WATCH Hashtags penetrate Super Bowl 2014

This post is totally to satisfy the inner American-raised bit of me. The most exciting part of the Super Bowl for me has always been about the ads. Growing up, TVCs didn’t get uploaded onto YouTube; there was no such thing as a preview or teaser.Online video sites have made it possible for brands to produce longer TVCs (due to no airtime cost), ultimately distributing the budget amongst the aspect of production that makes a difference – such as talent and creative direction. As for circulation, applaud the power of social media.This year, to no surprise, saw the use of hashtags routed to online campaigns to engage with viewers and consumers. Whether you’re into that trend or not, brands and ad agencies seem to think it’s an effective way to up brand awareness and roll in the cha-ching.Check out the list of cleverly used engagement campaigns via the phenomenon.DoritosFor over a decade, Doritos have been putting out ads centred on a female hottie or office body, ripping into a bag of its finger-licking goodness, and someone creepily lickin’ their finger clean. This year, Doritos took a different turn and launched a Crash the Super Bowl 2014 campaign reeling in newbies and creative professionals to submit their ideas [production] for the slot.http://youtu.be/gxE7h0eeG8MThe winner due to air at the big game.http://youtu.be/1XpKo5EJZHM H&M Taking  a cue from Hollywood’s alternate ending releases, H&M asks the public whether they’d prefer David Beckham #covered or #uncovered for the big reveal of its ad.http://youtu.be/mnWdqXwWNn8 VolkswagenThe automotive brand takes a chomp out of everything popular in modern culture by putting everything and everyone in one studio, including the infamous # sign dangling atop the brand’s logo.http://youtu.be/G8L0tI3ZKWQ NewcastleNo budget? No problem. To save cost, do absolutely nothing but put a bunch of words on a black backdrop with exciting music, reiterating the same thing again and again. It’s quite brilliant, to make a mockery of advertising budget. Their whole idea is to get you to visit their website: ifwemadeit.comhttp://youtu.be/wgbWvV6Oa4oWait, there’s a follow-up, with comic.http://youtu.be/FBgkv_-1Tl0 Bud LightThe two part teaser ads featuring ex-governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger ping-pong audiences to hashtag its Super Bowl ad’s slogan #UpForWhatever.http://youtu.be/FopVemR9YzY GoDaddyA one-liner, one hashtag TVC: #ItsGoTime. GoDaddy has had many submission rejected in the past, including this year, but fantastically, this rampant of body builders made it into the mix.http://youtu.be/SLpggn7uWC8 Coca –ColaClassic Coca-Cola to inspire and bring awareness to chasing the dream with its ads! This year sees the run of an underdog in a school’s little football league run with the pigskin all the way to the professional Green Bay field. The ad ends with #AmericaIsBeautiful.http://youtu.be/QKi2wjELK6A AXEThis is a bold move for the men’s fragrance and grooming line. Rather than its usual gender obsessed ads, AXE inspires its viewers to #MakeLoveNotWar. The on-going hashtag sees a microsite for the public to upload photographs of ‘loving moments’, which will then be selected for the grand reveal of its game day ad.http://youtu.be/63QfkSSqPsAIf I were to go on, you’d be reading this post for the rest of the day. So far, which brand do you think used hashtag most creatively in this year’s Super Bowl preview?I ... am waiting for the day brands in Malaysia release such creative advertisements – not just once in a blue moon, but often enough to put a dent in the creative world.The Super Bowl XLVIII will see the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks play for the 2013 championship title. The game will take place in MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, 18:25 EST on 2 February 2014. Official ads will air during the game’s commercial break, with the most anticipated (and expensive) time slot to air in the 3rd quarter of the game.