Every football season, people throughout the world look forward to one of the biggest games that will be played all year, the Super Bowl. Because this is one of largest nationally televised events, advertisements play a large part throughout the entire occasion. Seeing which companies are the most creative, innovative and even better, competitive, are what makes watching the Super Bowl so worthwhile. Competitive advertising is something that companies all across the world use to show that what they’re selling is better and more efficient. What we find interesting among competitive advertisements is that these days, companies directly use their competitors name in their advertisements. For example, Verizon Wireless’s new advertisement discusses how much more successful they were last year compared to AT&T. 
According to statistics, Verizon Wireless was more successful, but is it ethical to belittle other companies that are successful in different ways just to make your own look better? Why not use commercials like Bud Light or Coors Light? They’re both imaginative, fun to watch and they don’t demean the opposing company. They use their own creativity to show their audiences why they should choose their product. Advertising is constantly evolving along with society and technology, but why is it that companies cant find another way to promote their products instead of bashing on their competitors?
What we also find interesting is that companies that are using competitive advertising to sell their brand are also using false advertising all at the same time. Companies like McDonald’s and Burger King have been at it for years, trying to sell the best fast food hamburger. What we don’t always realize is that these hamburgers that are shown in the commercials, don’t look anything like the hamburgers we buy from the actual restaurant.
So this year when you’re watching the Super Bowl and all of the fun advertisements that come with it, really think about what you’re watching and if it’s one, ethical, and two, true.
What do you think?
-Sloane, Addison & Pauline
IMC Hawks Blog 