National Football League

10 worst Super Bowl XLVI commercials

Published Feb. 5, 2012 12:00 a.m. ET

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Click here for the 10 best Super Bowl XLVI commercials

E-trade, “Delivery Room”

There’s an old saying in advertising: You can’t go wrong with babies or animals. At least for me, the first part of that equation no longer holds true. These are complicated economic times we live in. Isn’t it time we stop taking financial advice from a baby? Especially when he’s no longer funny.

Coca-Cola, “Watching the Game”

Again, I’m willing to admit I’m in the minority on this one. But Coke’s polar bears are another recurring advertising device that feels like it has run its course, even if the game-watching bears did exhibit some, shall we say, familiar behavior while rooting for their team.

Bud Light, “Platinum”

Nothing in this ad gave me any indication as to what Bud Light has done to turn their product from gold to platinum. But then, that may be because at the end of the day, it’s still Bud Light.

Bridgestone, “Performance Enhancers”

If you aim for funny in your Super Bowl ads, you best not miss. Both of these offerings fell flat for me.

GoDaddy.com, “Is this Heaven?”

I’m all for using beautiful women to sell me things, which is why my wife will be getting a Valentine’s Day bouquet from Teleflora, thanks in no small part to Adriana Lima. But there’s nothing really else to the GoDaddy.com ads. And trying to get me to go to your site for allegedly more lascivious footage won’t work. Fool me once …

General Electric, “We Make Beer”

You’re right, G.E. When I think of General Electric, I generally don’t think about beer. And this commercial trying to associate your brand with beer isn’t going to make me feel about you the way I feel about beer. And that’s too bad for you. Because I love beer.

Century 21, “Super Agents”

I would hope that Century 21 agents are better at selling houses than Deion Sanders and Apolo Anton Ohno, seeing as how they’re both former professional athletes and not real estate experts. Not sure why this is supposed to make me entrust my listing to Century 21.

Samsung, “What I Believe In”

This ad just didn’t distinguish itself enough from the other representatives of this campaign. Which isn’t good, seeing as how Samsung paid considerably more to air this one.

Lexus, “Change Can Not Be Contained”

Super Bowl ads are supposed to feel a little like an event. This one – in which a Lexus is unable to be contained by a metal box – didn’t.

Toyota, “Life Stories”

As much as I liked the other Camry ad of the evening, this one didn’t do much for me. Maybe it’s because I feel Iike the commercial drastically overvalued the importance of the automobile in the moments of our lives. Or maybe I just felt sad for the woman whose significant other proposed to her in their Camry.