For those who have been reading my blog, you know #1 – I haven’t posted in a long time, and #2 I have blogged a few times about a marketing assignment that I make my students do call “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.” Basically, they round up good marketing examples, bad marketing examples, and ugly marketing examples and bring them to class to share.

This year was my first year to teach a class during the Super Bowl, and the commercials were a big topic of conversation. After listening to my students’ picks and explanations, here are my personal picks for Super Bowl Ads 2013:

The Good

“Farmer”

Way to go Dodge Ram, you got my attention. This commercial silenced family rooms across America on Super Bowl night. I have to give them big Kudos for getting my intense attention.

However, I do feel it is also worth mentioning that I brand reject Dodge. So, while this was an amazing example of promotion for a product, it in no way could overcome my previous bad experience with my ownership of a Dodge Dakota. I point this out so that all of you small business people reading this can take note: it is always important to put the quality of your product as a top priority. I am scarred for life over a truck that would stall out while driving down the road and put me in danger, a truck that even Dodge mechanics could not fix after thousands of dollars spent trying.

The Bad

“The Next Big Thing”

Seriously Samsung? Why not show us how cool the product actually is instead of making us watch this junk? Makes me think maybe your phone just isn’t that cool.

The Ugly

“Perfect Match”

I think almost everyone thought this should win the prize for ultra ugly Super Bowl commercial, my students sure did. It got to a point where I wouldn’t let students show it any more, I think it is the sound effects that do me in.

However, what is the promotional objective of this ad?

This ad’s objective was to get people talking about it, and mission accomplished. I have heard more people, including face-to-face conversations, TV hosts, radio hosts, and a ton of online mentions, talking about this ad. So this might be another case of so bad, it’s good. They made a commercial so bad, people just can’t stop talking about it. Well played GoDaddy!