One day a year my friends and family actually treat me like some sort of sage. Super Bowl Sunday is about advertising, not football, for millions of viewers. So, naturally, I get asked what did I think of the ads.

My answer this year?

In a word: deflated.  I was left asking myself,  who forgot to bring the funny?  At times the efforts seemed overwrought, desperate to bring emotion to categories that used to make me smile. Let’s call it the “Cat’s in the Cradle” year.  Remember when people used to say that the commercials were so much better than the game?  No longer the case here. This was an amazing game that kept you on the edge of your seat.  In most cases I was waiting for the commercials to end to get back to the entertainment these two teams brought to the night.

There were some bright spots.

• Best Technical Achievment: Snicker’s Brady Bunch.  Hysterically funny with a perfect execution.  Bravo.
• Best Use of a Celebrity:  T Mobile and Kim Kardashian.  Even managed to make a great product point about their Data plan.  Good stuff.
• Best Storytelling: Fiat, Blue Pill.   Had no clue where it was going, and it made me smile.
• Best Message: Always and their #Likeagirl.  Well cast, well done.
• Best Use of a Marketing Budget.  Loctite.  Glue.  Really?  This was offbeat. Funny.  Absolutely unique.  Stood out among all other spots.  I loved it, and I will remember the name and the glue.