Jeff Cohn, President & CEO<\/a><\/h2>\nI had some definite favorites this year in an otherwise unexciting year of Super Bowl ads. Standouts for me were the Hellman\u2019s mayo homage<\/a> to \u201cWhen Harry Met Sally,\u201d the two NFL spots (most notably the \u201cFlag50<\/a>\u201d spot which incorporated tremendous storytelling), and Lay\u2019s \u201cThe Little Farmer<\/a>\u201d ad, which was an incredible brand-building<\/a> ad and unique for the usually loud snack category.<\/p>\nBut my favorite thing this year wasn\u2019t a commercial per se. An ad for Cirkul<\/a>, a water bottle enhancement, with Adam Devine, caught my eye. Not because I loved the spot (it was OK), but because 2 hours earlier a box containing an entire Cirkul kit landed on our doorstep and those of everyone in our neighborhood.<\/p>\nWe couldn\u2019t figure out where it came from or why, only to then see the ad and put it all together. On top of that, the package invited us to go online, explore the brand and join their social media communities. Was it my favorite spot? No. But was this an incredibly unique mix of integrated marketing<\/a>, you bet it was. I can only begin to imagine the marketing investment that went into this but someone thought big for this launch.<\/p>\n![\"cirkul](\"https:\/\/cohnmarketing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/CC1F7506-40A3-42DF-9DE7-DB2B36CD49BB-900x1200.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Lisa Wieting, Chief Marketing Officer<\/a><\/h2>\nI\u2019m a Super Bowl ad purist, so no pre-game peeking for me. When it quickly became clear that the game was going to be less than thrilling, at least I still had the ads to look forward to! Unfortunately, the ads packed a similar punch as the Chiefs \u2026 meh.<\/p>\n
Overall, very little stuck out as THE ad everyone would be talking about the next day. My exception \u2026 the Bud Light Cul De Sac Ad<\/a>. The first and only ad that silenced the room and made everyone at our watch party stop and pay attention.<\/p>\nI laughed out loud at the dichotomy of Post Malone as the midwestern cul de sac guy talking with his neighbor about colonoscopies. Peyton\u2019s jorts and fanny pack looked WAY too natural on him. The conversion of everyday yard items (mower, leaf blower, etc.) into genius party hacks (\u201cYour mower smokes meat? No, my smoker cuts grass\u201d). It was nostalgic fun, great casting, quotable lines and I love a fourth wall being broken (\u201cthese beers are metaphors for an invitation\u201d).<\/p>\n
\n- Do I feel cool living on a cul de sac now? I do.<\/em><\/li>\n
- Do I love Post Malone and Peyton Manning even more? 100%<\/em><\/li>\n
- Is this going to end up an SNL skit? Probably.<\/em><\/li>\n
- Did they nail their Jester\/Everyman archetype? Yup.<\/em><\/li>\n
- I\u2019m a Coors Light girl so will I buy Bud Light? Definitely for any future cul de sac parties (I will need the cooler rig). \u201cParty in the Sac!\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Beyond personally enjoying the ad for its comedic and wholesome content, I think the ad actually did its job, which is to build positive brand affinity<\/a> and get people to buy the beer.<\/p>\nAli Lego, Chief Operating Officer<\/a><\/h2>\nA few key takeaways – there are A LOT of celebrities or famous faces being used in the commercials this year, and as expected, it\u2019s mostly the big names advertising.<\/p>\n
It was interesting to see Starbucks in the Super Bowl as they have not been one to advertise on mass media channels much in the past. As part of their \u201cturnaround plan,\u201d their new ad, Hello Again<\/a>, aims to reintroduce the brand\u2019s story and identity<\/a> to consumers, promising that \u201cthe Starbucks you love is ready.\u201d In addition, Starbucks will give out free coffee to Rewards members on the Monday after the Super Bowl, promoting the effort with a 15-second ad that will air during the Super Bowl post-game show. This will be interesting to see if their shift to mass marketing efforts will translate into increased sales and renewed brand loyalty.<\/p>\nMy favorite ad last year was Dove and they\u2019ve done a great job again this year with their These Legs ad:<\/a><\/p>\n“Every girl deserves to keep playing the sports they love, yet 1 in 2 girls who quit sports are criticized for their body type. Let\u2019s change the way we talk to our girls. Together we can #KeepHerConfident Discover the Body Confident Sports program at Dove.com\/confidentsports.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
