The Bad Nostalgia of Super Bowl Ads

The ratings broke records, but the advertisers lost an opportunity

It’s become an annual tradition. My friend Lauren hosts her Super Bowl party. Between bites of caviar deviled eggs, buffalo chicken dip, Roma Market mortadella sandwiches and guacamole hot dogs a group of artists, writers, and gallerists attempt to decode the rules of football. It’s not exactly the NFL’s traditional audience. No matter, these are the kinds of people who tune in for the half-time performance and the ads. Theoretically.