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Commercials Feature Bunch Of Clowns

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By WALT BELCHER

wbelcher@tampatrib.com

Published: February 2, 2009

TAMPA - Advertisers went for simple laughs in many of the Super Bowl commercials Sunday night with slapstick pratfalls, punches and crashes.

There were talking animals, chimps fixing cars and insult-tossing flowers. Even the Budweiser Clydesdales were clowning around.

Conan O'Brien spoofed himself as a steamy Swedish "party starter" for Bud Light and there was a send-up of the classic 1980 Mean Joe Greene Coca-Cola commercial.

Unlike the sentimental original, however, the new version had Pittsburgh Steeler Troy Polamalu tackling two guys who tried to steal his Coke Zero.

The best-looking commercial of the night featured animated insects (grasshoppers and butterflies) stealing a bottle of Coca-Cola from a guy napping in a field. When the butterflies formed a Coke bottle, it was more impressive than the two 3-D commercials, and you didn't need to wear those cardboard glasses.

Here's a roundup of other memorable commercials:

•Budweiser's first Clydesdale spot brings a smile. A Dalmatian can fetch and so can a Clydesdale. Another Clydesdale commercial finds the noble steed racing to get to Daisy, a circus horse.

•The Bridgestone tires gag has animated Mr. & Mrs. Potato Heads out for a drive. He's going too fast. She is nagging. When he comes to a screeching stop, she shuts up because her lips fly off.

•Monster.com has a laugh-out-loud moment. A sweeping view of a CEO's office reveals a moose head on the wall. On the other side of the wall, an office drone sits under the moose's behind. Yeah, he needs a new job.

•An office worker tosses a crystal ball at a vending machine to make his prediction of "free Doritos" come true. Another office clown wishes for a promotion but nails his boss with a ball toss.

•Bud Light taps into recession fears with a board meeting on cost-cutting. When an underling suggests they cut beer from the meetings, he is tossed out a window.

•Punching a talking koala bear in the nose may sound cruel, but it was funny when CareerBuilder.com counted off things that indicate "it might be time" for a new job.

•Two dimwit buddies marvel over chimps that show up as "grease monkeys" when one opens a can of Castrol Edge motor oil. Guys love chimps. And they really love chimps that can change oil.

•H&R Block puts a humorous scare into tax time with Death calling on an inept tax accountant.

•Teleflora also scores with humor when a woman gets talking flowers that insult her.

•The creepy-but-cute E-Trade baby is back with a new talking buddy who breaks into song as the Babester is making a pitch. The little guy wants to "flex the pipes."

The biggest loser: The Doritos commercial where a happy dancing man is hit by a bus.

The Miller High Life Delivery Man shouting "High Life" took one second. It won't make anyone switch brands, but it makes one wish that some of the other commercials were that long.

Reporter Walt Belcher can be reached at (813) 259-7654.

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