It is timely with their message in body confidence for young girls during National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD)<\/a>\u2014an annual day of observance held during the first week of February to acknowledge the accomplishments of female athletes, recognize the influence of sports participation for women and girls, and honor the progress and advocation for equality for women in sports. We need brands to continue to foster and support girls’ confidence and sports participation.<\/p>\nWomen\u2019s sports continue to gain momentum (think Caitlin Clark) and have expanded in recent years, with new teams and leagues being formed and more attention being paid to them, including the expansion of the WNBA and the NWSL in Colorado.<\/p>\n
Chris Thomas, Creative Director<\/a><\/h2>\nIt was definitely another year of “We’re All in This Together” and “Stop the Hate” storytelling. But for me, I had two ads that stood out.<\/p>\n
The NFL’s Flag Football<\/a> was so well produced and played on so many of the worst high school stereotypes that it just felt good when the heroes won! And I could not get over BRAD’s haircut! Anyway, great storytelling there.<\/p>\nThe other was just for goofs and it was a nice laugh amid all the heavy ad messages, it was Liquid Death’s Drink At Work<\/a>! Just funny and so on-brand for them and everything they’ve done in the past. Plus it highlighted some of their different products and flavors in a “subtle” (for them) way.<\/p>\nPaul Wood, Senior Developer<\/a><\/h2>\nI think my favorite ad\/ads from the Super Bowl are the Ram Truck commercials<\/a>. It\u2019s probably because those ads are totally directed at me! I love video games, sci-fi, trucks, have two young kids, and have no hair.<\/p>\nI just love the fact that they are funny and warm commercials. That’s how all Super Bowl ads should be.<\/p>\n
Shari Spooner, Senior Director of Social Media & Content<\/a><\/h2>\nIt was hard for me to decide this year, soooo I have a few.<\/p>\n
Stella<\/a> did a great job teasing who the “other brother” would be a week before they released their Super Bowl ad, which really built up the story. Stella has a great way of balancing their “classy” brand and uniting it with funny ads that resonate with many audiences, not to mention choosing two gorgeous men to be at the center of the ad, David Beckham and Matt Damon, I mean come on, you can’t go wrong!<\/p>\nAnd Stok Cold Brew<\/a> tapped into a well-known movie moment, the infamous Magic Mike dance scene with Channing Tatum, and brought it back to light in their funny and entertaining commercial. They also leveraged The WrexhamAFC soccer team owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, which is having its moment across social media. What stood out to me the most from a marketing perspective is that they didn’t heavy up on the product placement, which made it feel more like a social media video than an overly salesy commercial.<\/p>\nDebbie Berschling, Senior Account Director<\/a><\/h2>\nI really like the touchy feely-ish ads but also appreciate the humor and the know-your-audience approach that many of the brands had. For $8m+ just for the ad space, I find those brands that can use this as a platform to spread awareness for social causes in addition to selling a product\/service are making the most of their marketing dollars. BUT you have to keep your audience in mind<\/a> as to not lose their attention and to resonate with them.<\/p>\nTwo different spots highlighting similar messages that caught my attention were “These Legs” from Dove<\/a> and “So Win” from Nike<\/a> These were on brand and an important message especially since female athletes are gaining respect and prominence but peer and societal pressures STILL impact that group so much.<\/p>\n“Knock out” from Pfizer and Novartis’ “Your Attention Please”<\/a> ads also appealed to me as they took a different approach to highlight healthcare. Pfizer had a powerful but heartwarming tone (and LLCoolJ’s track added energy and backstory since his wife had a rare form of bone cancer) and included real-life people and a Pfizer scientist in the spot to give it added credibility.<\/p>\n“Your Attention Please” I would guess probably gave people mixed feelings as it pushed those visuals of breasts as associated with some stereotypes up front to get your attention and then brought it around to an important healthcare message.<\/p>\n
