2007 Superbowl Ads Review: Blockbuster Mouse

Total Access Program

Dani's Druthers: 4.5 of 5 Daisies.

I admit it, I usually love commercials with animals in them, and I love the humor of Blockbuster's Carl the Rabbit (voiced by James Woods) and Ray the Gerbil (voiced by Jim Belushi). Their shtick cracks me up every time. This commercial was no different.  

Clicking on a 'real' mouse, dragging it around, then dragging it around 'faster' were very clever and funny antics for children as well as for adults to view. In fact, the ad was so entertaining, I almost missed what the ad was trying to hawk: Blockbuster's Total Access Program. It is similar to Netflix in that you can order movies online for one low price. It is different in that you can utilize the store in your area in this program, as well.

When the mouse was making its 'eek, eek' noises, I was reminded of the mouse I have with my computer which actually does squeak in a similar way from time to time. (Can you oil a computer mouse?)

The end of the ad was the funniest punch line, I believe, of all the ads of the Superbowl. When the gerbil grabbed the mouse by the tail and 'remembered' they needed to 'plug it in' I was grateful I wasn't taking a drink at the time or it would have sprayed out my nose!

While some people view the CGI critters as painfully annoying, I find the clean and easy humor refreshing and family friendly. I think the writers of the ads should be commended for creating humor that is clean, easy to follow, related to the product, and actual humor. Too many ads anymore are geared towards 'shock value' or a celebrity endorsement/appearance, which truly has no merit in regards to the product itself.

Could the commercial have been a little more clever or edgy and still maintained its wholesome quality? Absolutely. This is why it did not rate the full 5 Daisy rating.