The game may be the reason millions of viewers turn into the Super Bowl each year, but the commercials aired during the television event and half-time show impact Americans in greater and more diverse ways.
Before the Super Bowl airs, fans of the teams playing or sports enthusiasts tend to discuss who will win. However, everyone – even those not planning on tuning in Sunday night – debates over the commercials.
This year alone has caused debates on two potential spots to emerge. An ad featuring Tim Tebow sponsored by the Christian organization Focus on the Family will air during the Super Bowl and will feature a pro-life message. Groups like the Women’s Media Center have protested the ad and sparked debate among the general public.
Another ad from mancrunch.com, a gay men’s dating Web site, was rejected by CBS. The rejection caused protest and many speculated CBS was carrying a double political standard. CBS stated it rejected the ad because of its poor quality (the network said it was open to resubmissions from the Web site) and its inability to validate mancruch.com’s credit; Mancrunch claimed it was willing to pay cash up front for the Super Bowl ad time.
No matter which side of the controversies viewers are taking, they are involved actively by debating and discussing the commercials.Even after the Super Bowl is over, people who were not informed of the ad spots beforehand openly discuss those accepted and those denied by the network.
In physics last year, my class discussed the two commercials that had been rejected by NBC. One of which was a pro-choice ad that used Obama’s life story to make its point. After watching the ad, some people who were pro-choice admitted the ad caused them to reconsider their position. The commercials shown during the Super Bowl have the power to influence people’s decisions in real world issues.
The halftime show, while not always as big of a spectacle as the game and commercials, can rule conversations just as easily. The year of the infamous Janet Jackson wardrobe “malfunction” incident caused outrage, glee and shock among viewers. I don’t remember who won the game that year but I do remember the reaction to the show.
The sheer entertainment and excitement of the halftime show brings in non-football fans every year.
The game, the halftime show and the commercials make-up the complete Super Bowl experience – the football game itself will simply be overshadowed by the cultural impact of the commercials and halftime show.