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Best Super Bowl 2022 Commercials for Figures of Speech

By February 14, 2022October 23rd, 2023No Comments
Cincinnati Bengals pep rally before game - super bowl 2022 commercials

This year, I am changing things up a bit for Super Bowl commercials. Typically, I list my favorite Super Bowl 2022 commercials with commentary about the effectiveness of each commercial’s message, narrative text, visuals, and music.

This year, my focus is on the words themselves, not on the effectiveness of the words. The words as they are literally ordered in the text of the commercial. I watched over 60 commercials and selected the ones with deliberate use of figures of speech/rhetoric.

Figures of Speech or words of Rhetoric are used to (dramatically) improve your content, your words. Specifically, to improve the effectiveness and impact of your words. High-impact uses of figures of speech combined with artful, well-delivered narrative, make for a very, very potent combination. At The Chief Storyteller®, we regularly use about 30 figures of speech (from more than 500) in our training, workshops, consulting, and coaching.

As you watch the commercials, listen for the figures of speech identified in the table below. Then take this heightened awareness for figures of speech and start applying this new awareness to your everyday life. Look at magazine advertisements, newspaper headlines, television commercials (of course), billboards, drink cups, motivational posters, etc. Most include figures of speech. In fact, many of the commercials have what I call “Nested Figures of Speech.” This is where a) there are multiple figures of speech within one sentence or b) multiple figures of speech within a short amount of text. Most of the ads highlighted below have nested figures of speech.

The complexity at first glance may seem a bit overwhelming. Once you start realizing how figures of speech are used, you will become more adept at picking them out rather quickly as many are based on patterns. To read all of the figures of speech blog posts, click here.

This blog is constructed in two parts:

  1. The table below lists our favorite figures of speech with brief descriptions. On our blog we have several posts with detailed information and more examples. Please click on the links.
  2. Commercials best illustrating rhetoric have their YouTube link, the text of the commercial, and a table with the figure of speech and its application.
FIGURE OF SPEECH DESCRIPTION
Alliteration Recurrence of an initial consonant sound. For the purposes of creating your story, we consider any recurring consonant and vowel
Anaphora Repetition of the same word at the beginning of successive clauses or verses
Asyndeton Omission of conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses
Auxesis Words or clauses placed in a climatic order
Epiphora
Repetition of the same word at the ending of successive clauses or verses
Epizeuxis Emphatic repetition of a word with no other words between
Diacope Repetition of a word or words in succeeding clauses, that are not adjacent and can be separated by sentences or paragraphs
Hyperbole Exaggeration used for emphasis and not intended to be taken literally. Ensure it is obvious and not perceived as true or real
Metaphor/Simile As a simile is a metaphor, we combine them. Compare two things not alike and have something in common, to create deeper meaning
Onomatopoeia Add energy with sound words. Words sounding like their meaning or words sounding like their use by the noun making the noise
Personification Assign human qualities to a thing, an idea, or an abstract concept
Pleonasm Use extra qualifying words to amplify your point
Portmanteau
A word whose form and meaning are derived from blending two or more words
Synecdoche
A part of something is used to represent the whole (e.g., ABCs for the alphabet)

“The New Frontier” – Salesforce

Text for Super Bowl 2022 Commercial

Space. The boundary of human achievement. The new frontier. Eh. It’s not time to escape. It’s time to engage. It’s time to plant more trees. Hoo! It’s time to build more trust. It’s time to make more space for all of us. So, while the others look to the metaverse in Mars, let’s stay here and restore ours. Yeah, it’s time to blaze our trail. ‘Cause the new frontier? It ain’t rocket science. It’s right here.

FIGURE OF SPEECH WORD OR PHRASE
Metaphor 1 Space
Metaphor 2 Boundary
Metaphor 3 New frontier
Metaphor 4 Blaze our trail
Asyndeton Most of the commercial has no conjunctions or transitions, making most of the sentence construction adhere to asyndeton
Anaphora 1 It’s time to including the one use of “it’s not”  (five times)
Anaphora 2 Time to  (two times)
Anaphora 3 It/it’s  (two times in the last two sentences)
Diacope 1, 2 Time and time to  (eight times)
Diacope 3 It/it’s  (ten times)
Auxesis The entire text is comprised of words placed in climatic order

“Gong” – Gong.io

Text for Super Bowl 2022 Commercial – Without Gong Sounds

Thanks to Gong, our sales teams are closing more deals than ever. To celebrate, we gave everyone sales gongs. Yeah. Gong gives us visibility and sales insights. It analyzes team performance, customer interaction, and market changes. So everyone can unlock reality to reach their full potential. Anyway, Gong’s been a real hit.

