how to win the super bowl

+ developing your unique POV, my favs, being agile today

the ads are quite literally MY Super Bowl. and to be so real? I truly love the content.

I’m entertained, I feel something, one even made me cry (more on that later!).

It reflects the best of the advertising business and some of the worst. It’s why I joined an agency, and it’s why I love this work so damn much. There’s also a lot to learn, great memes, usually alcohol, and it’s the only time my parents get what I do for a living (sort of?).

But if you’ve been online the last week or so, you also know there’s a lot of swirl.

So many opinions on what’s effective, theories around what trends they did or did not latch onto, and fan fiction about what the creative directors were thinking (lol).

As a person in advertising, marketing, brand (or otherwise, truly), having your own unique point of view is SO, so important.

And on the biggest ad day of the year, when the rest of America actually cares too, it’s the perfect time to refine your advertising taste buds.

It’s what makes you special, what shapes your work, and in the world of AI and slop and copy/pasted opinions? it’s how you win.

so whether it’s tonight or over the next few days, form your own opinion first.

3 questions to ask yourself:

01_Do you know what they were marketing?

This is the BASELINE, but somehow brands still fail to do this. Was the product clear?

Was it something new, something old with refreshed messaging, a newer category (hi, Poppi!)?

And was it clear why someone should know or buy this brand in particular? What’s their differentiator?

I struggle with the UberEats spot because it never tells me WHY UberEats over other delivery options. Still great storytelling though — creating lore is such a fun premise.

02_Did it make you feel?

I feel everything anyway (that’s a bit of me!). But a goooood spot should make you feel something.

Can you pinpoint the feeling, and what they did in their storytelling to make that happen?

Happy little kids, aging parents, and pets get me.

Google always does this so well — have tissues nearby for this year’s Pixel spot.

03_Was it memorable?

Driving recall following the game is important — awareness alone isn’t enough to mark success.

The 8 million dollar buys (at minimum, not including production, talent, etc) need to be worth it and drive actual brand results.

taking it further:

04_How did people around you react to it? What’s your reaction to their reaction?

05_Do you think the story, drama, or tension was paid off? Did they create a story just to slap their product on-screen at the end? Did it fall flat, or feel satisfying?

06_Do they use humor, and how does it land? Did people actually laugh IRL? Was it trying too hard?

07_Was it truly entertaining? Is it something you want to send to your friends? Do you want to watch it again?

as someone very smart told me recently:

what you find interesting is interesting. notice what you’re noticing.

speaking of taste —

my favorite spots (in no particular order):

• Hellmann’s When Sally Met Hellmann’s, of course

  • VML-led, with support from Edelman (hi!), Collectively, Village Marketing, et al

  • Our nostalgia play is clear, but I don’t think that’s necessarily what makes it a winner. There’s a clear story, drama (that’s what I’m calling Sally’s reaction), with a natural role for product. If I didn’t work on this I would be jealous.

• Ram’s Goldilocks and the Three Trucks

  • Top-tier humor. Incredibly distinct and memorable. Absurd as hell. And you learn about the product in the process. 0 notes.

  • Shoutout to my old friends at GSD&M for this one. Ok, now I’m jealous.

• Mountain Dew’s Kiss from a Lime

  • Another absurd one featuring SEAL. Surreal, wonky, other-wordly, excellent. The lime moniker atop of the singalong lyrics is perfect and is something I’ll remember — and literally tells you about the product.

I won’t be a hater and tell you the ones I disliked. I’m working on that, lol.

But overall, I felt there was a lot of absurd storytelling with little payoff, a lack of differentiation, and fluffy laughs with little substance.

But hey, they’re still fun and it’s not my P&L!!!!

Oh and if you’re reading this on Sunday,

a few rules on being agile for the big game (but also apply almost all the time):

• Do it quick or not at all

• Lo-fi and speed over high-production

• Everyone is going to move on from this tomorrow, don’t produce something on Monday unless it’s truly an incredible idea or a follow-up to your spot

• Listen to your social team and those who are very-online

• Nothing political or involving safety pls (the Philly fans climbing flag polls? Probably don’t touch it)

• Hop on something within the hour, max 2

• Listen to the fans first

Hope you get your free hangover burger tomorrow. Thanks, Alix Earle.

See you on the feeds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

✨ DRL