The NFL championship game is officially in the books, and with it, another year’s worth of unbelievable advertisements from some of the world’s biggest brands. While we love sports here at Stephen Arnold Music, as a sonic branding agency, we naturally pay close attention to the sounds of every spot, knowing that no matter how funny or weird or dramatic your commercial, one of the most eloquent and memorable expressions of a brand is through sound. Of course we had to rank our favorites. With over 60 commercials to choose from and actual costs skyrocketing to $40M for a :30 spot, we definitely had our work cut out for us this year. Here are SAM’s top picks for the best sounding spots of the big game. Doritos - Invasion Talk about tension and release!  This spot combines drama-infused sound effects, impeccable timing and minimal dialogue – with no music soundtrack whatsoever. You can almost taste the crunch of the Doritos and understand why he doesn’t want to lose them! The drama builds as he struggles to hold onto the bag, and then the sound snaps like a rubber band. Plus, the quick shot of the tin foil hat in the upper right corner was an unexpected “Easter Egg.” Sometimes shorter commercials are the most effective! Doritos Invasion Coors Light – Slow Monday We’ve all had a case of the Monday blahs, right? Well, Coors Light nailed this concept with stunning imagery of slow-paced sloths dealing with everyday situations at their natural pace. But what about the sound? In this case, a perfectly selected music track completes and amplifies the visuals and seamlessly stitches the scenes together. The fact that it is a familiar and memorable... Read More