In a year which saw most Super Bowl advertisers teasing or just straight up releasing their commercials ahead of the game to maximize social media play, Chrysler took a stealthier approach. There were rumors a few days before Super Bowl Sunday that Chrysler might tap Clint Eastwood for its spot, but nothing much else. That element of surprise gave the spot that much more weight when it did hit, so the already unusual film became something that viewers clammed up and paid attention to.

The dramatic two-minute spot, directed by David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express, All The Real Girls) opens with a shadowy figure walking through a darkened tunnel in a stadium. It soon becomes apparent from the voice-over who it is–it’s Clint and he’s got a message for America. Some viewers have observed that the spot reads as a political ad (sample copy: “It seems that we’ve lost our heart at times. The fog of discord, division and blame made it hard to see what lies ahead. But after those trials we all rallied around what was right and acted as one.”) though there’s no political message. It’s more stump speech and rallying cry. The core metaphor may creak under too much scrutiny, but the writing and overall execution are excellent–especially given the venue and the reading level of the other ads. There’s no Chrysler pitch and few car shots and the spot wraps with a close up of Clint in full “Do you feel lucky?” mode, promising that the world is “gonna hear the roar of our engines.”

“Halftime” is a continuation of the “Imported From Detroit” campaign that kicked off during last year’s Super Bowl with a similarly rousing spot starring Eminem (at publishing time, this year’s spot has been removed from YouTube due to a copyright claim by the NFL).

Expect to see more marketers return to debuting their Super Bowl spots in the game in 2013. Too many followed in the footsteps of VW this year, perhaps not realizing that the reason VW “The Force” found so much success last year as a pre-release, was that it was simply a great spot, and bore repeat viewings.

“It’s Halftime in America” was the clear highlight in a so-so Super Bowl year. You could choose to see this year’s Super Bowl as evidence that the ad industry has lost its mojo. Or, you could see the game as reflecting an industry in transition. As we’ve discussed here before, ad contests like USA Today‘s Ad Meter have tended to dumb down Super Bowl ads over the years, as agencies strive to hit that gag-driven formula that tends to win commercials ranking in the top 10 (a clue as to the link between ad quality and placement in the Ad Meter list: Chrysler’s “Imported From Detroit” placed number 43 last year. Bud’s “Dog Sitter” and Doritos “Pug Attack” tied for first place).

But those contests are becoming less relevant in the social media age–when marketers can measure the impact of their ads via more consumer-direct means. So, while there were still too many “classic,” trying-too-hard gags, there were also some brands that seemed to be trying something new. Most of them didn’t make it. But still. This year also saw a few attempts to create social media campaigns around the game that weren’t last-minute add-ons (read about some of the Super Bowl digital/social media efforts here), though not nearly as many as one would expect given the opportunities there.