On February 11, a record-breaking 123.4 million people tuned in to watch the Chiefs and 49ers battle it out for a Super Bowl championship. There were interceptions, touchdowns, field goals, and an overtime finish, yet nothing quite tops the surprises that were the commercials.
Companies pay around $7 million to have advertisements play during the Super Bowl. This year’s big game was the most watched telecast in American history, so many consider it worth the price. Some standouts from the past are the Bud Light “Game of Thrones” commercial from 2019, Kia’s “Robo Dog” advertisement from 2022, and Budweiser’s “Puppy Love” from 2014. These 30 to 60-second clips can elicit so many emotions within their audiences: tears, laughs, and smiles, along with a quick discussion on the contents of the ad. The more sentimental a commercial is, the more likely a consumer will remember it.
That being said, Google Pixel’s “Javier in Frame” commercial from this past week fit the memorable criteria perfectly. The ad tells the story of Javier, a blind man who is going through life’s most important moments. As he captures a picture in each segment of the commercial, the viewer is unable to see details; only the silhouettes of Javier and the other people in his life. However, the Google Pixel phone narrates each image, permitting both Javier and the audience to identify what’s going on. Once he captures the photograph, the picture becomes clear, as seeing-eyed folk are presented with the Google Pixel’s perspective. The audience sees Javier fall in love with his wife, go to sporting events, run a marathon, and many other life experiences. Scaringly, at the end, viewers are brought to a hospital, which is portrayed via beeping noises and the outlines of nurses and medical equipment. After a few seconds of breath-holding, the AI says “Two faces in frame. Three faces in frame. Hold for photo,” as it’s revealed that Javier and his wife have just welcomed a new baby. So heartwarming!
The commercial’s meaning increases when it’s learned that Adam Morse, the director, is also blind. He suffers from Leber hereditary optic neuropathy, which, unfortunately, is incurable. However, Morse used his real-life experiences to create Javier’s story in the commercial, which was created to promote Google’s Guided Frame. Morse’s creativity is shown through not only the content but through direction. Instead of editing the video post-production, he used petroleum jelly on the camera lens to create the blurred effect. For the director, this was an extremely thought-out and personal project, as he views life similar to how Javier does. With this ad, Adam Morse becomes the first ever blind person to direct a commercial played during the Super Bowl.
Morse, Google, and the rest of the team behind “Javier in Frame” hit the mark with this advertisement. It was equally as entertaining as it was touching, and it gave viewers something to reflect on while the 49ers and Chiefs battled it out on the field.
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