Kathy Borgais, Senior Account Director\u00a0<\/a><\/h2>\nWhen it comes to the Super Bowl commercials, I like the funny ones because these are just commercials and you don’t want to think too much. The demographic and importance of knowing your audience also resonated with me. I loved the Pringles spot<\/a> because it hits many audiences: parents, athletes, children, and it’s a super fresh and new idea.<\/p>\n
But my favorite thing this year wasn\u2019t a commercial per se. An ad for Cirkul<\/a>, a water bottle enhancement, with Adam Devine, caught my eye. Not because I loved the spot (it was OK), but because 2 hours earlier a box containing an entire Cirkul kit landed on our doorstep and those of everyone in our neighborhood.<\/p>\n We couldn\u2019t figure out where it came from or why, only to then see the ad and put it all together. On top of that, the package invited us to go online, explore the brand and join their social media communities. Was it my favorite spot? No. But was this an incredibly unique mix of integrated marketing<\/a>, you bet it was. I can only begin to imagine the marketing investment that went into this but someone thought big for this launch.<\/p>\n I\u2019m a Super Bowl ad purist, so no pre-game peeking for me. When it quickly became clear that the game was going to be less than thrilling, at least I still had the ads to look forward to! Unfortunately, the ads packed a similar punch as the Chiefs \u2026 meh.<\/p>\n Overall, very little stuck out as THE ad everyone would be talking about the next day. My exception \u2026 the Bud Light Cul De Sac Ad<\/a>. The first and only ad that silenced the room and made everyone at our watch party stop and pay attention.<\/p>\n I laughed out loud at the dichotomy of Post Malone as the midwestern cul de sac guy talking with his neighbor about colonoscopies. Peyton\u2019s jorts and fanny pack looked WAY too natural on him. The conversion of everyday yard items (mower, leaf blower, etc.) into genius party hacks (\u201cYour mower smokes meat? No, my smoker cuts grass\u201d). It was nostalgic fun, great casting, quotable lines and I love a fourth wall being broken (\u201cthese beers are metaphors for an invitation\u201d).<\/p>\n Beyond personally enjoying the ad for its comedic and wholesome content, I think the ad actually did its job, which is to build positive brand affinity<\/a> and get people to buy the beer.<\/p>\n A few key takeaways – there are A LOT of celebrities or famous faces being used in the commercials this year, and as expected, it\u2019s mostly the big names advertising.<\/p>\n It was interesting to see Starbucks in the Super Bowl as they have not been one to advertise on mass media channels much in the past. As part of their \u201cturnaround plan,\u201d their new ad, Hello Again<\/a>, aims to reintroduce the brand\u2019s story and identity<\/a> to consumers, promising that \u201cthe Starbucks you love is ready.\u201d In addition, Starbucks will give out free coffee to Rewards members on the Monday after the Super Bowl, promoting the effort with a 15-second ad that will air during the Super Bowl post-game show. This will be interesting to see if their shift to mass marketing efforts will translate into increased sales and renewed brand loyalty.<\/p>\n My favorite ad last year was Dove and they\u2019ve done a great job again this year with their These Legs ad:<\/a><\/p>\n “Every girl deserves to keep playing the sports they love, yet 1 in 2 girls who quit sports are criticized for their body type. Let\u2019s change the way we talk to our girls. Together we can #KeepHerConfident Discover the Body Confident Sports program at Dove.com\/confidentsports.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n It is timely with their message in body confidence for young girls during National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD)<\/a>\u2014an annual day of observance held during the first week of February to acknowledge the accomplishments of female athletes, recognize the influence of sports participation for women and girls, and honor the progress and advocation for equality for women in sports. We need brands to continue to foster and support girls’ confidence and sports participation.