As many of you know this past Sunday, Super Bowl LI took place in Houston, Texas. Though many of the viewers were only interested in the Falcons and Patriots match up or Lady Gaga’s halftime performance, we here at Agency Creative were there for the Super Bowl commercials.
The Super Bowl is one of the biggest arenas for the advertising world. Brands spend millions of dollars to create and produce spots to hopefully stand out above the crowd and reach the viewer during one of the biggest television events of the year.
Every year, however, comes with it’s own particular set of challenges. What are the trends of the year, how do you top ads from the previous year, and finally what is going on in the world that may influence the ad? Identifying these themes can make or break a Super Bowl spot, and ultimately leave a lasting impression. From smaller brands to major hitters, a chance is given to showcase a brand’s product on the same stage. Here’s our line-up of winning Super Bowl commercials for Super Bowl LI:
Buick:
This 60-second spot was an expansion of Buick’s award-winning “Experience the New Buick” campaign, that centered around the theme of exceeding expectations with the use of celebrity appearances. Publicist Groupe’s Engage M-1 agency delighted viewers with light-hearted humor and a clever play on words.
Bai:
Speaking of celebrity endorsements, another ad that generated buzz included an unlikely duo performing a rendition of a familiar throwback hit. According to TiVo, Bai’s advertisement was the fan-favorite this year with overwhelming viewer engagement. The agency, In-house Creative, played on the viewers sense of nostalgia for the N’Sync song, that Christopher Walken delivered in the form of a dramatic speech. The fans followed Justin Timberlake’s lead with approving Walken’s performance and of Bai’s strong ad in comparison to last year’s Horse Whisperer ad that was nothing to whinny at.
84 Lumber:
The agency Brunner knocked it out of the park with this 90-second spot during the Super Bowl. While many brands remained neutral or simply hinted at the issues currently happening in America, 84 Lumber brought it to the forefront by displaying the American Dream in its purest form, through the eyes of a mother and child. The original six minute spot was split in half to entice viewers to go to the 84 Lumber website to finish viewing the story, which promptly crashed the site as it received an overwhelming response. The ad goes to show that compelling content is likely to be shared and remembered.
Kia:
This hysterical 60-second spot starring Melissa McCarthy uses the theme of environmentalism to showcase their new hybrid, the 2017 Kia Niro. Produced by the David & Goliath agency, this advertisement focuses on letting the audience know that you don’t have to do anything extreme to create change, instead just purchase a Kia.
NFL (Inside These Lines):
The 60-second ad, done by Translation, encourages unity by drawing the lines on a football field in the shape of the United States paired with compelling copy points that speak to bringing us together as we sit down to watch the game. With the building tensions encircling equality and unity, this ad captures the American spirit and reinforces our love for the game of football.
Like content like this? Check out our last Advertising Spotlight here:
