My Favorite 2010 Superbowl Commercial

February 8th, 2010

In the land of glitzy, flashy, and over-the-top showcase of Superbowl commercials, Google went against the grain with this minimal, forthright ad. It’s a story about an American man who studies abroad in France and discovers a girl there. He tries to and eventually wins her heart by learning the French language, buying here chocolates and truffles, and taking her to the best cafes and movies. Upon returning to the States, they continue to have a long distance relationship. He eventually decides to start his new life overseas with her: finding a job and buying a one-way ticket to Paris. They get married in a church and finally have their newborn baby.

This is all told in Google’s way. It’s a narrative done using actual Google search queries and maps, with accompanying sound bites and piano music for added effect. Someone on YouTube took the time to emulate the searches that were done in the commercial and he stated that 98% of the results (as well as the predicative results) were faithful to the ad. Commend Google for not using vague or deceptive advertising, and actually showcasing their product as is (WTF do horses have to do with beer?).

Nothing here to grand. No celebrities, bikini-clad models, talking animals, or loony mascot characters doing crazy things. Just the life of an everyday man through Google’s eyes. Google wants to show that despite how technical their product is, it can associate with the individual on a personal level. It can help you with your everyday lives.

Google won on all fronts with this commercial: clever direction and storytelling, showcase of its product in both form and function, applying the personal touch, and cost-effectiveness (I’m willing to bet it cost no more than $10,000 to produce this commercial).

With one commercial, Google effectively one-upped Microsoft’s multitude of Bing commercials. I find soccer moms and sparkling vampires annoying. Video after the break.

[YouTube]