For a threatened medium, TV sure draws the viewers. The overnights are in and it turns out yesterday’s Superbowl set a record as the most watched TV in history – ever.

But wait. I know you skeptics out there will want to be certain. So, in local markets the share/rating numbers were also exceptionally high as noted, for example, in this market in New Hampshire.

And what’s particularly interesting is that if anyone thought it might be the ads that were drawing people, this is the second year in a row where the advertising was remarkable only for its near-complete lack of viewer value. (Nobody can even claim that the bulk of it was entertaining.)

It’s good news that there weren’t any big fails. But the ads were so lukewarmly uncommunicative that my 14 year old son decided that NBC’s ads for its own programming were about the best ads we saw. (He did like the Chevy Truck Apocalypse ad and the Dorito’s dog and baby ads.)

Personally, I loved the filmmaking in the Clint Eastwood ad – what a great statement. Except, that didn’t make it a good ad. I struggle with what appears to be Chrysler’s big lie. Chrysler cars aren’t really made in Detroit (a lot of Chrysler cars are made in Canada). And, while Detroit is thankfully having a bit of renaissance, it’s from economic recovery by diversification. This is poor strategic thinking at Chrysler that will catch up with them some day.

Anyway, dickering about advertising quality aside, these results are damn fine for a medium that’s supposed to be failing. Of course, if you read my blog you’ll know that I believe TV is far more vital and alive than it’s ever been.

And these Superbowl numbers are just more evidence of that vitality.

Copyright 2012 – Doug Garnett – All Rights Reserved