Chrysler, Oreo Score With Ads During Delayed Super Bowl

Chrysler’s Jeep ad featuring a patriotic salute to U.S. troops and narration by Oprah Winfrey, an Oreo ad asking viewers to vote cookie or creme, and a scantily clad male Calvin Klein model were among standout commercials during a Super Bowl that suffered a half-hour partial blackout delay on Sunday.

Ads by Budweiser and PepsiCo’s Doritos were less engaging, according to advertising experts, in the game that is annually the largest showcase for U.S. consumers with more than 100 million viewers.

During the blackout, CBS filled the time with recaps by the network’s commentators and did not use any of the ads, but the game broadcaster said it would honor its commitments to advertisers who paid an average of $4 million for a 30-second commercial. As a result of the delay, the game ran until 10:45 p.m. on the East Coast.

“Hands down, the winner was Chrysler because of American pride,” said Jim Joseph, president of North America division for Cohn & Wolfe. “Unlike other carmakers, they didn’t talk about their features. Instead they showed what they’re doing in partnership with USO to bring home troops to their families.”

An M&M ad featuring “Glee” star Naya Rivera romancing a red M&M was a crowd pleaser, while an Oreo ad asking viewers to visit the social network Instagram to vote on whether they prefer the cookie or creme of the iconic sandwich cookies was another hit.

“That was brilliant marketing and generated thousands of hits on Instagram within minutes,” said Joseph.