The Best Superbowl Ads You Didn’t See
Trigger Warning: When you stand for what's true, people notice
Advertising industry writers will feverishly write and publish articles about the Superbowl show ads on the Monday following the big game. You can watch the Super Bowl LIX ads ahead of time and skip the game.
As entertaining as they might be, which ads will be memorable?
According to CBS News, “Advertisers are shelling out close to $8 million on average for a 30-second spot,” not counting production costs.
There are better ways to spend $8 Million.
Take the upstart athletic apparel brand XX-XY. According to founder Jennifer Sey, XX-XY spent far less on an ad that’s already been watched over 15 million times. XX-XY is the only apparel brand that stands up for women’s sports.
This ad will help change culture and sell products because it stands for something: Real Girls Rock is a masterful blend of positioning and standing for what is true.
Is it effective? Jennifer writes on X,
“I’ve never seen an ad that grabbed people so much that people offered to crowdfund to put it on the Super Bowl. That’s $8 million. So maybe we can just watch it here.”
The Greatest AI Commercial Ever Made
Really? The greatest?
“Here it is—the first-ever AI-powered Jeremy’s Razors ad. A story of creation, destruction at the hands of woke soy slop, and the triumphant return of the manly, freedom-loving razor.”
I told you this article might be triggering.
In a slightly different vein, let’s not forget these two ads from the end of 2024: the Volvo EX 90 ad and the Apple Heartstrings ad. They might have run on streaming or broadcast services, but they gained the most traction and views online.
While other companies mock culture, the Volvo X90, and Apple Heartstrings ads are regarded as strong pro-family ads (especially when viewed alongside the dehumanizing and disastrous “Copy Nothing” Jaguar rebrand).
If there’s one thing I can agree with the Jaguar creative team, it’s “Copy Nothing.” But if you make such a bold claim, at least stand for something.
You don’t need a big budget to make a difference
Don’t focus on your brand if you want to make the most of your ad budget. Watch what’s happening in culture and align your marketing with it. There’s a massive shift taking place. You can’t go wrong with pro-family, pro-women messaging.