It’s always sad when a beloved tradition comes to an end, but that’s where we seem to be with Super Bowl ads. As I wrote at Quartz, marketing has ruined the magic of watching Super Bowl commercials during the game. While the big game is still two days away,
It seems like we’ve already seen all of the ads, because so many of the companies that shelled out up to $4.5 million for a 30-second Super Bowl spot have been flooding the internet with those commercials in the days (and sometimes weeks) leading up to the big game. While the rampant marketing might be helping those brands maximize their investment and take full advantage of the intense pre-game media spotlight, it’s also ruined the Super Bowl ads themselves, or at least the annual tradition of discovering them during the game.
Not long ago, we wouldn’t dare leave the room when the Super Bowl cut to commercial, but now we have very little incentive to watch the ads live:
When we watch Super Bowl ads, we’re hoping to replicate that sense of wonder and awe that comes from discovering a brilliant spot for the first time (like the 1996 Independence Day spot from where we looked on, dumbfounded, as the White House was blown to smithereens). But those unspoiled surprises aren’t increasingly rare; there’s too much money on the line for most companies to resist holding their ads back when everyone else is showing theirs off.
For the first time on Super Bowl Sunday, I no longer need to stay riveted to my TV when the commercials come on. The ads might still be terrific, but the thrill of watching them is gone.