We tuned in. We gawked at the halftime show (can more concerts feature LED drones, please?). Patriots fans racked up another seemingly inevitable triumph, despite this being the lowest scoring game in Super Bowl history. And OH YES, we watched the ads.
Even with declining viewership, costs for a spot during the Big Game continues to climb; Advertisers forked over an estimated $5.25 million per 30-second spot in 2019. With so much at stake, it is imperative to out-maneuver the competition and break through the chatter of a Super Bowl party. And yet, it felt like most advertisers were playing it safe this go around, content to cash in on nostalgic celebrity appearances and...robots?
To put it all into perspective, we’ve once again rounded up the brightest creative and strategic minds of Team Tongal and took the temperature from the Tongal Community over on Instagram. Unlike last year’s game, there was no clear consensus of which brand ultimately was the evening’s victor. It seems that there was something for everyone which might be it’s own small victory.
MOST MEMORABLE
Good, bad, or ugly, the #1 goal of any ad whose placement costs more than the price of 2,000 tickets to the biggest game in American sports is to be remembered. Here are the ads that broke through the noise and had us all talking the next day:
Bud Light x Game of Thrones Super Bowl Commercial - Joust
Some of us loved it, others hated it (that’d be ME!), but we can’t deny that it inspired some heated conversations:
“The Bud Light commercials were really great and I loved the ending with Game of Thrones ad being tied in the best possible way.”
-- Jessica, Creative Account Executive
“No one suspected a pairing of Super Bowl stalwart Bud Light with HBO's most anticipated final season of GOT (and maaaybe for good reason)... but it was surprising, exciting, and memorable for sure!”
-- Rachel, Producer
“It made me mad. I hate the Bud Light Medieval Times ads already, but when it became apparent that this was really happening - Game of Thrones approved a cross-branded promo - I went into a full body groan. But hey, I will remember it.”
-- Marissa, Community Marketing Manager
Audi Presents: Cashew
“The humor made the ad memorable but the aesthetics of the car stood out as well.”
-- Lin, Producer
“There was an Audi commercial that I legitimately thought was a Tide ad. Tide doesn't even need ads a year after those commercials aired. It's like a pathogen.”
-- Cody, Data Asset Manager
Burger King #EatLikeAndy
While this ad didn't make us want a BK burger, it DID inspire a lot of passionate feedback!
“Lost footage of Andy Warhol [made it memorable]. Not necessarily effective for BK, but a memorable spot that got a lot of conversations going.”
-- Rebecca, Producer
“It did not make me want to eat BK. The burger did not look appetizing.”
-- Lin, Producer
“Felt like an ad for Heinz Ketchup.”
-- Jamie, Accounts
“Andy reportedly said he wished he was eating a McDonald's burger during the shoot instead. 'nuff said.”
-- Marissa, Community Marketing Manager
Planters "Mr. Peanut is Always There in Crunch Time”
“Mr. Peanut is an absurdist creation lacking any moral compass. He is a giant peanut who's sole purpose is to force humans to consume smaller peanuts, all while driving around as recklessly and dangerously as possible in an even larger peanut-shaped van. Trying to imagine myself driving around in a human-shaped van in an attempt to watch tiny humans be eaten gives me chills.”
-- Cody, Data Asset Manager
NFL “The 100-Year Game”
“I think the commercial's effectiveness is in its humor.”
-- George, Post-Production
MVPS
Beyond being memorable, ads that served the brand’s values and struck a chord in the hearts and minds of viewers were the true stars of the game. Here were our 2019 MVPs:
Microsoft “We All Win”
“Cute, moving, authentic.”
-- Jamie, Accounts
“Shows how they are being innovative in a human way and changes the narrative on video games and how they can bring people together.”
-- Ann, Accounts
T-Mobile Ads
"The full screen, hot pink graphic approach made sense for the brand and felt really relatable and funny for audiences.”
-- Rachel, Producer
“Eye-catching branding, consistent ad repetition, and copy that was easy to read while stocking up on more chips ‘n dip made this a winning series of spots.”
-- Marissa, Community Marketing Manager
Michael Bublé vs bubly
“Funny. It just worked.”
-- Jason, VP of Business Development
“This upstart sparkling water brand smartly seared its name in the minds of viewers by associating it with a well-known celeb whose name is nearly the same.”
-- Marissa, Community Marketing Manager
Hyundai “The Elevator”
“The connection from painful and relatable life experiences to the Hyundai shopping experience was a borderline reach but they pulled it off in my opinion.”
-- Scott, Director of Production
“Felt the most like a Super Bowl ad of all of them. Had all the components--fun, memorable, clever, a (kind of) A-list celeb and did not take itself too seriously.”
-- Jamie, Accounts
BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR
In every game, there are winners and there are losers. Unfortunately, these are the spots that were the equivalent of Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein biffing that final 48-yard field goal.
Michelob ULTRA “The Pure Experience”
“I get that they’re trying to capitalize on internet trends, but this just did not work in a loud room of Super Bowl party-goers.”
-- Marissa, Community Marketing Manager
“Just way too much.”
-- Jason, VP of Business Development
Turkish Airlines #THEJOURNEY promo
This teaser for a branded short film by director Ridley Scott truly puzzled us.
“Story was ill-defined and the ad almost assumed the audience had built in knowledge about them.”
-- Scott, Director of Production
“The whole ‘a film by Ridley Scott’ thing felt forced.”
-- Rachel, Producer
2020 Kia Telluride "Give It Everything"
“Was beautifully shot...but that's about it. Derivative of the "Imported from Detroit" ads from years past.”
-- Jamie, Accounts
“Too long to get to the product and it was trying too hard to be emotional.”
-- Ann, Accounts
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There you have it! Agree? Disagree? Let us have it in the comments.