<\/p>\n Women\u2019s sports continue to gain momentum (think Caitlin Clark) and have expanded in recent years, with new teams and leagues being formed and more attention being paid to them, including the expansion of the WNBA and the NWSL in Colorado.<\/p>\n It was definitely another year of “We’re All in This Together” and “Stop the Hate” storytelling. But for me, I had two ads that stood out.<\/p>\n The NFL’s Flag Football<\/a> was so well produced and played on so many of the worst high school stereotypes that it just felt good when the heroes won! And I could not get over BRAD’s haircut! Anyway, great storytelling there.<\/p>\n The other was just for goofs and it was a nice laugh amid all the heavy ad messages, it was Liquid Death’s Drink At Work<\/a>! Just funny and so on-brand for them and everything they’ve done in the past. Plus it highlighted some of their different products and flavors in a “subtle” (for them) way.<\/p>\n I think my favorite ad\/ads from the Super Bowl are the Ram Truck commercials<\/a>. It\u2019s probably because those ads are totally directed at me! I love video games, sci-fi, trucks, have two young kids, and have no hair.<\/p>\n I just love the fact that they are funny and warm commercials. That’s how all Super Bowl ads should be.<\/p>\n It was hard for me to decide this year, soooo I have a few.<\/p>\n Stella<\/a> did a great job teasing who the “other brother” would be a week before they released their Super Bowl ad, which really built up the story. Stella has a great way of balancing their “classy” brand and uniting it with funny ads that resonate with many audiences, not to mention choosing two gorgeous men to be at the center of the ad, David Beckham and Matt Damon, I mean come on, you can’t go wrong!<\/p>\n And Stok Cold Brew<\/a> tapped into a well-known movie moment, the infamous Magic Mike dance scene with Channing Tatum, and brought it back to light in their funny and entertaining commercial. They also leveraged The WrexhamAFC soccer team owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, which is having its moment across social media. What stood out to me the most from a marketing perspective is that they didn’t heavy up on the product placement, which made it feel more like a social media video than an overly salesy commercial.<\/p>\n I really like the touchy feely-ish ads but also appreciate the humor and the know-your-audience approach that many of the brands had. For $8m+ just for the ad space, I find those brands that can use this as a platform to spread awareness for social causes in addition to selling a product\/service are making the most of their marketing dollars. BUT you have to keep your audience in mind<\/a> as to not lose their attention and to resonate with them.<\/p>\n Two different spots highlighting similar messages that caught my attention were “These Legs” from Dove<\/a> and “So Win” from Nike<\/a> These were on brand and an important message especially since female athletes are gaining respect and prominence but peer and societal pressures STILL impact that group so much.<\/p>\n “Knock out” from Pfizer and Novartis’ “Your Attention Please”<\/a> ads also appealed to me as they took a different approach to highlight healthcare. Pfizer had a powerful but heartwarming tone (and LLCoolJ’s track added energy and backstory since his wife had a rare form of bone cancer) and included real-life people and a Pfizer scientist in the spot to give it added credibility.<\/p>\n “Your Attention Please” I would guess probably gave people mixed feelings as it pushed those visuals of breasts as associated with some stereotypes up front to get your attention and then brought it around to an important healthcare message.<\/p>\n When it comes to the Super Bowl commercials, I like the funny ones because these are just commercials and you don’t want to think too much. The demographic and importance of knowing your audience also resonated with me. I loved the Pringles spot<\/a> because it hits many audiences: parents, athletes, children, and it’s a super fresh and new idea.<\/p>\n<\/p>\nLisa Wieting, Chief Marketing Officer<\/a><\/h2>\n
\n
Ali Lego, Chief Operating Officer<\/a><\/h2>\n
Chris Thomas, Creative Director<\/a><\/h2>\n
Paul Wood, Senior Developer<\/a><\/h2>\n
Shari Spooner, Senior Director of Social Media & Content<\/a><\/h2>\n
Debbie Berschling, Senior Account Director<\/a><\/h2>\n
Kathy Borgais, Senior Account Director\u00a0<\/a><\/h2>\n