To the advertising world, the Super Bowl is like Christmas. It’s that special time of the year where clients with airtime booked during the big game ask their Creatives to bring their A-game to compete in their own ballpark – the league of advertising. It’s where great ideas and the perfect endorsements get the chance to capture the attention of millions.
It cost $7m for just 30 seconds of airtime this year. Here’s a sample of the ones who stood out for the right reasons.
GM and Netflix show how brands can promote each other well
Cross-brand promotions can be difficult to pull off, doubly-so in such a prime spot as the Super Bowl. There needs to be a reasonable connection between the brands, an interesting rationale, and a good amount of charisma. Enter Will Ferrell.
Uber uses nostalgia in an unfamiliar way
There’s always a healthy amount of nostalgia-tinged ads during the big game. Most do their job well but are pretty forgettable. Uber took a fun approach to it, utilising updates to one-hit-wonder songs to promote their Uber One service.
UBER ONE – ONE HIT FOR UBER ONE
Workday bring a rock star attitude to celebrity endorsements
Other than cute kids or cute animals, one of the most trusted ways of getting attention in a Super Bowl ad is the celebrity endorsement. These days though, you have to go some way to make it work, but Workday stood out by using celebs that bring a certain charm.
Workday Big Game Spot: Rock Star
The Farmer’s Dog shows sentiment can be subtle
Sentiment in advertising can be very tricky to get right. Often it’s too heavy-handed and comes across as overly schmaltzy or massively preachy. But this year, a small company showed how to get the balance right in their first ever national ad.
Forever (Super Bowl) Extended Cut | The Farmer’s Dog
Ram-handle a sensitive subject with originality and humour
America is a country that loves its cars, specifically their petrol versions. The manufacturer, Ram, decided to tackle the tricky subject that may be keeping many of America’s male drivers from switching to an EV. Their take on the cause? Premature Electrification. Yep, exactly what you’re thinking.
“Premature Electrification” | Ram Trucks
The takeaway
Originality will always capture attention, but it needs to be done in the right way. It’s so important to get the right balance between standing out and being relatable and familiar for your customers, and these are all great examples of doing that well.
Not sure what that could look like for your brand? Get in touch and our team of Creatives can help you get started.
