Crashing the Super Bowl

Participating in the Super Bowl is a uniquely American cultural event.  Photo courtesy of Fearless Homemaker

So I have a confession.

Everyone knows that the Super Bowl in the single most watched event in American television history. A quick Google search reveals that four of the five spots belong to the Super Bowl.

1. Super Bowl 2012 (111.3 million viewers)
2. Super Bowl 2011 (111 million viewers)
3. Super Bowl 2013 (108.4 millions viewers)
4. Super Bowl 2010 (106.5 million viewers)
5.  Finalé of M*A*S*H (106 million viewers)

Some of the other top-watched broadcasts go a little something like this: Super Bowl 2009, Super Bowl 2008, the “Who Shot J.R.?” episode of Dallas, the Roots finalé, the 1994 Winter Olympics Women’s Figure Skating (after Nancy Kerrigan was attacked by rival Tonya Harding’s ex-husband).

Needless to say, America loves the Super Bowl. A lot.

Now, I enjoy football too. And all the parties and events and hype generated by the Super Bowl makes for an exciting atmosphere. However, I must confess that I generally enjoy the ads a little more than the actual competition. They’re mostly family friendly, sometimes tear-jerking, funny and clever. They’re always well done. As well they should be — at $4 million per 30-second spot, advertisers should get their money’s worth!

Some of my personal favorite Super Bowl commercials over the past few years have been part of Doritos® Crash the Super Bowl contest. The “Crash the Super Bowl” ads are created by ordinary people in hopes of winning some prize cash and having their spot aired during the most watched television event in history.

The contest was started by Frito-Lay, Doritos’ parent company, back in 2006-07. A total of 1,065 entries were submitted in the first year. Five were selected as finalists, and the public was allowed to vote for its favorite. The ad that received the most votes, “Live the Flavor,” was aired as the first consumer-generated ad in history of the Super Bowl. It was also ranked as the fourth best Super Bowl ad by USA Today that year, which is pretty impressive in my opinion!

Subsequent years of the “Crash the Super Bowl” have resulted in thousands of consumer-generated ads submitted. And twice, those ads have been rated as the top Super Bowl ad for the given year. So we ordinary folks have proven we can compete with the the best ad agencies on Madison Avenue.

This year, Doritos opened the competition to international entries for the first time. The finalists were announced earlier this month, and fans can vote daily (per device) for their favorite through January 29. The finals include (in no particular order):

1. Ostrich Breakroom
2. Finger Cleaner
3. Cowboy Kid
4. Time Maching
5. Office Thief

Ultimately, two of the five ads will air on February 2 during Super Bowl XLVIII — one selected by the world’s votes and one by Doritos. And for the first time in Doritos Crash the Super Bowl history, the creator of the ad that receives the most fan votes will win a guaranteed $1 million in prize money.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve picked my favorite and have been voting every day! Voting in this contest may not be considered a “civic duty,” but it gives me the chance to participate in a uniquely American cultural event. Happy voting to you all!