February 07, 2020

The Super Advertising Game: RECAP

Meaghan Hatch – Assistant Account Executive

The Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers brought the heat on the field, but advertisers definitely kept viewer’s seats warm by drawing them in with each commercial. In fact, ads during the big game have long been an event of their own, as some viewers only tune in to watch the commercial breaks.

This year, the average cost for a 30-second Super Bowl spot was $5.6 million, Forbes reports. And with Fox having sold 82 ad units of 30 seconds each, Adweek estimates that approximately 50 commercials aired throughout the course of Super Bowl LIV. With millions of people watching, advertisers certainly shared their message with the world.

Last week in my blog, I broke down what makes Super Bowl ads so captivating. Today, I’m going to recap three of the top commercials that aired during Super Bowl LIV.

1. Microsoft: “Be the One” – The San Francisco 49ers broke through the glass ceiling and made history during Super Bowl LIV. Offensive Assistant Coach Katie Sowers made history as she became the first woman to coach in a Super Bowl game. Microsoft highlighted her success in their powerful “Be the One” ad where they highlighted Coach Sowers using Microsoft products as she paved the way for other women to take on roles in the NFL. Her poignant “All it takes is one” soundbite was the driving statement of this commercial.

2. Google: “Loretta” – There wasn’t a dry eye in my living room at the end of this commercial. This true story featured an elderly man remembering his late wife while utilizing his Google Assistant. Viewers listened to somber music while old photos of the pair flashed across the screen. Narrated by Loretta’s husband sharing his favorite memories of them together, this ad proved to be an emotional experience.

3. Doritos: “The Cool Ranch” – Doritos brings a competitive advertising game each year and 2020 was no different. In “The Cool Ranch” commercial, Grammy-winning rapper Lil Nas X faced off with acting icon Sam Elliott reciting the popular lyrics to Nas X’s “Old Town Road” in a wild west-style dance-off duel over a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos. The showdown finds Lil Nas X riding into town on a black horse then busting out some dance moves while his opponent smirks and recites the popular lyrics. After a few back and forth’s, Lil Nas X takes the prize and rides off on his horse. The commercial was an ode to one of the most popular songs of 2020 while showing a funny scenario.

Like I said last week, an ad that provokes emotion and causes viewers to think about what they just watched is one of the best tactics in effective marketing. Creating a storyline with which your audience can relate and connect to is essential when creating an impactful ad. Next time you’re creating concepts for a media campaign, remember these ads and what made them so memorable.

Share: