The Super Bowl is over and we all know who won the game but the real debate is who won the commercial battle. Every year whether you are a fan of football or not, people watch the game just to see how outrageous the commercials can be.
This year there isn't a clear favorite but there definitely is a trophy for the most talked about. It goes to Groupon. If you don't know about Groupon, it is a site where you can get a deal on a product or service and it's based on a specific number of people who also want to get in on the savings.
It's been a site that is growing but there still was a large group of people who didn't know about it or how it worked. Groupon decided on rolling the dice with a commercial during the Super Bowl. They knew it was expensive but the exposure they felt would be worth the cost.
The spot starts with a voiceover by Timothy Hutton talking about the struggles of the Tibetan people and their way of life. It ends with him saying that they still make great food and - because he took the Groupon deal - now he and others will get a discount at a Tibetan restaurant.
Many people were offended that the trials of the Tibetan people were trivialized. But Groupon thought they were really making fun of celebrities who take up a cause for people in far away countries. One group that wasn't offended was a writer at Ad Age. He appreciated what Groupon was going for and thought it was a great commercial.
The one thing Groupon did get is people talking about them and finding out what their site offers. Having people talk about you and debating your commercial for days - that is like winning the Super Bowl of advertising.