Behind the excitement of the Super Bowl Advertising Awards is the difference between business and culture
The Super Bowl LVI staged a gripping game on Sunday, but there were a lot of puzzling things in terms of commercials — like Temu and RFK JR- Only a handful of creatively clever ads that still follow a traditional business model stand out. The Kansas City Chiefs cemented their dynastic position in the NFL by defeating the San Francisco 49ers in overtime at Union Stadium in Las Vegas. For fans who have been following the relationship between Chiefs close end Travis Kelsey and Tyler Swift, the game was also a Hollywood moment that ended with Kelsey's kiss of victory, but the ups and downs of the game itself remained the focus of attention (one of Kelsey's outbursts became a meme).
From high-profile personnel changes to partnerships, technology, and more, this weekly newsletter will keep you updated on the latest organization news, analysis, and trends. Marketers have adopted a tried-and-true strategy to get similar moments in the sun, opting to take a conservative approach after a year of controversy rife with culture wars, even as the reality of election cycles and global conflict remains unsettlingly creeping in. As with last year's big game, too many companies relied on the presence of celebrities (and in many cases, celebrities) to score points, while humor, wit and connection to the product were strangely missing. A flurry of boring cameos benefited ads with a truly unique perspective, such as the winning work between Cer**e and Michael Serra, or the Arnold Schwarzenegger accent in State Farm's ad, which topped USA Today's list of high-profile ads.
This year's Super Bowl is a 'hodgepodge,'" Jason Harris, president and CEO of the agency Mekanism, said in an email comment. "Advertisers are trying too hard. Instead of using one celebrity, they used 5 or 6. Instead of telling one clear joke, they want to tell several. For many, it's too complicated and it's hard to even remember the brand. ”
Overall, the innovation campaign kept a low profile during CBS's live streams, with a handful of ads promoting companies like AI, Doordash, and TurboTax connecting linear channels with mobile devices. A vibrant, kid-friendly** Nickelodeon simulation livestream also blended a glittering extravaganza in Las Vegas, which didn't match the glitz of Las Vegas other than Usher's stunning halftime show and numerous ** guests, including Alicia Keys.
Andrew Hunt, executive creative director of Ogilvy, said of the Super Bowl LVI commercial: "The biggest surprise was that there was almost no risk. "I think that's going to be largely forgotten. There are certainly some bright spots, but few brands give us a reason to discuss outside of this news cycle. ”
As expected, Super Bowl marketers rely heavily on celebrities to amplify their advertising appeal and reach. But as more Super Bowl commercials** celebrities appear, it's becoming increasingly important to make authentic connections between brand ambassadors, brands, and the wider culture.
Dunkin's Donuts builds on last year's Super Bowl highlights, continuing its popular campaign featuring famed brand fanatic Ben Affleck, interspersed with a number of meaningful celebrity cameos. In an ad that aired at this month's Grammys, Affleck was praised for chasing his dream of pop stardom with his wife Jennifer Lopez, best friend Matt Damon, and another New England icon, Tom Brady.
* Ted Walberg, senior vice president and creative director at agency Mower, said in an email comment: "In terms of spectacle, entertainment and branding, I would give Dunkin's donuts an award because the company doubled down on Affleck's Boston connections and shaped celebrity caricatures." ”
Both State Farm and BMW played with the actor's distinctive accent to good effect, with the insurance brand mimicking Schwarzenegger's pronunciation of "neighbor" and the automaker nodding his head to indicate that the good (or bad) impression of Christopher Walken was still in vogue. The two ads also add to the gimmick with another celebrity connection: State Farm reunites Schwarzenegger with his "twin" co-star Danny DeVito, and BMW makes a halftime performer appearance.
