Few ads stood out from the crowd.
The Dude abides—and this year, most brands were content to do the same.
Viewers looking for the equivalent of Tide’s 2018 Super Bowl takeover were disappointed. So were those hoping for brands to take bold stances on sociopolitical issues beyond basic female empowerment and homages to everyday Americans.
Beyond some exceptions—like Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale promo, which referenced the 1984 Ronald Reagan “Morning in America” ad—most brands played it safe with humorous or sentimental spots, many of which centered on decades-old names like Sex and the City, The Backstreet Boys and Andy Warhol.
“I was s itting there last night thinking, this is quite safe, [especially] compared to the last two years when brands took the moral high ground,” said TBWA Worldwide global CCO Chris Garbutt.
In 2017, advertisers like Expedia, Budweiser and 84 Lumber directly address the red-hot topic of immigration directly after President Trump signed an executive order banning individuals from several primarily Muslim nations. No ad went so far this year.
«I was sitting there last night thinking, this is quite safe, [especially] compared to the last two years when brands took the moral high ground.»
-TBWA Worldwide global CCO Chris Garbutt
Zambezi partner and CCO Gavin Lester said that brands “clearly stayed away from pressing societal issues or anything that felt remotely political” because they “recognized that viewers could use a break, some levity and fun” amid the all-consuming political coverage we encounter every day.
