NOT what that song is about - then again, I guess he signed off on its use, so...?
Boy, usually there's a clear winner for the title of "wait, were the people making the aware of what this song was about when they chose it?" but between that one and the "Personal Jesus" drop in the Jesus ad, there was some fierce competition this year.
I was just coming here to say that the "This is America" ad made me ragey. I missed the "Personal Jesus" one, but... what an odd choice, considering the song was written about Elvis. (BTW, since it's a cover, they didn't need to get Depeche Mode's permission—and Warner Bros. Records owns the rights to the Cash recording, so no approval from the estate was necessary.)
My husband grew up in Philadelphia, and he and his sister (who still lives in a Philly suburb) are huge Eagles fans. Surely no one other than a diehard Eagles fan or a TV-commercial obsessive actually watched the entire game, right?!
That would be an interesting thing to know-- of the people who watch this Super Bowl or an average Super Bowl, how many stick around for the end of the game?
what a beaut. post malone looked like the aliens plopped him down there and erased his memory.
I hope he had a fun time making the ad!