Fred Kaplan, a marketing executive, said brands would continue to work to "break the internet" with ads designed for virality, and Verizon did just that, with one of their ads featuring Beyoncé in a stunning spot. The global pop superstar tried – in vain – to break Verizon's internet with a series of ever-larger stunts, from opening a lemonade stand to showing off robots ("beyonc-ai") to donning the Barbie brand and performing in space. When none of that worked, Beyoncé ended the ad by releasing a new ** and releasing a new song to hint at the new **.
Scott McLeod, VIA's head of planning, said that according to Verizon's performance of Beyoncé, it was "a big surprise in a Super Bowl full of teasing and leaks."
In an emailed comment, the executive said: "The move isn't just about promoting Verizon (although it does a great job); It's a great example of how to leverage the Super Bowl platform for maximum impact, combining product placement with personal branding and cultural moments that feel both seamless and exciting. ”
L'Oréal's CER**e brand has unveiled the outcome of its campaign with Michael Serra. After weeks of pseudo-virality and podcast appearances, the actor pitched his pitch to the CERe board of directors in the hope of becoming its new spokesperson, a clever and memorable celebrity collaboration that coincided with the off-the-beaten-path humor of comedy duo Tim and Eric, who directed the ad.
Ogilvy's Hunter said: "For me, Michael Sierra won the race. It does everything that a Super Bowl ad is supposed to do. It was a big surprise for the category, harnessing star power in a way that only they could do, and it was both tailored to socialize before and after the game. ”
But among the celebrity-blessed winners, there are quite a few failed ads full of star power, such as Uber food delivery, T-Mobile, and Homescom、e.l.f.Advertisers like Cosmetics and Michelob Ultra use the same tactic but miss the mark.
Kyle Telman, Associate Creative Director of Experiences at Siegel+Gale, said: "The celebrity multiverse opens its doors to a myriad of related or completely unrelated personalities and A, B or C celebrities. "That's it. Trend preset ads**More celebrities mean a wider audience. ”
Before celebrities became a common tactic in Super Bowl commercials, weird humor and huge creative swings took hold. This year, a lot of the discussion revolves around ads that have become strange for the wrong reasons, such as an animated temu ad that has been played several times that looks like some edge mobile game, leaving viewers confused about what exactly this e-commerce platform does.
Rob Canales, Chief Strategy Officer at Third Eye, said in an email review about the temu campaign: "Despite the strategic ** placement, it didn't do enough. There is even more potential for creativity and inspiration. Every time it was broadcast repeatedly during a game, I felt that it frustrated the viewer rather than engaged. ”
In line with industry-wide trends, brands are trying to avoid a minefield of controversy and culture wars, with only a few, such as Dove, targeting the heart of mass advertising. However, the broadcast is rife with politics and reasons, even if the NFL wants to avoid previous blunders.
Joel Leon, creative director of T Brand Studios, said in an email comment: "While the NFL seems to have dominated the anti-political rhetoric of the headlines during the Colin Kaepernick kneeling era, there seems to have been quite a few politically charged ads during the Super Bowl. ”
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Antisemitism debuted at the Super Bowl with an event that spoke about fighting all forms of hate in a broader light, while Pfizer — whose Covid vaccine remains at a political crossroads — brought a celebration of the history of scientific progress to Queen's "Don't Stop Me" tune, culminating in a fight against cancer. At the regional level, village stars Lenny Wilson, Jerry Rohr and Valerie Jones promoted health care** transparency in a public service announcement from the advocacy group Patient Power, while Scientology demanded that people of all faiths learn more about the religion.
In the biggest religious statement of the night, Jesus-focused advocacy group He Gets Us returned to the Super Bowl to promote inclusivity, but a pair of ads drew confusion and anger at religious groups spending money on Super Bowl ads instead of helping people.
Jason Walske, executive creative director of David Miami, said in an email comment: "I thought I was the only one who felt uncomfortable, but at the end of the first [He Gets Us ad] someone at the Super Bowl party said 'What did I just watch?'" ’”
The most politically charged ad was also one of the least popular of the night: the American Values Super PAC in support of Robert F. Kennedy.
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