Kranz On Copy: Insights and answers on copywriting and writing copy

Actually, I'm not interested in which ads were best, which were worst. (Frankly, I couldn't remember any of them after the game was over. And I only had three beers.)

What really interests me is the tone of the coverage of the ads the day after. Particularly the Wall Street Journal's survey/slash article that "ranks" the ads.

Ads are supposed to generate business. Yet the entire focus of the discussion is on how clever, cute, original or funny the ads are. Typical quote:

"Another popular entry last night was Careerbuilder.com. The online-job site's ad, following the story line of its last Super Bowl ad, showed an office run by a gaggle of chimps. Once again, it drew plenty of chuckles. 'I am a sucker for monkeys,' said Robert Rasmussen, a creative director at JWT."

These ads cost millions of dollars, a significant investment for any business. So you would expect some real careful thinking from the people entrusted with these precious ad dollars. But "a sucker for monkeys"? And this from a creative director at one of the most prestigious ad agencies in the world?

No wonder ad agencies are declining in relevance...