The Super Bowl has become the ultimate venue for the at-home, every-day tastemakers to have their moment as judge and jury. No... not about the game—about the commercials. And if your office isn’t filled with post-Super Bowl ad-talk, well, all we can say is: you work in a really weird office.
At Tongal, there's no shortage of Super Bowl ad-talk. After all, we've created our fair share of ads for the Big Game—from helping a little known office products company dominate with its Super Bowl debut to helping Speed Stick come in at #24 on USA Today’s ad meter. And who could forget last year’s Sam’s Club ad that climbed to the #2 spot on Ad Age’s Viral Video Chart without ever airing on TV?
In preparation for this year's spirited discussion, we’re rounding up 5 qualities that make for a great Super Bowl commercial. Because nobody likes a fumble.
1. Wonder and Warmth: Advertisters need to remember that everybody watching the Super Bowl is having a party. If an ad is too dark, not only will the message get lost, but the brand may take some heat too—think Nationwide’s spot on childhood mortality.
The flip side of all of this – the sunny side – is delivering an ad that invokes a sense of wonder, appreciation, or celebration. With the football players engaged in a bruising battle, there’s a perfect opportunity for brands to offer some contrast via human warmth and humility. Volkswagen’s “The Force” did this beautifully and only required the car to play a mere supporting role.
2. Storytelling: Super Bowl ads are watched more actively than other ads, so it’s okay for them to have a plot—and even a few twists. When done well, great ads can involve the audience in a real-time drama that keeps them guessing about what’s going to happen next. If a brand can do this without losing the connection to its product, they’ve pretty much reserved their space in the postgame skybox. Fiat’s Blue Pill ad is one of the greats in this regard.
3. Funny and Far Out: Again, because the audience is watching more actively, brands have the opportunity to take some bigger chances. Humor can be a bit more sophisticated, and starting points can be further away from a specific product or brand benefit. Honda went all out for their Ridgeline Truck last year. It's nuts – but fun and just about as far out as you can get – especially for a car commercial.
4. Star Power: If a brand has the budget to get Alec Baldwin, Dan Marino, Jason Schwartzman and Missy Elliot, this is the time to put them all together – like Amazon did last year for Alexa. If signing that check for Alec and Missy is not in the cards, brands can opt to make the soundtrack their star, like Heinz did. Or, they can do what Volkswagen and Fiat did and make the story their star.
5. Linkage: A lot of ads tell a story, entertain, make people think—or ennoble them… but that’s all for naught if the audience forgets who did all that good stuff. Great ads link back to a brand and show the viewers why and how they’re going to think of that brand differently at the end of the game.
For more inspiration, watch our past Super Bowl spots below. Then, check out our Big Game Project and come up with a hilarious follow-up to one of the greatest commercials in the history of the Big Game. We want YOU to tell us, what happens next?
Speed Stick
Tongaler: David Brashear
“Unattended Laundry” ranked #24 on USA Today’s ad meter.
Quill.com
Tongaler: Napoleon Productions
This homage to NBC’s “The Office” secured media coverage in Ad Age, Adweek and more.
Sam’s Club
Tongaler: Pretty Nifty Productions
The “Zen Baby” diaper ad amassed over 23 million views and landed on Ad Age’s Viral Video Chart as the #2 Digital Super Bowl Ad.
