Monday Morning Quarterbacking: Super Bowl Ad Review
If we didn’t do our gameplay replay of Super Bowl ad trends, we would be derelict as business media covering the media landscape.
At $7-8M for a 30-second spot, big brands (and well-funded scaling brands) continue investing in this aspect of their media mixes. That’s a hefty spend, and unless it’s tied to other media that compel people to take action, it could be as fleeting as the end-of-game confetti.
Very few ads had distinct calls to action (or even QR codes, which seemed to be last year’s tactic). But here are some highlights:
- Celebrities abounded. Close to 50 percent of the ads featured big names. Does star power work? Perhaps. But it certainly adds additional expense to production.
- Old is the new new. Nostalgia abounded — from Hellman’s reboot of the Katz Deli scene in “When Harry Met Sally” to the iconic and familiar food mascots in an Instacart spot. This writer was also thrilled to see older actors in many of the spots. Advertising may, in fact, become more intergenerational in my lifetime. (But Reeses and Weathertek were both guilty of ageist imagery in their spots, which is never cool, especially given the spending power of the older population.)
- AI and tech-enhanced creative are everywhere. From the bizarre Meta Ray-Ban ads (with celebrities, of course) to a wide range of special effects (like turning singer Seal into a singing seal) and ads reassuring consumers that AI will help them in their human lives. Both YouTube TV and Coke ran spots showcasing the media evolution, so we can clearly see how we’re just living through the next phase in something that’s been going on for a while. We also saw media about media, from Tubi, Disney, and Fox — all vying for share of eyeballs.
- This year, MULO (multi-location) brands were not big players in the Super Bowl ad space. But the two MULO food brands that invested this year were Dunkin (with the reprise of their celebrity-studded and fun spots) and Taco Bell (which used real-life consumers rather than celebs). Little Caesars also advertised, but the “eyebrow spot” (see #5) seemed bizarre for a food brand. (Do I really want to think about facial hair when I order my pizza?) They are examples of companies using awareness media to reinforce their brand personalities. If you can’t track attribution, at least be consistent with your branding!
- CPG product ads abounded. Some were witty (like the Ultra pickleball hustle) and flying mustaches (Pringles) and eyebrows (Little Caesars), as well as Angel Soft’s bathroom break spot. Stella Artois had a fun ad which was an engaging story about twins (played by Matt Damon and David Beckham) separated at birth. As a consumer, I was sucked into the story, awaiting the outcome. Now that’s great advertising! Poppi Soda used influencers like Alix Earle, Jake Shane, and Love Island USA’s Rob Rausch in their spot. Which leads to #6…
- Influencer engagement can be a great way to get real-life product fans involved in marketing and create more trackable campaigns. According to Olivia McNaughten, Senior Director of Product Marketing and Partnerships at GRIN, “Creators brought value beyond the ad as they amplified the brand across their social channels, allowing for a full multi-channel approach. For example, Alix Earle, the influencer of the moment, was at the core of several brands’ influencer strategies, including Carls Junior’s nostalgia-inspired ad. They leveraged Alix’s platform to build hype leading up to the Super Bowl, with her promoting the shoot across her social media before it fully launched. We also saw brands partner with creators outside of the 30-second ad spots – such as Microsoft Co-Pilot’s partnership with Katie Austin and Camille Kostek. The Sports Illustrated swim duo dropped a collab ad, using the Co-pilot to navigate their time in New Orleans. Ultimately, this year’s brands who ‘won the creator game’ leveraged the valuable reach of their influencer partnerships to expand campaigns beyond what any ad placement is capable of.”
- Lesser-known brands often use the Super Bowl as an expensive way to gain broad-reach exposure. Hexclad, for example, bet the ranch (or the stovetop) on a spot with Chef Curtis Stone and Pete Davidson.
- Standing up for freedom and diversity are always a way to cement a big brand’s reputation and values. Our monthly “Brands With Soul” series is a shout-out to the MULO companies with heartfelt missions. This year’s “soul-based” brands were Jeep, Nike, Dove, Pfizer, and Nerds. And, although they were trying to sell their services in their ad spot, Rocket Mortgage also invested in a very clever “Moment of Unity,” compelling the crowd to join in a singalong.
So, how will all these brands assess the ROI of their 2025 spend? Some brands had a clear call to action (like e-mailing Bill Murray or entering Fetch’s interactive giveaway).
Others will closely watch website visits and sales volumes over the next few months.
Perhaps that’s $8M (or more) will never be directly tracked to revenue but, like the great American sport itself, Super Bowl spend is here to stay! After all, what else would marketers have to talk about for 60 days?
