Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Superbowl Tech Ads, 1976–Present

Posted by Soulskill on from the why-don't-you-try-readin'-the-rules-shankopotamus dept.

Ian Lamont writes "Computerworld has put together a collection of interesting, funny, and just plain weird Superbowl television advertisements from tech companies — excluding Internet retailers. Everyone has seen the Macintosh ad that played during the 1984 Superbowl, but there are a bunch of other gems, starting with a long-winded ad for the Xerox 9200 from 1976. The funniest is probably EDS's 'herding cats' ad from 2000, but there are some oddities, too, including a bizarre ad for Network Associates depicting a Russian nuclear missile launch, and a very dated ad for Sharp from the mid-1980s. Intel has one ad in the collection from 1997, and it turns out that it is returning with two ads this year that it says feature 'geek humor.'"

7 of 70 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Disable Advertising? by el3mentary · · Score: 2, Informative

    This site is just a ploy to get me to turn off AdBlocker...

    --
    I reject your reality and substitute my own.
  2. One page link by bobdotorg · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/print/9152078/Top_10_Super_Bowl_tech_ads?taxonomyName=Hardware&taxonomyId=12

    --
    __ Someday, but not this morning, I'll finally learn to use the preview button.
  3. Unfortunately for anyone wanting to view the ads by x1n933k · · Score: 2, Informative

    Apparently they have embed to a web site that wasn't too happy about the extra traffic and has a user/pass lock on most of the videos mentioned in TFA. Some of the Youtube ones are still available.

    [J]

  4. Re:Half the ads on the article require a username by jcombel · · Score: 3, Informative

    they didn't require credentials when the article went up friday; the site hosting the ads got slashdotted

  5. How could they leave out the "Lemmings" ad? by RevWaldo · · Score: 3, Informative

    Apple's 2nd over-the-top so-bad-it's-great SuperBowl ad for the (unsuccessful) Macintosh Office.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mISsehE7tp4

    Now that's some smack talk!

    --
    Prisencolinensinainciusol. Ol Rait!
  6. Re:What happens during the ads? by Alinabi · · Score: 4, Informative

    You would be twiddling your thumbs most of the time even if you were watching it in the US, because there are only 11 minutes of actual play time in a 3 hour long game. That is why the ads are the centrepiece of the show.

    --
    "You can't allow somebody to commit the crime before you detain them." [Condoleezza Rice]
  7. Re:slashdot effect by CheeseTroll · · Score: 2, Informative

    Adcritic got hit by the actors' guild (or whatever it's called), when the actors realized they weren't getting paid for the internet playtime. Most USA contracts stipulated royalties to the actors every time the commercial aired. I'm no longer working in the ad biz, so I don't know what has changed since then to allow ubiquitous internet playback. Maybe everything is shot in Canada now, where the contracts are less generous. Or maybe Youtube has just made it impossible to keep the genie in the bottle?

    --
    A post a day keeps productivity at bay.