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#Blackout

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* I don’t know how you first reacted, but a wave of dread enveloped me when the announcers suddenly fell silent and the lights began extinguishing during last night’s Super Bowl blackout. It was kinda like the feeling I used to get during the Cold War at the start of those “We interrupt this program for a special news bulletin” announcements.

* I had to turn to Twitter after a couple minutes because CBS just wasn’t giving anybody any information about what was going on. Thankfully, ABC was on the case…

* After feeling a sense of relief that we weren’t under attack again, I noticed that lots of people I follow retweeted the Johnny-on-the-spot Oreos post…

AdAge had a great piece on the company’s tweet…

The Oreo graphic was “designed, captioned and approved within minutes,” according to Sarah Hofstetter, president of the cookie brand’s digital agency of record, Dentsu-owned360i. All the decisions were made in real time quickly because marketers and agency members were sitting together at a “mission control” center, or a social-media war room of sorts, at the agency’s headquarters in the TriBeCa neighborhood of Manhattan. Among those who were there were two brand team members from Oreo, and nearly a dozen creatives, strategists, community managers and social-media listeners.

It took just five minutes to post that tweet.

* Major League Baseball also got into the, um, game…

And…

* My former intern Barton Lorimor must’ve been having flashbacks…

* Best Illinois tweet…

* Some locals used the opportunity to mock the President…

* Others tried to make a broader political point…

And…

* My personal fave…

* And my own take at the time…

* I have to admit that I was confused at first about the #SB47 hashtag, thinking it must be a bill number. I even looked it up. Nope, that couldn’t be it.

Apparently, I spend way too much time thinking about Illinois politics.

Your own thoughts?

…Adding… My favorite Super Bowl ad also had a local angle. Ram Trucks used the late, great Illinoisan Paul Harvey in its moving spot…

Share the video and Ram will make a donation to “support FFA and assist in local hunger and educational programs.”

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 10:46 am

Comments

1. I was hoping that power couldn’t be restored in the CBS broadcast booth. Simms babbling annoys me.

   Comment by Norseman Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 10:57 am

2. @FakeSB47 - No need to worry, ComEd will be here between noon and 5 tomorrow! #ServiceWindowsStink

   @FakeSB47 - We will turn da lights on, we git R haff, “upfront” #SB47HeldHostage

   @FakeSB47 - Quick. Somebody check the 5 Vegas Casinos! #OldSchoolOceansEleven

   Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 10:58 am

3. That I was. #thehorror

   Comment by Barton Lorimor Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 10:58 am

4. My first thought was the spread.

   Fritchey’s always good.

   Comment by walkinfool Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 10:59 am

5. first thought was something scary. next thought was poor New Orleans, really, can’t they catch a break. then it was Harbaugh’s brain waves exploded the electrical system. man that guy is a volcano.

   Comment by Amalia Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 11:02 am

6. News reports this morning point to quick action by Ray Nagin and Michael “Brownie” Brown in responding to the horrific power outage at the Superdome.

   Brown shouted, “WE WILL OVERCOME!” as he rode into the city on a prized Arabian stallion, followed by 92 FEMA luxury buses to house the players.

   “Football players are a precious national resource”, Nagin noted, “They are raised in an environment where the electricity never goes out and someone is always nearby to tell them when the game starts and stops.”

   Nagin described the near-tragic exodus of the Ravens defensive line, who exited the stadium under the belief the game was over. The players were found on Iberville Street at the Penthouse club and were rushed back to the stadium under police escort while Nagin was left with a $16,000 tab for bottle service.

   Comment by Blowback Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 11:06 am

7. #Amalia - Harbaugh was given a technical foul by NCAA basketball official. Apparently the next Illini game will start with the opposing team shooting three baskets as a result of Harbaugh’s suggestion that the NFL referees were born out of wedlock.

   Comment by Blowback Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 11:09 am

8. My first thought was these half-time shows have crossed the line in power use if they end up shorting out the system.

   Comment by Wensicia Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 11:11 am

9. Ditto Wensicia-Beyonce overtaxed the grid, and for what?

   Comment by Loop Lady Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 11:15 am

10. Ram Trucks has done a great service to all of us in Agriculture with last night’s commercial. Now they are making an additional donation to the FFA, good for them. That poem brings a tear to my eye everytime I hear it. It is my favorite Super Bowl commercial of all time.

    Comment by Blago's Hare Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 11:17 am

11. Somewhere the guy who made the “power outage in the 3rd quarter” 999-1 prop bet was cheering.

    Comment by Bluefish Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 11:18 am

12. Great Ad.

    That ad was “1A” to my “#1″, Bud’s Clydesdale - “Landslide” commmercial.

    Sadly, I think “that’s the list” of good ones.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 11:21 am

13. The Ram spot was beautiful. It had real stopping power among all the “funny” (read boring) spots.

    And just think how many millions were introduced to Paul Harvey for the first time?

    For many years, I worked in the same building at Michigan and Wacker where Harvey had his studios. He and Angel were the tops — they treated everyone, high and low, with the same, gracious kindness.

    Comment by wordslinger Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 11:24 am

14. Adding, I wasn’t rattled by the blackout. The Superdome was a crummy dump the day it opened. I’m surprised it hasn’t fallen down by now.

    Tom Benson, the owner of the Saints, wanted to bail New Orleans after Katrina to get away from it, but he couldn’t find a decent venue in another city.

    I also wasn’t surprised that the Humpdome collapsed in the snow (who knew it snows in Minnesota?). Also a crummy dump.

