With advertising inventory reportedly still available a recently as a week ago, the 2009 Super Bowl ads threatened to be a mediocre lot at best. Rumors of Cash4Gold buying a spot prompted thoughts of a text-over-stock-photo 500 dollar production running in a million dollar time slot.

Advertisements were indeed bland. It’s kind of shameful when the network bumpers are better than the actual commercials. “If your Conan last longer than 3 hours..call a doctor.” -Tina Fey.

Continuing our tradition of pointing out puzzling Super Bowl commercial themes, we present the following oddities (video provided by Hulu, so not available outside the U.S., my apologies):

Smashing through glass or other structures

Used by:
Bud Light
Bud Light again
Doritos
Pedigree campaign

Wealthy African Americans and Bling / Gold

Used by:
Overstock
Cash4Gold
Career Builder

The smashing through glass and buildings meme just seems coincidental, like the slapstick fad last year, or the talking animal Super Bowl fad of the year before.

The bling meme sticks out like a sore thumb when you watch the ads back to back. The Overstock ad isn’t really offensive. It’s curious though that the other commercials makers would still push the line and endanger being accused of using offensive stereotypes.

This isn’t overreacting if you will recall the tragic story of Just for Feet’s Super Bowl ad that allegedly killed their business. These businesses are potentially one slow news cycle away from some bad press.

Tomorrow we’ll post our most hated ad of the Super Bowl this year.