Super Bowl Commercials 2012: Hyundai Outracing Cheetah Isn't a Big Deal

When you have to pay $3.5 million for a 30-second Super Bowl ad, you'd think companies would make an effective commercial.

We've already seen some good teasers before Super Bowl XLVI between the New England Patriots and New York Giants.

However, Hyundai just blew it.

In the upcoming Super Bowl commercial (SPOILER ALERT), a Hyundai is pitted against a cheetah. The only problem is, a cheetah only runs about 70 to 75 miles per hour. This is what I like to call an ineffective ad.

Hyundai is declaring that its new sports car is game for a cheetah. The reality is, most cars in general could outrace a cheetah, unless yours is that car I saw the other day running on three wheels. It's not only an unimpressive ad, it's ill-informed. To quote a Saturday Night Live sketch, "Who are the ad wizards who came up with that one?"

To be fair, Hyundai tries to save itself by having the cheetah attack some actor for comedic effect. In many circles around the world, that's considered funny.

But it constantly amazes me how poor some Super Bowl commercials are. Yes, for one day a year most of them are pretty good, but you'd expect all of them to be well thought out, given they cost $3.5 million. Think how many raises you could give with that money. You might actually inspire your ad wizards to make a good ad.

Hyundai brought in a cheetah actor for the Big Game—I'll give the company credit for that. But beyond the cheetah, this commercial didn't make me want to go buy a Hyundai. What it made me want to do is ask that actor if he was alright.