This year's Super Bowl ads were a far cry from years past where steamy make out sessions, in-your-face marketing, and half-naked models ruled.
From Hulk Hogan and other '80s superstars to a cereal commercial with a message of acceptance, the ads during Super Bowl XLVIII Sunday night were noticeably toned down.
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But some of the million-dollar commercial spots were more memorable then others.
Here're the best, the worst, and the most talked-about ads of Super Bowl 2014:
THE BEST:
Radio Shack – The Phone Call
It was perhaps the most self-deprecating ad of the night but it worked. A Radio Shack employee, stunned look on his face, hangs up a phone and says to his coworker, "The '80s called. They want their store back."
At that moment, a group of '80s celebs including Hulk Hogan, Mary Lou Retton Alf, Dee Snider, Sgt. Slaughter, Chucky raid the store to reclaim all their stuff and usher the tech shop into a new era.
Audi – Doberhuahua
A couple can't agree on a dog at an animal rescue agency. He wants a Chihuahua, but she likes the Doberman. Why not compromise and breed them together, the shelter employee suggests, and thus the Doberhuahua is born.
But after the pint-sized, giant-headed dog terrorizes dog show judges and even attempts to eat ASPCA spokeswoman Sarah McLachlan's guitar, the couple realizes compromise isn’t all it's cracked up to be. Then comes the tagline . . . the new Audi 2014: Luxury without compromise.
Turbo Tax – Prom
In a one-minute ad that proves you can make anything funny, John C. Reilly peddles Turbo Tax's do-it-yourself software by equating the Super Bowl to prom.
"They say today's a national holiday . . . Maybe it’s a Seattle holiday and a Denver holiday but for the rest of you it's a day of watching a team that's not your team play in the biggest game of the year," he says. "That's rough. That’s like going to prom and seeing that girl you love and watching her dance with some guy who isn’t you. Some guy named Sean."
The gist? Make your own holiday and use Turbo Tax to get the biggest refund possible.
Hyundai – Dad's Sixth Sense
A quick-thinking dad has a knack for saving his son at the very last minute. Whether it's from falling face-first into a brick step, tumbling backwards onto a lit grill, or peddling full-speed into a parked car, dad can do it all. And when he can't, there's the auto-lock brake system on the Hyundai Genesis.
WORST:
Axe – Make Love, Not War
"This global, sweeping, solve-the-world’s-problems-with-hearts saga seemed almost romantic until you
realize it’s a commercial for Axe Body Spray," EW.com wrote of the Super Bowl spot for the men's cologne. Maybe if we all just chose love over war — and wore Axe Body Spray — the world would be a better place.
Chevy – Romance
EW.com's Annie Barrett said it best: "Here’s a rancher taking his bull to get laid, basically."
There's really not much else to say.
Maserati – Strike
Again, the Maserati ad was bad because it took itself too seriously. Even with the star power of Oscar nominee Quvenzhane Wallis, the commercial falls flat when you realize it's for a luxury vehicle.
MOST TALKED-ABOUT:
Coca-Cola – "America, the Beautiful"
Simple and evocative, Coke's multilingual version of the patriotic song celebrated diversity in a heartwarming and touching way.
But the ad was also one of the most talked-about as it triggered a lot of controversy on Twitter from those who felt it threatened their "American identity." Many spoke out on the social network using the hashtag #SpeakAmerican.
Others quickly hit back, slamming the hashtag and the criticism of Coke's commercial.
Cheerios – Gracie
This commercial sparked a firestorm of controversy even before it aired when MSNBC tweeted that the ad, which centers on an interracial family, would be sure to irritate the GOP.
"Maybe the rightwing will hate it, but everyone else will go awww: the adorable new #Cheerios ad w/ biracial family," the now-deleted post read.
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus then issued a boycott of the network last week until
MSNBC President Phil Griffin personally apologized a day later. The argument simmered before Sunday's game but left viewers eager to see what all the fuss was about.
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