Very expensive legacy Super Bowl ad left viewers wondering

Topline: The best Super Bowl commercials become an essential part of American pop culture, but even the mediocre ones are at least effective in advertising a product.

Taxpayers would be forgiven, though, if they were left confused by an ad for the U.S. Census in 2010. The federal government spent $2.5 million for the 30-second commercial, but the ad’s odd marketing techniques likely did not boost participation in the Census.

That’s according to the “Wastebook” reporting published...