Text for Super Bowl 2022 Commercial – With Gong Sounds

Thanks to Gong, our sales teams are closing more deals than ever. To celebrate, we gave everyone sales gongs. (gong booms) Yeah. Gong (gong booms) gives us visibility (gong booms x3) and sales insights (gong booms). It analyzes team performance, customer interaction (gong booms x4), and market changes (gong booms x3). So everyone can unlock reality to reach their full potential (gong dings x10) (glass breaks). Anyway, Gong’s been a real hit (gong booms).

FIGURE OF SPEECH WORD OR PHRASE
Diacope 1 Gong (four times)
Diacope 2 Sales (three times)
Onomatopoeia Technically, the actual gong sound is not Onomatopoeia, as Onomatopoeia is a sound word. Given the style of the commercial and the tongue-and-cheek approach of sounding so many gongs, that is, the high repetition count, I’m counting this as Onomatopoeia
Metaphor 1 Unlock reality
Metaphor 2 Reach their full potential
Personification 1 Gong give us visibility…
Personification 2 Gong’s been a real hit

“Fortune: Life’s a Gamble” – DraftKings

Text for Super Bowl 2022 Commercial

They say Fortune is fickle. Wrong! I just know what I like. And it ain’t settling for three. Because life’s a gamble. Namath guaranteed? Gamble. Evil gunning it for glory. Love?  Gamble. So, let’s make it interesting. I put a million bucks in up to five Draftkings sports book accounts. Lay it all on tonight’s game or kiss it goodbye. “Hello Fortune.”

FIGURE OF SPEECH WORD OR PHRASE
Personification Fortune (two times) – “Fortune is Fickle” and “Hello Fortune
Alliteration 1 “F” — Fortune is fickle
Alliteration 2 “G” — Namath guaranteed?  Gamble. Evil gunning it for glory. Love? Gamble.
Diacope 1 Fortune  (two times)
Diacope 2 Gamble  (three times)
Metaphor 1 Life’s a gamble
Metaphor 2 Kiss it goodbye

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“What’s Gotten into Lindsay?” – Planet Fitness

Text for Super Bowl 2022 Commercial

[Voice over by William Shatner] People are wondering. “What’s happened to Lindsay?” She’s never been sharper. This basketball star married himself in 1996. “Who is Dennis Rodman? (Lindsay Lohan) Correct. “Son of a …” (Dennis Rodman). She’s sleeping better than ever, which the paparazzi aren’t thrilled about. “I miss Lindsay” (paparazzi photographer). She’s even more productive trading DUI’s for DIY. The verdict is (Lindsay). “Gorgeous” (Danny Trejo). Maybe it’s not what’s gotten into Lindsay. It’s what Lindsay’s gotten into. “Hey William” (Lindsay). Planet Fitness. Get glowing and feel fitacular.

FIGURE OF SPEECH WORD OR PHRASE
Diacope 1 Lindsay  (four times)
Diacope 2 She’s  (three times)
Alliteration 1 “D” — trading DUI’s for DIY
Alliteration 2 “G” — Get glowing
Alliteration 3 “F” — Feel fitacular
Metaphor 1 Get glowing 
Portmanteau Fitacular
Metaphor 2 Fitacular

“Work without Limits” – Monday.com

Text for Super Bowl 2022 Commercial

Let’s do great things. Wonderful things. Let’s work in new ways. With our own tools. Our own rules. So, what we do, isn’t limited by well, that’s just how it’s been done. With Monday.com Work OS, we can work without limits and make everything possible, so we can take on anything.

FIGURE OF SPEECH WORD OR PHRASE
Anaphora 1 Let’s  (two times)
Asyndeton Let’s do great things. Wonderful things. Let’s work in new ways. With our own tools. Our own rules.
Diacope Work  (three times)
Anaphora 2 Our own  (two times)
Anaphora 3 We can  (two times)
Auxesis The entire text is comprised of words placed in climatic order

