For the 27th year, faculty in the MSU College of Communication Arts and Sciences ranked the ads that aired during the big game. Christina L. Myers comments on the NFL’s recent efforts to highlight Black hip-hop and R&B artists in halftime shows.
Story adapted from articles originally shared on MSU Today.
And the Winner is … Uber Eats
Robert Kolt, professor of practice emeritus in the MSU Department of Advertising and Public Relations and creator of the ad-watching tradition, said faculty rank ads based on creative messaging, strategy, production quality, branding, ad execution and level of uniqueness and memorability.
Ask the Expert: What makes a great Super Bowl ad?
“Audiences have high expectations for ads in the Super Bowl,” said Kolt. “This year, there were a lot of good Super Bowl ads featuring lots of celebrities, animals, animation, babies and humor — all formulas for success.”
According to the MSU faculty, this year’s top ads were:
So, which Super Bowl LVIII ads ranked among the worst? According to our faculty experts, these were the ads from NFL Shop and Homes.com.
Entertainment, Culture and Race
Michigan State University has experts available to discuss what makes a great Super Bowl commercial, of course — and about how the NFL and brands use the Super Bowl to connect with consumers, and the significance of the league’s investment in Black halftime performers. Some of those experts are right here at ComArtSci.
Christina L. Myers, assistant professor in the MSU School of Journalism, is one such expert. Myers studies the intersection of race and media, with a specific focus on Black experiences in music, sports and news. She shared comments on the NFL’s recent efforts to highlight Black hip-hop and R&B artists in Super Bowl halftime shows, which is the result of a collaboration with Roc Nation, an entertainment company owned by Jay-Z.
“The Super Bowl halftime show has seen the likes of legendary Black artists Michael Jackson, Prince and Beyonce. However, it’s essential to consider the sweeping number of Black performers in recent years who have taken centerstage since Jay-Z’s partnership with the NFL to produce the widely televised shows. The necessary elevation of sounds of Blackness through hip-hop and R&B music is best exemplified through the recent performances of Rihanna, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige. It is demonstrative of how representation of Black athleticism, as well as Black intellect, Black excellence and Black artistry are essential to highlighting Black culture, uplifting Black voices and witnessing Black joy.”
“This is especially significant during a time in our shared history of global awareness toward racial injustices and harm of Black bodies following the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, among countless others. The duality of Black artists taking center stage during an institution that has served as a space for political discourse and racial resistance is illustrious of the unifying and transformative influences of both music and professional sports — where the love of music and sport transcends cultural, societal, racial and generational differences."
“Jay-Z’s partnership with the league has not only allowed hip-hop and R&B artists to take their rightful space in front of millions as an honored, cross-cultural experience. More than the music, Black artists’ presence exemplifies the power of Black music and the transformative, healing, uplifting and necessary sound of Black voices.”
Media Contacts: Alex Tekip & Robert Kolt
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2021 Professors Applaud Rare Commercials