But the only group that was really offended by a Super Bowl ad this year were the corn lobbyists of America, who were angered by Bud Light’s disparagement of corn syrup. The commercials that failed this year just … fell short. Here are the ones that missed the mark.
TurboTax
Robochild, you can be anything! Including extremely creepy, which, yes, was the point — but there’s funny creepy, and there’s creepy creepy, and this fell into the latter category. “But papa, I want to help people get their best possible refund,” says the robotic baby, which people have pointed out closely resembles the frightening Erector-set mangled baby doll toy from “Toy Story.” “I am sad,” says Robochild, as it laughs hysterically. Us too, Robochild.
Kia
This commercial started out promising, with a small child’s narration describing the community of West Point, Ga., as one of small-town heroes that assemble Kia cars. It never loses that heartwarming spirit, but does the expression of American pride really work for a commercial that, in purposefully small print, notes that the cars use some foreign-made parts?
Mint Mobile
Do you want to think about chunky milk? We don’t want to think about chunky milk. Thanks for nothing, bespectacled fox!
Skechers
Could Skechers and celebrity spokesman Tony Romo possibly phone it in any more? This is the laziest type of celebrity endorsement: a few corny jokes, a cute dog, a halfhearted recommendation for a pair of ugly slip-on shoes — shoes that are also extremely lazy, because they have no laces. The whole commercial is about how he doesn’t want to try! It is very apparent.
T-Mobile
The phone carrier bought multiple spots during the Super Bowl, but the worst was the one in which a person receives a text from someone named Kristi asking what they’d like to eat for dinner. After typing a response and deleting it a few times — sushi or tacos? — the person decides on: “Whatever you want bae.” Thirty seconds for that?
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