“Feed The Debate” – PLANTERS Deluxe Mixed Nuts

Text for Super Bowl 2022 Commercial

Joel McHale (JM):  “Why do you eat mixed nuts one at a time?”
Ken Jeong (KJ): “Why do you eat them all together?”
JM:  “If only you were as selective with your rules as you are with your nuts.”
KJ:  “Hey. Here’s a thought. Why don’t I just get you a feed bag?”
JM:  “They’re called mixed nuts. You’re supposed to mix them.”
KJ:  “Ahemmm. Internet, how do you like your mix nuts? One at a time?”
JM:  “Or all together, the right way?”
KJ:  “Send.”
JM:  “Like anyone’s gonna care.”
Man with Mustache:  “Hey, it’s Ken Jeong.”
Video plays in background: KJ:  “How do you like your mix nuts? One at a time?” JM: “Or all together, the right way?”
[Dramatic Music begins]
Woman with phone:  “All?”
Man with glasses:  “One at a time?”
Man with Mustache:  “You’re a one-nutter?
Woman with phone:  “So, you don’t make any decisions”
Man with Mustache:  “Why are you buying mixed nuts and then unmixing them?”
Man with glasses:  “Aaahhhh! You’re a foodie now?”
People in the streets chanting:  “All” and “One”
News anchor:  “The question on America’s mind… is it All or One?”
[Text on screen:  “Nation divided over mixed nuts. Seriously”]
People in the streets chanting:  “All” and “One.” Car driving through the street has a sign, “One One One One” and writing on side of car One, twice
JM:  “Who knew America would tear itself apart over a relatively minor difference of opinion?”
[Text on screen with product placement plus “A Delicious Debate”]
KJ: “Hmmmm. Not me.”
People in the streets chanting:  “All” and “One”

FIGURE OF SPEECH WORD OR PHRASE
Diacope 1 Mixed nuts  (four times)
Diacope 2 All  (more than 10 times)
Diacope 3 One  (more than 10 times)
Anaphora Why do you eat  (two times)
Asyndeton Car sign… One One One One plus One on side of the car twice
Synecdoche America – representing the entire country  (two times)
Personification 1 America’s mind, and America
Metaphor America’s mind
Personification 2 Nation divided
Alliteration “D” — Delicious Debate
Hyperbole “So, you don’t make any decisions?”

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“Dream House with Anna Kendrick and Barbie” – Rocket Homes and Rocket Mortgage

Text for Super Bowl 2022 Commercial

Anna Kendrick (AK):  “Barbie really wants this dream house. It’s got stunning views and a slide.”
Voice Over Singers (VOS):  “Barbie’s ready for fun.”
Little Girl 1 (LG1):  “So cool.”
AK:  “And Barbie found out about this dream house with an alert from Rocket Homes.”
LG:  “She did?”
AK:  “Well it’s a super competitive market.  Everyone wants to buy the dream house.”
VOS:  “Better Offer Betty.”
Better Offer Betty (BOB):  “I’ll go 10 over asking.”
VOS:  “Cash Offer Carl.”
Cash Offer Carl (COC):  “Straight cash.”
VOS:  “House Flipper Skipper.”
House Flipper Skipper (HFS):  “Let’s tear it to the studs.”
AK:  “You vultures. You’re gonna start a bidding war.”
VOS:  “This is less than ideal.”
LG/VOS:  “Oh no!”
AK:  “Don’t worry. Barbie has a verified approval that shows her finances are backed by Rocket Mortgage. So, Barbie wins.”
BOB/COC/HFS:  “We need a house.”
AK:  “Oh. I found a fixer-upper castle on Rocket Homes.”
Little Girl 2 (LG2):  “It has good bones. And reallllllly bad neighbors.”
Skeletor:  Cackling Sound
AK:  “I like his vibe. Get your dream house all in one place with Rocket Homes and Rocket Mortgage for a better way to find and finance, Rocket can.”
LG1:  “Thanks for helping.”
AK:  “No problem. It’s good for my glutes.”

FIGURE OF SPEECH WORD OR PHRASE
Personification 1 Barbie  (five times)
Metaphor 1 Barbie  (five times)
Diacope 1 Barbie  (five times)
Metaphor 2 Dream House  (four times)
Diacope 2 Dream House  (four times)
Alliteration 1, 2, 3 Better Off Betty, Cash Offer Carl, House Flipper Skipper
Alliteration 4 “F” — better way to find and finance
Metaphor 3 Vultures
Metaphor 4 Bidding war

“Here’s to the Lazy Ones” – Cutwater Spirits

Text for Super Bowl 2022 Commercial

Here’s to the lazy ones. The renegades. The outliers. The unsung geniuses. The ones who live life differently. Working smarter not harder. You can make fun of them or ignore them. The one thing you can’t do, is disagree with them. Because they reach better results with less effort. They push the human race in new ways. And while some may see them as the lazy
ones, we see pioneers. Because the ones who make the most of their time are the ones who are ahead of it. Cutwater bar quality cocktails in a can.

FIGURE OF SPEECH WORD OR PHRASE
Asyndeton Most of the commercial has no conjunctions or transitions, making most of the sentence construction adhere to asyndeton
Auxesis The entire text is comprised of words placed in climatic order
Diacope 1 Lazy Ones  (two times)
Epiphora “Them” — You can make fun of them or ignore them
Diacope 2 Them  (three times)
Metaphor Pioneers
Diacope 3 Ones  (three times)

“Pangea” – Turkish Airlines

Text for Super Bowl 2022 Commercial

300 million years ago. There was no Africa, Asia, Americas or Europe. Just one, big super continent: Pangea. And today there is still a force connecting those divided by distance,
reversing millions of years of drifting. Making far feel close. Bringing there to here. We connect more countries than any other airline.

