Super Bowl commercials are known for being creative, funny, and sometimes controversial, but T-Mobile’s BDSM-themed commercials took the game day ads to a weird new level.
Sunday night, two T-Mobile ads compared Verizon customer experience to BDSM during the 2017 Super Bowl. The ads were meant to reflect the controversial (and media-hyped) BDSM-themed movie 50 Shades of Grey and its sequel 50 Shades Darker set to be released Feb. 9.
Starring comedian Kristen Schaal, the ads concluded, "Wireless pain is fine, if you're into that sort of thing. If not, get T-MobileOne."
One of the two ads sparked an unseemly Twitter feud between the two communication companies in which Verizon admitted it is “into BDSM” and replaced the original acronym standing for “Bondage and Discipline, Dominance and Submission, Sadism and Masochism” with “Bigger coverage map, Devastating Speed, and Massive capacity.”
Yes @Tmobile, we're into BDSM. Bigger coverage map, Devastating Speed, and Massive capacity.
— Verizon (@verizon) February 6, 2017
T-Mobile CEO John Legere responded from his personal Twitter account.
.@verizon guys... it can't go any further. calm down. pic.twitter.com/jINXguIUAD
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) February 6, 2017
Verizon tweeted back at Legere:
Unfortunately no one will hear your safe word if you're on @Tmobile.
— Verizon (@verizon) February 6, 2017
Though sex-themed Super Bowl commercials are nothing new, it may be a surprise that they do not perform well. A 2016 CBS article revealed that “None of the 10 most-liked Super Bowl ads from 2011 through 2015 use sex as an advertising technique.”
The best performing commercial over that period was not about BDSM or anything controversial. Instead it was this gem:
You’re welcome.
