The Kansas City Chiefs—having won last year’s big game—return this year to compete against the Philadelphia Eagles. The game will take place at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. (Regardless of which team wins, Mardi Gras celebrations may come early for brands whose ads make a hit with viewers.) Let’s review a few selections… Instacart: “We’re Here” An impressive “who’s who” of brand mascots such as the Pillsbury Doughboy, Jolly Green Giant, Kool-Aid Man, and Energizer Bunny (among others) make cameo appearances as they race to the home of a family who have just placed an order from the delivery service. (As Instacart is comparatively new alongside more established brands, this ad is ambitious.) (Watch ad.) FanDuel: “Eli’s Destiny” Fans who’ve placed bets on Sunday’s game will enjoy this spot from FanDuel, a gambling company specializing in everything from fantasy sports to horse racing. Super Bowl LIX is promoted loud and clear in amusing spots of sibling rivalry between quarterbacks Eli and Peyton Manning. Here, the brothers argue over the meaning of destiny. (Watch ad.) Hellmann’s: “When Sally Met Hellmann’s” Nostalgic throwbacks to movies of yesteryear remain a popular trend in Super Bowl ads. (Remember Matthew Broderick’s return as Ferris Bueller?) Here, Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, the title characters of “When Harry Met Sally,” revisit the deli where they had their memorable lunch. (Anyone who has seen the movie knows where this is going.) (Watch ad.) Michelob Ultra: “The ULTRA Hustle” In an entertaining jab at ageism, “mature” actors Willem Dafoe and Catherine O’Hara challenge a dismissive young couple to a pickleball match with a pair of Michelob Ultras as the prize. Also featured are Sabrina Ionescu (basketball), Randy Moss (football) and Ryan Crouser (track and field) in blink-and-you-miss them cameos. The ending is classic. (Watch ad.) Uber Eats: “We Listen and We Don’t Judge” As with Instacart, this relatively new brand has an impressive ad presence that features a diverse roster of celebrities such as actor Matthew McConaughey, lifestyle entrepreneur Martha Stewart, and singer Charli XCX. Here, the latter two celebs have an exchange where they admit to what and who they know—and don’t. (Watch ad.) Reese’s: “LAVA!” A little old lady determinedly drives a mobility scooter up the side of a simmering volcano yelling: “Lava!” A Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup then fills the screen as chocolate lava pours on top. The bizarre imagery of the woman’s quest to get to the top of the top of the volcano, followed by the candy, cleverly plays on the double-meaning of the word. Bizarre but memorable. (Watch ad.) NerdWallet: “Did You Say Something?” A tourist in the Arctic learns beluga whales have an IQ equivalent to a human genius. The tourist is then visited by a (talking) beluga whale. There’s no mention of services but the association of the beluga whale with the brand name could do for NerdWallet what Martin the gecko did for Geico. Either way, this stands out in a (literal) sea of ads. (Watch ad.) Novartis: “Your Attention Please” Going beyond entertainment, the ad for this global research pharmaceutical company combines celebrity presence with diversity to spread awareness about breast cancer. Cheerleaders, a New Orleans parade, and fans on a red carpet are followed by comic Wanda Sykes and actress Hailee Steinfeld, who states: “Let’s give breasts the attention they deserve most.” (Watch ad.) Frito-Lay: “Abduction” Before content creators became popular, Frito-Lay was practicing this trend for years. From 2006 to 2016, the brand hosted the “Crash the Super Bowl” contest by inviting fans to send user-generated Doritos ads to air during the game. The campaign was brought back with this homage to science fiction. Well played, Dylan Bradshaw and Nate Norell. (Watch the ad and NBC feature story.) Anheuser-Busch: “First Delivery” This list closes with the signature Clydesdale commercial from Budweiser, a brand forever associated with the Super Bowl. Without posting spoiler alerts, this may well be the most endearing ad created for Anheuser-Busch. (Hint: Remember the childhood story of “The Little Engine That Could”?) (Watch the ad.) These video spots, among those not listed here, reflect why millions of viewers tune in to watch ads (if not more so), than the Super Bowl itself. As recently explained, the overall selling point of a Super Bowl ad is to entertain. Today, diversification, attention, and trust—particularly where gender is concerned—bring added value and attention. It is safe to say that the spots for Michelob, Uber Eats, and especially Novartis, have met those goals. May these effective ads win the attention of Sunday night’s viewers.
