Another day, another Super Bowl commercial released on the Internet. One of these days, I may reach out to an ad exec to ask why these companies spend $3.5 million and more to air their ads during the biggest sporting event of the year, only to show them on the Internet for weeks in advance. Until then, Acura is the latest company to “leak” its huge Super Bowl ad, and it’s clear that the car company is swinging for the fences in the wake of Honda’s Ferris Bueller revival. Acura enlisted comedian Jerry Seinfeld as a man hellbent on being the first person to receive whatever the company’s brand new model is, and the results are… a commercial.
I’m not much for the idea of criticizing commercials, as most of them suck. I’d say that 98% of regular, day-to-day commercials are absolutely horrible, and while Super Bowl ads used to be a time-honored tradition of creativity, they’re probably running a 60/40 good-to-suck ratio these days. Obviously, we’ve declared the Volkswagen “Dark Side” ads to be Hall-of-Famers with the “leaking” of this year’s ad teaser featuring dogs singing the Empire theme from Star Wars. But while I can appreciate a good Soup Nazi cameo, Acura isn’t giving me anything that I can’t already see every night on TBS and my local UPN channel. And Jay Leno? Ugh. Even if I could afford an Acura, this commercial would turn me off.
And in case you haven’t seen it or still haven’t joined sides in the increasing battle over whether it’s funny or not (seriously, this might be our next Civil War), I’ve got the Honda ad on the next page.


Seinfeld, not funny since 1997.
Leno, not funny since….oh right.
Both commercials are terrible. The only thing that could have saved the Bueller CR-V ad was a Ben Stein cameo.
/old enough to remember seeing FBDO in the theater
The Bueller commercial needed more than Ben Stein to save it. It needed the real Cameron on the roller coaster (not some schmuck in a Red Wings jersey), and the Sausage King of Chicago. Either of those guys show up and this commercial becomes worthwhile.
/also old enough to remember FBDO in theaters
SERENITY NOW!!
Shouldn’t Seinfeld have been in a Saab commercial? Who owns Saab? Are they even still around?
*looks at my 2009 Hyundai, smiles*
Day Bow Bow. That’s all I got.
I dunno, I really miss Seinfeld, so I like this commercial……….is what I’d be saying if Leno did pop it at the end to ruin it!
I don’t know. I think the idea of Leno popping in at the last minute to steal something that someone else worked hard for and desired greatly is pretty funny. Just doesn’t seem like something he would do.
Everyone knows we watch the Super Bowl for the ads as much as the game! Some liar told me that.
Since both companies are Honda, I would say this was a planned strategy, not a leak.
Both are a waste of money. I can’t remember what product either are about. Seinfeld’s is about a car and Brodderick;s is about. .. Pop culture references?
The end of Seinfeld’s commercial totally needed a shot of the gang sitting at the coffee shop. That would have been epic.
Both videos needs more hot chicks rubbing vegetables on their bodies like the Peta commercial.