Do you love Super Bowl commercials as much as I do?
I’ve had the delight of being on national TV six times for segments about Super Bowl commercials.
Super Bowl commercials can be hilarious, unexpected, and unforgettable.
And– the experience of filming a national TV segment about Super Bowl commercials can be equally hilarious, unexpected, and unforgettable.
Let’s take a walk down memory lane together with a collection of my favorite segments, and a few wild behind-the-scenes stories.
We put together a collection of my Super Bowl TV video appearances starting waaaaay back in 2009… back before the ads were on the internet before game day.
I’ll take you on a backstage tour of each segment, showing which was most nerve-wracking, most romantic, and the absolute craziest.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFyTN4YPEfw2009 TODAY Show:
The nerve-wracking segment
This segment was filmed live at the football stadium, with Meredith Vieira. Back then, Super Bowl commercials weren’t quite as much of a “thing” they are today with social media and pre-game buzz. The talking points were more basic, focusing on why the ads need to stand out.
Filming with a bright sun overhead, with Meredith Vieira on my left, and news anchor Ann Curry getting her makeup done to my right, I learned how to stay calm even with a few unexpected curveballs.
Little did I know that future segments would make that one look like a breeze…2010 LIVE with Kelly:
The absolutely crazy segment
Weirdest moment of my life.
The evening before the filming, I strolled around New York City with my husband Ed (who was my fiancé at the time). Suddenly, he had a sharp pain in his neck and back. Back at the hotel, we turned on the pre-game show and hoped the pain would subside. But it didn’t. We heard the game begin while riding in a taxi to the emergency room.
As we waited anxiously in the ER, we could hear people cheering while the doctor said that Ed needed to get an MRI to see what was happening with the nerves in his neck.
As an added twist – the emergency room had no internet… and no TV. So I couldn’t watch any of the commercials. (Back in 2010, they weren’t posted online like they are now.)
As the game wrapped up, Ed was admitted to the hospital for the night. I headed back to the hotel to try to sleep before my 7:45 am call time at the studio.
Around midnight, I posted on Facebook asking my friends for help in identifying the best commercials. And the response was incredible. So many people I knew from my advertising days gave me exactly the type of input I needed. Some sent me links, others sent me personal reviews. I was overwhelmed by their gratitude.
By the time the sun rose, and I headed to the studio, Ed was much better. And, I could speak confidently about all the commercials… even the ones I’d never seen!
A few hours later, I left the studio, picked up Ed from the hospital, and drove on to the airport.
Ed told me the best part…
He was watching the show from his hospital bed. The nurse entered the room right when my segment began. “That’s my wife!!” he proudly told her.
She replied, “Uh-oh, we need to turn down your morphine.”2011 TODAY Show:
The most romantic segment
My engagement ring was crafted in New York, and it coincidentally was finished the day before the Super Bowl. So the first time my husband Ed saw my ring, it was sparkling on national TV!2012 CBS Morning Show:
The pre-game legwork segment
A couple of days in advance of the Super Bowl, CBS mailed me a video tape of the commercials. (Okay, Millennials. We were still using video tape then. And we mailed stuff.)
Unfortunately, the package was delivered to an old address. Which presented a problem. If I couldn’t get that package and watch the video, then I couldn’t go on the show. On Saturday, Ed and I literally drove around the city looking for a mail guy named Bob. Yup, we found him. Eventually.2014 LIVE with Kelly & Michael
The glamorous segment
The producers gave Ed and me a tour of the gorgeous studios. Gwyneth Paltrow sat next to me in the makeup chair. The live audience was fired up. So fun.
Side note: Can I just say, Kelly Ripa is every bit as nice in person as she seems. She remembered my name, gave me a hug. Look at how warm her body language is. A total pleasure.2019 TODAY Show
The fastest race to the airport segment
My book How the World Sees You came out in 2014, and I took a few years off from branding.
Then on Super Bowl Sunday, a few hours before the game began, I was by myself at home in the middle of a Downton Abbey marathon binge.
My phone rang… 212 area code.
Within 30 minutes I was racing to the airport, calling airlines on the way. I picked an airline that aired the game live, and I watched the commercials on the evening flight to New York City. More about this day.See, like I said… Super Bowl commercials can be hilarious, unexpected, and unforgettable.
But to me, they’ll never be quite as exciting the experience of the segments themselves?
How about you? What commercials are your favorites this year?
