Confession: I’m not a football fan. I can’t even focus on the ultimate football game – the Super Bowl – long enough to figure out who’s playing, (I can’t decide if I’m embarrassed or proud of this fact,) but I do recognize that this puts me in the minority in America. Sunday’s game is a huge deal and I’m not just talking about what happens on the field, because clearly, I don’t know. It’s a giant marketing bonanza. Our Super Bowl ad appetites are already being whet with a yogurt-fueled “Full House” reunion, unlikely animal friendships and finding out if Anna Kendrick is “beer commercial hot.”
I was thrilled to learn that GoldieBlox, the upstart toy company that created the viral video that caused a ruckus with the Beastie Boys, won a 30-second spot in the game. Intuit funded a contest designed to award one small business this amazingly high value prize and GoldieBlox won based on fans’ votes.
I think it’s outrageously awesome that a small business with a mission of inspiring girls to become engineers is going to get airtime during the biggest sporting event of the year. I thought GoldieBlox might be out of the running due to the legal and communications issues around their initial commercial, but they managed the challenge deftly and in true American dream-style they’ve overcome the odds and won the day. It makes their already compelling narrative even more dramatic and riveting. They’ll be unveiling a new ad during the game’s third quarter. I can’t wait to see it. I guess that means I’ll actually be watching this year. Rah!!