FIGURE OF SPEECH WORD OR PHRASE
Asyndeton Most of the commercial has no conjunctions or transitions, making most of the sentence construction adhere to asyndeton
Alliteration 1 Africa, Asia, Americas
Pleonasm Just one, big super continent
Alliteration 2 Divided by distance
Alliteration 3 Making far feel close
Alliteration 4 Bringing there to here   (rhyming sound)
Metaphor 1 We connect more countries
Metaphor 2 Force  (implication/assertion is that the force is Turkish Airlines)
Metaphor 3 / Synecdoche 1 Far  (implication/assertion that “far” is a representation for traveling around the world)
Metaphor 4 / Synecdoche 2 Bringing there to here  (implication/assertion that “there” is a representation for making travel easier and better with Turkish Airlines with “here” representing you)

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“Stuff, Made to Travel” – Expedia

Text for Super Bowl 2022 Commercial

Stuff. We love stuff and there’s some really great stuff out there. I doubt that any of us will look back in our lives and think, “I wish I bought an even thinner TV. Found a lighter light beer. Or had an even smarter smartphone.” Do you think any of us will look back in our lives and regret the things we didn’t buy or the places we didn’t go?

FIGURE OF SPEECH WORD OR PHRASE
Diacope Stuff  (three times)
Metaphor 1 / Synecdoche Stuff  – representing the various items we have bought in the entirety of our life
Alliteration 1 “S” — Stuff. We love stuff and there’s some really great stuff out there
Alliteration 2 “L” — Lighter light beer
Alliteration 3 “S” — Smarter smartphone
Metaphor 2 Or the places we didn’t go – the entire commercial is all about travel, experiences over material items we buy

“No Compromises” – Polestar

Text for Super Bowl 2022 Commercial

No
No epic voice overs
No punchlines
No dieselgate
No dirty secrets
No hidden agenda
No empty promises
No shortcuts
No conquering Mars
No blah blah blah
No settling
No greenwashing
No nonsense
No committees
No consensus
No compromises
No. 2
Polestar 2
100% electric

FIGURE OF SPEECH WORD OR PHRASE
Anaphora No  (seventeen times)
Diacope No  (seventeen times)
Asyndeton The entire commercial has no conjunctions or transitions, making all of the sentence construction adhere to asyndeton. Even the blah blah blah appears one word at a time
Auxesis The entire text is comprised of words placed in climatic order
Epizeuxis Blah blah blah
Epiphora / Alliteration No.2   followed by  Polestar 2
Personification / Metaphor There are a variety of “digs” the company is making toward Tesla (Mars) and Volkswagon (Dieselgate). Plus some of the narrative language alludes to big ideas, promises, etc. that give the Polestar vehicle a human quality and/or a human quality to the company, Volvo.

“Sally’s Seashells” – Squarespace

Text for Super Bowl 2022 Commercial

Sally sold seashells by the seashore. The seashells didn’t sell so well. So, Sally set up a seashell store on Squarespace. Soon, her seashells started selling. Sally was such a seaside sensation, she also sold swanky seashell accessories, seashell serenity sessions, savory seaside snacks, even seashell excursions of the seashore. Sally’s seashells were so successful, she sailed into the setting sun as a seashell celebrity. Shucks!

FIGURE OF SPEECH WORD OR PHRASE
Alliteration The entire narrative has a high density “S” word and “S” sound count
Diacope 1 Sally  (four times)
Diacope 2 Seashells  (nine times)
Synecdoche Seashells (implication/assertion “seashells” are a representation for goods and services you want to sell)
Metaphor Sailed into the setting sun
Hyperbole Seashell celebrity
Auxesis The entire text is comprised of words placed in climatic order

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Photography Source: Flickr: 5chw4r7z
#chiefstoryteller #commercials #figuresofspeech #language #superbowl

Ira Koretsky

Ira Koretsky has built The Chief Storyteller® into one of the most recognized names in communication, especially business storytelling. He has delivered over 500 keynote presentations and workshops in nearly a dozen countries, in more than one hundred cities, across 30 plus industries. His specialties are simplifying the complex and communicating when the stakes are high. He is also an adjunct professor in public speaking and storytelling at the University of Maryland's Business School. With over 25 years of experience, he is a sought-after storytelling coach, global speaker, trainer, consultant, communication coach, and public speaking coach.