Our team has been gabbing all day on the events of this year’s Fenty Bowl, oops, we mean Super Bowl, between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. Seriously, the Fenty team deserves our first round of applause for their use of Super Bowl marketing in a modern, nontraditional form. From TikTok to an iconic mid-performance plug, they took full advantage of Rihanna’s Half-Time Performance and all the buzz surrounding it to support their brand.
But back to our industry’s favorite topic: The Commercials. Starting with the most viral advertiser of the night:
“Rabbit Hole” – Tubi
I wasn’t over the moon about many of the commercials this year. However, I did think Tubi’s Rabbit Hole ad was great! It was a well-thought-out creative concept, executed in a way that made you wonder… what am I watching? And Tubi didn’t leverage a celebrity as the ad’s main focus, which was a trend this year. Job well done, Tubi!
– Sarah Prokopchak, Account Executive
“Hold” – Bud Light
To be put on hold for what feels like hours is so relatable, and I think relatability is a powerful force for brands. Miles Teller sees his wife looking irritated and bored, waiting to be helped on the phone, so he grabs a couple Bud Lights from the fridge, and they dance while the music plays to make the most out of the situation. I love that not one word is exchanged between the two of them while she’s on hold. The whole thing is so heartwarming, but it’s nothing too mushy. I think it communicates that Bud Light is there for the little moments like these. Instead of showing some big theatrical event, viewers saw a comforting and raw moment between partners, which worked perfectly with Bud Light’s slogan, “Easy to Drink, Easy to Enjoy.” This one was my favorite.
– Maddie Pullen, Junior Designer
“The Singularity” – Squarespace
I had really high hopes for this ad. The teaser was funny, and I loved the deadpan humor of Adam Driver’s delivery. However, to me, the teaser didn’t align with the actual ad at all. I liked the line “a website that makes websites,” but everything else fell flat. This ad was done in-house at Squarespace, so there may have been specific insights or knowledge into their brand that wasn’t translated successfully into the ad itself.
– Kathryn Tucker, Junior Designer
“Who’s in the Fridge” – Hellman’s
Hellman’s Super Bowl spot is an excellent example of leaning too heavily on celebrity endorsement. The entire concept relied on the deli-counter themes of Jon Hamm and Brie Larson’s names, including boring dialogue bound to lose the audience’s attention. Oh, let’s not forget Pete Davidson’s random appearance as well (even if random was the point). While the quick shot of a sizzling panini did leave me craving a panini, overall, I don’t think the advertisement succeeded in the impact department.
– Hayley Gilbert, Digital Marketing Coordinator
“Not-so Clueless” – Rakuten
With the current cultural obsession of 90s fashion, music, and movies, I thought this ad was perfect. “I used to be pretty clueless about shopping,” Cher (Alicia Silverstone) states in the commercial’s opening line, making the connection between the movie and the cashback platform Rakuten instantly relevant. Rakuten’s choice to feature Cher, a movie character known for her love of shopping, who uses a computer program to pick out her outfits every morning, was incredibly clever. She is the ideal person to benefit from using Rakuten’s cashback benefits. Creative Boom, an online creative magazine, reminds us that the movie Clueless will never lose its relevance, which makes this spot iconic.
– Maddie Pullen, Junior Designer
“Jack’s New Angle” – Doritos
This year’s Doritos’ commercial is a significant step up. I remember being really let down by last year’s ad due to the history of Doritos’ ads being super memorable. It missed the mark for me. Jack Harlow is super popular in pop culture right now, so it isn’t completely surprising that they chose him to be the spokesperson for the brand. I thought the ad was funny and played into today’s consumer culture well. The somewhat unexpected ending of Elton John winning the award for best triangle player was cute, and I loved that they incorporated him into the ad.
– Kathryn Tucker, Junior Designer