The epic nature of the Detroit Chrysler ad worked, I started out vaguely disliking it but by the end I loved it.
The Vader Kid and the karma beaver were also quite entertaining, and I enjoyed the sheer oddity and Pleasantville-ness of the carmax (maybe?) ad with the 50s style gas station.
The Pepsi Max adds were reprehensible, both in tone and subject matter for the reasons already given by Namo. It isn't just that ads depend on the violence, misogyny and racism but somehow the characters seem rewarded for their behavior.
Which leaves the group-on ad (I only saw the Hutton one)...
I am really a bit torn about it. I know a lot of people were offended, but I certainly can't say that. It seemed to be an add targeted at the sense of false sincerity and easy do-gooderism that is so often associated with public service spots. I don't see it mocking the Tibetan people's plight in either intention or execution so it would seem odd to think it offensive.
The execution though is lacking, the comedy is off and both the satire and the product are done a diservice. I think the biggest issue is that in order to do a satirical piece they would need to attack the very nature of commodification, and the creators (Including Christopher Guest who directed it) seem to have wanted that mocking to be directed at the type of ads and people who love them.
The big problem though is that the Super Bowl is the very epitome of commercialization, and simplicity. The butt of the joke is intended to be groupon itself, and the nature of Super Bowl ads, but that is impossible since it is in fact an actual ad, for a real product, during the Super Bowl. So the ad fails, though it is incredibly talked about and attention grabbing so maybe it doesn't, on a visceral level.
Here is a link to a Roeper article that makes the same basic point (I will say I wrote this post first though, I found it when I searched for confirmation that Guest directed the ad) It includes a non-apology apology from the creators and Roeper's own thoughts.
Richard Roeper on Groupon ad
I stand corrected, you are as vapid as they say.
