My Favorite Super Bowl LVI Ads / by Johnny Michael

It’s the Monday after Super Bowl, the day where people working in advertising gather and state their opinions about what spots they loved and hated. So instead of talking to anybody about it, I curated a short top-three list (recently updated to be a top-four) of my favorite creations from the Big Game in 2022. Naturally, I like humor, and these feel like the Super Bowl LVI Ads having the most fun. They are all incredibly creative spots that made me daydream I was part of the shoot and conceptual process.

  1. FTX Crypto Exchange | Don’t Miss Out with Larry David.
    The one on-air was great, but not as great was the Larry cut that lives on the FTX YouTube. The ad effectively made me dig into the company researching the founder and watching a 20-minute interview with Sam Bankman-Fried just to learn more about the brand. It worked and I’m a fan. The ad is smart, perspective-shifting and brilliantly funny. And it’s got Larry. Love how they featured an extended cut on YouTube showing more material and using a cinematic pace and well-crafted comedic timing.

    Ad Agency: DentsuMB
    Director | Jeff Schaffer

2. General Motors | Dr. Evil starring Mike Meyers, Rob Lowe, Seth Green and Mindy Sterling

Sorry Doctor Evil but you’re number 2 on my list too. But definitely one of my favorite ideas from the Super Bowl LVI. It is indeed quite genius to see Mike Meyers and the whole evil gang back together, taking over GM with the Detroit skyline in the background. it’s a wonderfully clever play of the EV in Evil and the, “Never Gonna Get It” gag with Scott and the En Vogue track. The comment on climate change is a poignant punch of truth. GM getting “everybody in” takes the EV movement mainstream but we still clearly have a long way to go. My one gripe is that the cuts felt too much like advertising timing. The comedic timing wasn’t there, seems like a missed opportunity to create something really awesome on YouTube. For reasons I understand, It feels much like a commercial and is lacking some golden funny material that had to be chopped off to fit the timing. Aside from that comment, the teasers were extremely well executed (i was genuinely pumped for the ad to come out) and I love the range of extra content like Dr Evil’s recruitment for GM bit and the Real People Not Actors scene… but I just wanted one long cut that felt more comedic and cinematic. I loved it, just wanted more of it.

Ad Agency: McCann Detroit
Director | (Would love to know!)

3. Verizon | Goodbye Cable featuring The Cable Guy (Jim Carrey)
The Cable Guy returns. Dumbfounded, lisping, and awestruck by the new Verizon 5G and its lack of cable wires. The acting, storytelling, and jokes were all funny and perfectly executed. Also worth checking out is Jim Carrey singing karaoke, a small short of extra content on the Verizon YouTube page.

Ad Agency: McCann & Hungry Man Productions
Director | Bryan Buckley

Lastly, (almost lastly) that halftime show was thick with hype… I still can’t get that beat from Lose Yourself out of my head. Cool to reflect back on the music and sounds of my teenage years and 20s. It’s amazing how Eminem’s music can transfer such a feeling and charge of inspiration. I still feel the tinglling and goosebumps when that track comes on. And those Dre sounds make you wanna party down and let out a “hell yeah.” What an awesome empire of music he’s created and a great way to recognize Dre as someone who launched the careers of so many. I loved the moment when Dre and Snoop rose from the stage, they looked at each other, and almost as if they couldn’t help it, like two kids that grew up together, there was a giddy grin that drew across both of their faces as they soaked in the grand and surreal moment they were both in. So great to witness Dre Day and the squad putting in down for Californ-i-a.

4. Squarespace | Sally’s Seashells starring Zendaya and Andre 3000

Shucks. I (almost) forgot to mention the Squarespace spot. It’s so whimsically beautiful and artistically pleasing to watch. It’s floaty and full of flowery poetry and pops of color which makes it pure joy to watch. It’s also something I fully support and use. Being that this is a Squarespace site and my hub for creating a brand, selling Hi, and creating human connection on the internet. So yeah, go Sally, go Squarespace… And go check out my Hi Shop too!

Agency | Squarespace In-House
Director | Edgar Wright

On one final note, I’d like to give a little homage to Coinbase for inspiring me to make this super awesome (Personal highly subjective opinion) Hi QR T Shirt. Wear and share the Hi!