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Keller @ Large: Babies And Dogs - Things We Care About

BOSTON (CBS) - In the interests of not being any more predictable than absolutely necessary, I tried hard not to mention the Super Bowl ads in the days preceding and following the big game.

Listen to Jon's commentary:

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But today I have to take note of the results of an online poll by USA Today and Facebook that asked viewers to vote for their favorite ad.

They say that nothing sells better than sex, but not in this case.

The GoDaddy ad featuring the usual scantily clad women finished dead last in the survey.

And while those big-budget ads for Kia and Chrysler stirred up some buzz, they didn't top the list either.

Instead, the big winners were the one with the cute dog fetching beers for everyone, and the Doritos ad featuring the adorable baby who uses a slingshot to snatch the chips away from his obnoxious older brother.

Cute babies.

And cute dogs.

This really shouldn't come as that much of a surprise.

What do we see when we look at a baby?

Innocence.  Hope, and promise.

A pure image of ourselves, perhaps, back in the days before….whatever has happened since.

If you can't smile at the sight of a little baby, it may be a sign that you've lost your sense of wonder and humility.

And apparently, quite a few of us got a kick out of the baby in the Doritos ad, all smiles and laughter, triumphing over the selfishness and greed that lies ahead of him.

And what do we see when we look at a cute dog, especially one doing amusing tricks?

Innocence, again, and loyalty.

Intelligence. And unconditional love.

All the things we rarely if ever see in the adult human world we live in.

There's a reason why so many ads, in the Super Bowl or elsewhere, feature babies and dogs.

Those advertisers want to tie their brands to the rare qualities they represent, qualities cars and supermodels can't deliver.

No wonder we spend so many billions on baby stuff and dog stuff.

When it comes to love, money, it seems, is no object.

You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. and 12:25 p.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News.

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