Key lessons from this year’s crop of Super Bowl ads

It was a pretty one-sided football game, but days after Super Bowl LV the buzz is still lively around the commercials that aired during the big game. Everyone has their favorites for lots of different reasons, often having little to do with actual effectiveness. But what are some of the takeaways from this crop of ads that marketers can apply to their day-to-day efforts?

We asked Team LGA to weigh in with their various perspectives – creative, media, strategy, digital, PR, social – and here are some of their observations. 

Cadillac – Don’t let the idea overwhelm your brand  
“Even if the creative is relevant to the product, make sure the product story is still being told.”
-Stephanie Spicer, SVP/Director of Strategy 

Cheetos – Star power isn’t everything  
“Celebrities can make TV spots more impactful. But not always, and not so much in this case.” 
–Ryan Coleman, VP/Group Creative Director 

Indeed – Focus on why you do what you do  
“With many people facing unemployment or going through financial hardships, this spot highlights job seekers and the reasons they strive to succeed – to better themselves, to support their families, etc. Which reminds viewers that Indeed will also ‘rise up and do it a thousand times again’ for its customers.”  
–Sarah Floyd, Senior Account Director 

M&Ms– Relevance means resonance
“This commercial was so relatable, and that’s what made it so funny. The combination of a timeless product with the timeliness of today’s language and pop culture trends was a perfect match.”  
–Clare Rizer, PR Senior Account Executive 
 

Mountain Dew – Reach beyond the 30-second spot 
“This spot Invites people to go back and watch frame by frame to count the number of product shots and win $1 million. How many people spent the next hour ignoring the other spots and focused on being the first to count and win?”  
–Todd Aldridge, SVP/Executive Creative Director 
 

Reddit – Less really is more, if done right 
“By latching onto the momentum from their role in the stock-market saga, they were able to capture our attention with a simple five-second ad. This is a good reminder that, sometimes, less is more.” 
-Brent Schmid, Senior Account Executive 

 
Toyota – Emotion is a powerful tool 
“The heartwarming story was powerful and shed light on important issues – adoption and disabilities – while also bringing to life the brand’s ‘Let’s Go Places’ tagline.” 
–Natalie Bailey, PR Account Supervisor 

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Are your creative marketing efforts telling the right story, in the right way?