Watch All The Super Bowl Ads On YouTube…Just Not Before The Game

On Super Bowl Sunday, at gatherings all over the country, people will come together to watch commercials. Sure, some of us (myself included) will be more interested in the big game, but let’s not kid ourselves:  for many Americans, the most interesting part of Super Bowl parties (aside from the food, of course) is the laughter, applause, and cries of ‘what the f**k?’ that follow notable commercials.

Of course, in recent years, there’s always a party pooper or two: someone sitting in the back of the room, beer in hand, who remains detached during each commercial break because he ‘saw them on YouTube before the game.’ Watching Super Bowl ads on the Internet before the actually air has become far too common a trend, and I’d like to use this space to beg of you: please don’t be that guy.

All the ads will be there after the game, and YouTube is even doing you the favor of compiling them all in one convenient place. The video sharing giant is re-launching its AdBlitz channel in partnership with Adweek. After the confetti has fallen, every ad will be available at your leisure, and you will be able to vote on your favorites. A new video from YouTube has Destorm pimping the feature. You want to be like Destorm, don’t you?

Look, I understand why advertisers post their ads early. They want to get a chance to affect you while you’re still a blank slate. But you don’t have to play their game. The ads aren’t going anywhere. I love the idea of YouTube being at the center of the American consciousness, at least for one day of commercial binging, but a view is a view regardless of whether you provide it before or after the game.

YouTube is making it easy for us to get as much out of the ads as possible. There will be games on the AdBlitz channel, plenty of ways to communicate via social media while the commercials are airing, and even a Google Hangout where Adweek’s execs will break down the advertisement highlights and lowlights. All you need to do is hold out for a few more days.

The ability to experience a shared emotion with a group of people is a powerful one. After all, that’s why we watch sports in the first place, and without sports there would be no Super Bowl commercials. So when Super Bowl Sunday rolls around, make sure you haven’t ruined the suspense for yourself. Grab some snacks, find the most optimal seat for viewing the TV, and join the fun.