    Comment by wordslinger Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 11:33 am

15. Paul Harvey…..greatest commercial ever.

    That man had soul and with those words….still does!

    Comment by Sunshine Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 11:39 am

16. Oreo was really impressive. Their ability to respond and react and succeed in real time was pretty good. They also did an ad last year after gay marriage passed in new york with rainbow colored stuff in the middle that was quite succesful.

    The ads will be mostly buried under the lights, ray lewis, cbs’s awful coverage and the harbaugh thing. Not a good year to invest $4 million.

    Comment by shore Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 11:44 am

17. Ha… I thought #SB47 was a bill number too!

    Comment by Just Observing Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 11:48 am

18. @ Blowback, HA! yes, Jim Harbaugh’s reactions should become some sort of running joke standard for protests of all sorts!

    Comment by Amalia Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 11:51 am

19. Ram/Paul Harvey/Farmer was best ever. The Clydesdale not too far behind. The rest were OK.

    Go read the comments at the Ram YouTube page. Some real yahoos out there.

    Comment by zatoichi Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 11:53 am

20. The Dodge Ram tribute to farmers was like reading a chapter from my family’s bio. Loved it.

    Comment by johhnypizza Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 11:54 am

21. –Beyonce overtaxed the grid, and for what?–

    Small price to pay.

    Comment by wordslinger Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 11:56 am

22. Paul Harvey… that man had soul and with those words…

    Let’s all hope that Mr. Harvey’s words are not a reflection of his soul — PAUL HARVEY: AH, GENOICDE AND SLAVERY, NOW THAT’S A GOOD DAY!

    – MrJM

    Comment by MrJM Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 11:56 am

23. ===Small price to pay.===

    It was the first Super Bowl halftime show I actually watched. Heh.

    Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 12:02 pm

24. Psychologically I must have fully recovered from 9/11 since that didn’t even occur to me. My first thought was, wow, and they don’t even have ComEd.

    Comment by Chicago Cynic Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 12:14 pm

25. I wonder if the Superdome has a Smart Meter?

    Comment by Hank Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 12:15 pm

26. ….and with those words still does.

    Comment by Sunshine Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 12:23 pm

27. The Oprah/USO
    ?Jeep and Harvey/ Ram campaigns were very Spielberg-like in playing our emotions… but I have to wonder, a week from now, will anybody remember the branding or just the patriotic feelings? The facebook donation gag will help, some. But I don’t think it will sell cars or trucks much. And what’s with the commercials for beer specially brewed for goths?

    Comment by Newsclown Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 12:30 pm

28. worst ad year ever. virtually nothing memorable. and not that much appealed even to the late teens early 20s guys at the neighborhood Super Bowl party.

    Comment by Amalia Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 1:41 pm

29. I am expecting a statement from MJM or Gov. Quinn soon blaming the blackout on the lack of pension “reform” here in Illinois…

    Comment by Roadiepig Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 1:42 pm

30. We’ll find out what Dan Marino was up to during the blackout in about 9 months…

    Comment by Ron Burgundy Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 1:47 pm

31. Newsclown — my thoughts exactly. I saw somebody post on FB that they loved the Paul Harvey farmer ad for John Deere…

    Comment by soccermom Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 2:04 pm

32. When the lights went out, a number of people who I was watching with said that it was 2013, but it is still George W. Bush’s fault.

    Comment by Esquire Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 2:09 pm

33. –Newsclown — my thoughts exactly. I saw somebody post on FB that they loved the Paul Harvey farmer ad for John Deere… –

    That can sting. I worked for a dot.com that had a spot during the Rams-Titans Super Bowl, the year the dot.coms bought nearly half the ad time (most were out of business the next year, including mine).

    Long story short. In our post-air research, everyone loved the spot. No one knew what it was for. Whoops.

    Comment by wordslinger Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 2:14 pm

34. The Becks Sapphire ad, with the sparkling red gem on the bottle, bugged me. The mineral corundum, in its gem varieties, is called a ruby if it is red and a sapphire if it is any other color.

    Other than that, I don’t think I’ve seen a great Superbowl ad since the herding cats ad. Well, maybe I have, but the cats are still my favorite.

    Comment by Pot calling kettle Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 3:05 pm

35. Soccermom at 2:04. You have a good point, but even though the FBers on Facebook may not know who made the commercial, you can bet the FBers at Farm Bureau know who made it.

    Comment by Blago's Hare Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 5:17 pm

36. Yeah, the outage was really somethin’ although MY extended family at the party thought it a great opportunity to actually communicate/talk to each OTHER and catch up on things, rather than continue with comments about/reactions to just the GAME. Turned out to be quite refreshing once we understood there was not terrorism involved! Brilliant moves by OREO and MLB, too. I also thought the Farmer Tribute was moving ‘n it was good to hear ‘ol Paul Harvey’s voice again (I kept waiting hear his comment ’bout the next page!) although it went on a bit long–Dodge Ram pick-up truck sales should see a marked increase among the Farming Community after all of THAT praise!

    Comment by Just The Way It Is One Monday, Feb 4, 13 @ 7:59 pm

37. Fritchey seems to have borrowed his tweet. See #19 posted at 8:48 pm, to the Commisshes 1:56 am(interesting). http://www.buzzfeed.com/jpmoore/the-funniest-tweets-of-the-great-super-bowl-blacko

    Comment by Dewey Dilligent Tuesday, Feb 5, 13 @ 10:02 am

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