Viewers approached Super Bowl LIX with plenty of questions. Would the Kansas City Chiefs make NFL history and clinch an unprecedented three-peat? How many times would we see Taylor Swift? Would Kendrick Lamar’s half time show add fuel to the flames of his highly publicized beef with Drake?
For faculty and students at the Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business, the most important game day happenings took place in between the interceptions and sacks. Timothy Halloran, principal lecturer in Marketing, Divina Kothari, BSBA ’26 and Marketing Club president, Alec Lloyd Full-time MBA ’25 and MBA Marketing Club president, and Michael Lowe, associate professor of Marketing watch the Super Bowl for the football. But they also tune-in for the commercial breaks. These marketing pros weigh in on which $7 million commercials rose to the top of the advertising fray and why.
Tim's Top Three
1. Instacart: "We're Here"
As a Gen Xer and brand professor I really appreciated Instacart’s ability to bring all those brands, as depicted by their characters and mascots, right to my front door. The ad is successful because it articulates a need that Gen X families all have, and it shows how Instacart effectively meets that need.
2. Pfizer: “Knock Out”
The healthcare industry has taken a hit (and continues to do so) with a lot of pseudo-science and conspiracy theories. In this heartfelt spot, Pfizer does a great job of reminding us of the ongoing fight we have with cancer and how they are at the forefront of pioneering that research to “knock cancer out.”
3. Google Pixel: “Dream Job”
With twin daughters graduating high school in a few months, I might be biased on this one, but it spoke to me as a father. It shows Google is unafraid to venture into the emotional space that has been owned for so long by Apple. Whether it differentiates Google enough from Apple is an outstanding question, but I’m betting it may be enough for many to want to learn more about the Google Pixel.
Divina's Top Three
1. Hellman's Mayo: “When Sally Met Hellman's”
Hellman’s recreated an iconic scene from an iconic movie with Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal after 35 years. “When Harry Met Sally” is one of the best classic romantic comedies so this was very cool to see them pay tribute to the movie while also promoting their product.
2. Dunkin’ Donuts: “DunKings 2”
This was a very memorable and entertaining commercial featuring Ben Affleck. I thought the "method acting" inside the coffee grinds helped make this ad funny and memorable. People are going to be drawn to Dunkin’ after this.
3. Instacart: “We’re Here”
This ad was really entertaining since it brought to life a lot of our traditional product characters and it was fun to recognize them. It also showcased the broad variety of Instacart products customizers can have delivered; they can be used for everything from snacks to cleaning supplies.
Alec's Top Three
1. Nike: “So Win” + “Love, Hurts”
The Nike and Jordan brands have been absolutely crushing it lately, from Nike’s Ohio State CFP National Championship endorsements to Jordan’s “Unbannable” campaign, and now this epic cinematic, female athlete-centric Super Bowl ad. In a much-needed turn of strategy back to story-driven brand messaging, Nike and Jordan both showed out tonight with their “So Win” and their “Love, Hurts” ads during and after the game.
2. Totino's Pizza Rolls: “Chazmo Finally Goes Home”
As an avid fan of both “The Detroiters” and “I Think You Should Leave” shows, Totino’s had my heart the moment they brought Tim Robinson and Sam Richardson onboard for the Chazmo campaign starting back in October. With satirical ads, I feel there are two categories: ad funny and actually funny. I categorize this one as the latter, with Totino’s making the smart move of bringing on successful comedians with experience producing genuine and memorably funny moments.
3. Mountain Dew: “Kiss from a Lime”
What else can I say except that I love that Mountain Dew decided to get weird with it and just go there with the silliest idea their ad agency could conjure up? The best part of this spot for me, hands down (no pun intended), was Seal the seal attempting to hold onto his Mountain Dew Baja Blast unsuccessfully as it relentlessly slips through his clumsy flippers.
Mike's Top Three
1. Google: “Dream Job”
Google often does a good job of humanizing the brand despite being a tech behemoth. They find a way to say, “it’s real people and real life that truly matters, and here’s how our product makes real life just a little better.” In other words, the product isn’t the star, life is the star (in the case of this ad, preparing for a job interview to support a family) and the product (Gemini) is seamlessly integrated as part of a process we can identify with. Solid ad.
2. Liquid Death: “Safe for Work”
The ad itself was funny and memorable with 1980’s beer commercial vibes, but it also got right to the point with a clear message: Liquid Death is just water that fights plastic waste. They addressed a major comprehension problem while also hitting home the value prop. It wasn’t a home-run popular ad, but it was effective.
3. Lay’s: “The Little Farmer”
One of the more popular ads of the Super Bowl was also effective because it addressed an important issue for the brand with a clear message that stayed on target. A little girl raises a potato on her farm, and at the end of the story we’re reminded that Lay’s are made from family farm grown potatoes. It’s wholesome and cute and contrasts with a lot of the noise.
