Super Bowl Ads that Popped
The ‘Big Game’ has always been a hot commodity for advertisers to leverage for ad space. These notoriously expensive ad spots are spectacles in their own right, and many people tune in to the Big Game just to see what these major corporations will churn out during the commercial breaks. From the ‘1984 Apple Ad’ to Andy Warhol eating a whopper, Super Bowl Commercials have had a longer lasting impact than the result of the game in some cases. Overall, the commercials this year took on a lighter tone and avoided a lot of the ‘cause marketing’ advertisements that were so prevalent a few years ago. With all that being said, we thought it would be a fun exercise to break down the hottest commercials from the Super Bowl.
1.) Next 100 || NFL Super Bowl LIV Commercial
Wow. That’s really all I could think when the first commercial dropped. In a night full of crossover commercials and product integrations, this ad stood out the most. The NFL sponsored commercial was a great way to start the Big Game. It was packed to the brim with NFL legends–past, present and, perhaps the future? The commercial turned its spotlight to a young football player towards the end and as the commercial finished the live broadcast showed the boy from the commercial running out onto the field before kickoff.
Why it Worked?
The NFL has had its fair share of controversies and bad PR, but this was a genuinely heartwarming moment. The transition to the boy running out as the game started was a great way for the game to start and was a surprise crossover from the commercial that aired before
2.) Jason Momoa Super Bowl Commercial I Rocket Mortgage
Marketing isn’t always sexy, especially when you are trying to sell a loan service. But Quicken Loans was able to inject sex appeal with hunky hearthrobe, Jason Mamoa, then immediatley scaled it back. The result was a weird montage of Aquaman (or Khal Drogo) disassembling his massive arms, shredded abs and revealing a skinny frame, like Christian Bale in the Machinist. Mamoa struggling to bench press a barbell without any weights at the end was the cherry on top.
Why it Worked?
The old saying that, “sex sells” was the base of this ad at first then took a complete 180-degree turn. It was a refreshing twist, and Mamoa did a great job at not taking himself too seriously.
3.) Tom Brady's Big Announcement | Hulu Super Bowl Commercial
Patriots fans have been collectively waiting for star quarterback, Tom Brady, to make an announcement about his future with the team. On Friday, Brady tweeted a Kobe-Bryant esque picture of him at the Patriots stadium, leading the public to speculate about his impending decision. Then during the Superbowl, a commercial with Brady aired with the same context as his Instagram post. Curious viewers were led to believe that Brady might indeed announce his decision to retire or play for another team during the ad. However, it was all a marketing ploy by Hulu, and instead of declaring for a new team or retiring, Brady announced that Hulu has live sports.
Why it Worked?
It was a genuine gotcha’ moment that led many to believe that Brady was dropping a big announcement on his career, however, it was just to promote Hulu. The Instagram post was a great build up to the ad and stirred interest without even hinting at a product promotion before the final revelation.
4.) Doritos Super Bowl Commercial | The Cool Ranch feat. Lil Nas X & Sam Elliott
Doritos took the 2019 hit-of-the-year’s artist, Lil Nas X, and threw him into a western-style duel with that narrator from the Big Lebowski. However, instead of the traditional showdown with revolvers, this was a dance off, and the winner would receive a bag of Doritos Cool Ranch.
Why it Worked?
The commercial tied in with the title of Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’ hit song, Old Town Road and brought it to life in this western-themed commercial. The ad was fun, quirky and didn’t lose sight of the product it was promoting.
5.) Inside Post's Brain | Super Bowl LIV Commercial
Hard seltzers were one of the biggest hits in 2019. These low-calorie drinks put a huge dent in the light beer market as millenials opted for the likes of White Claw and Truly. It’s no surprise that a juggernaut like Budweisser would want in on the action, and their campaign to promote their new line of seltzers has been extremely effective at creating awareness in this increasingly saturated market. Post Malone was excellent in this ad where we get to view his internal dialogue make a decision about whether or not buy Bud Light Seltzer.
Why it Worked?
I once heard the most successful commercials are not always the funniest, but the weirdest. That way you remember them more because of how absurd they are. The two Bud Light Seltzer commercials featuring Post malone managed to be both funny and strange. Malone played off the bit well with his physical comedy and the people controlling him were also a funny nod to Malone’s prominent face and body tattoos.
