Another year, another Super Bowl. And yet another year where we question if the football is better than the ads….up for debate. Of course our team has their eyes glued on the ads, picking our favorites, arguing over which is the best, and continually being inspired. We asked our team members to submit their favorites and this is what we came up with:
When the world tells you you can’t, tell yourself you can. That’s what Doechii and Nike have to say about women in sports. Playing off their mantra ‘Just do it,’ Nike encourages women to do it anyway when the world tells them they can’t. The spot speaks to the outstanding rise of female athletes and celebrates the future of women in sports. Nike says there’s nothing wrong with wanting to be the best, and our women-dominated agency is here for it.
Despite this one receiving mixed reviews, some of our team members called it out as a funny break from many of the more serious commercials throughout the night. It ranked well according to many news outlets, with several calling it a great attempt at winning back some of their customers. At the bare minimum, making fun of the suburban male demographic with an opening shot of Gillis and Malone in jorts sitting on lawn chairs? It’s just great.
“Pride is a terrible driver.” Harrison Ford gives us a glimpse into his owner’s manual in this emotional Jeep commercial. He talks about freedom and love and the things he holds dear to his heart, including his Jeep, even though his name is Ford. He says, “The most sacred thing in life isn’t the path. It’s the freedom to choose it” and in doing so, had some of our team in tears. Check it out and be inspired to write your own owner’s manual.
This commercial is widely considered one of the best and most impactful — our team felt it for sure. It’s uplifting, positive, and inspirational, and highlights themes of mentorship, community support, and empowerment of young people. We tend to see a lot of commercials at the Super Bowl that are comedic or celebrity-driven, it’s rare to experience a gem like this commercial — one solely there to uplift people. The spot was purchased and filled by the NFL but seeks to promote the positive impact of people on youth and not the organization itself.
The story shown hits all the right marks — it’s adorable, compelling, and moves at a clip while set against an awesome rendition of Barry Louis Polisar’s song “All I Want Is You.” More importantly, the micro story in focus ladders up to the larger message: it’s a celebration of the hard work and multigenerational dedication of American farming families. It’s familiar, satisfying, and leaves you wanting more… a bit like the perfect potato chip. Bravo Taika Waititi, we are big fans!
Who doesn’t love a throwback with a new twist?! The iconic scene from When Harry Met Sally is instantly recognizable and you know exactly where it’s going before it even begins. Hellmann’s found a great way to insert their brand into one of the 90’s most famous movie scenes, without disrupting the flow. A great way to borrow cultural caché without turning it into a cliché.
Doritos always does something bold during the Super Bowl. Colorful characters, zany situations, and absurd conflicts are nothing new for them. But this year did introduce a twist: the idea for the commercial came not from a high falutin ad agency, but instead from an independent filmmaker and his buddies. This up-and-coming filmmaker went to school with one of our team members and so we, with bias, cheered them on throughout the entire competition. After a public voting process, Dylan Bradshaw and his partner were selected as the winners to showcase their commercial at the Super Bowl on behalf of Doritos. We love when brands give big opportunities to lesser-known names and this commercial shows that the risk can pay off!
Well, there you have it! This year’s best of the best (according to AOR). We wish commercials were this exciting all year long, but hey, we love to see the creative energy. Congrats to the Philadelphia Eagles on their win! Go birds. 🦅