While the Seahawks and Patriots fought for the Lombardi Trophy at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, a different kind of high-stakes competition was playing out across the commercial breaks. Our team sat down to analyze the strategies that broke through the noise, evaluating the hits, the misses, and the head-scratchers. Between the heavy lean on 90s nostalgia, the swarm of celebrity cameos, and the quantity of AI content, we weighed in on which creative risks actually delivered a return on the most expensive airtime in history.
In a blur of over-the-top, (now to be expected) random celebrity cameos, the ad that stood out to me was “Relax your Tight End” by Novartis. Differentiating and unexpected comedy from a Pharma giant, delivering an instant product-benefit connection without the usual lifestyle formula … all with the contextually relevant power of celebrity. Parody-driven tone and music with hard-hitting stats were perfectly executed. Home run.
Hillary Williams, Director of Brand Leadership
We all knew AI was going to be front and center, and the “Good Will Dunkin’” spot was a great example of how AI can really bring an idea to life. It was a little creepy, sure, but still a fun concept. Nostalgia was everywhere too, and the VW spot bringing back the still-strong “Drivers Wanted” tagline was beautifully done. I’ve always had a soft spot for VW ads, so that one really stood out to me. But my favorite of the night was the Redfin Rocket Mortgage ad. It hit that sweet spot of great storytelling, a stunning Lady Gaga track, and a message that really sticks with you — one we could all use a reminder of. Finally, the spots for Claude were brilliant. They made me excited that concept is still king.
Alyssa Toro, Sr. Partner, Chief Creative Officer
My personal MVP was Emma Stone for Squarespace (the cinematography alone!), but I was struck by two overall themes: low-fi nostalgia (Crypto.com and Dunkin) and a push for love, peace, and being a good person. In a world wrought with turmoil, many brands turned to happier moments (Redfin, Lays). As Bad Bunny famously says, “The only thing more powerful than hate, is love.”
Miranda Gaudet, New Business Director
As someone who placed an ad this year, I have to admit that I watched the game with a different lens, knowing the perils of ad logs in a live, cultural event! So you could say my attention was certainly heightened ;). I thought Anthropic did a great job coming out swinging on ads in ChatGPT, and for those of us who use AI, they really hit the nail on the head in personifying what that experience could be like. I feel like campy nostalgia seemed to be on display, and while Dunkin’ kind of nailed it, Instacart did not, despite great celebrity talent. And while I realize this is unpopular and people are fed up with Coinbase, but seriously, we all sang along, right? And stayed and waited to see where it was going?
Michelle Capasso, Partner, Chief Media Officer
A lot of brands continue to play with nostalgia and tapping into the 90s, but I was specifically dialed in on the Xfinity Jurassic Park ad. The set up was classic to the film, but the relief that Xfinity brought to the scenario, and imagining what would have happened if the park had a more stable connection was perfect. It was a great example of a simple solution that a brand can articulate over and over again. Plus, it was fun too! Xfinity has been on a great run with their Super Bowl commercials over the past several years (remember Beyonce seeing if she could break the internet?). They continue to showcase the same strategy – Xfinity offers a strong connection – and have found a number of hyper relevant ways to show up, referencing current events, cultural icons, and more in order to excel in their creative showing.
Allyson Chapman, Associate Strategy Director
I loved the simplicity of the Levi’s spot; it was a perfect, visual tribute to the brand’s history that didn’t need bells and whistles to be effective. The Uber Eats ad with Matthew McConaughey and Bradley Cooper also stood out to me, because it got out of its own way with the script. Letting Matthew McConaughey ad-lib and play to his strengths created genuinely funny moments that didn’t feel forced.
JoAnne Borselli, Group Brand Director
This year’s Super Bowl ads proved that celebrity cameos can’t rescue a weak concept. The Dunkin’ spot was the ultimate flop—a cluttered “advertising fever dream” that chose a celebrity bingo card over a clear idea. The most impactful moments skipped the glitz for raw emotion. By overlaying iconic sports speeches onto the stories of patients, these ads successfully translated grit and spirit into a real-world context.
Barry Frechette, Director of Production
Lay’s “Last Harvest” stood out as Sunday’s emotional peak, hitting all the feels by highlighting the vital role of family farms. On the comedy front, William Shatner’s “Will Shat” double entendre for Raisin Bran took the crown—a hilarious, “if you know, you know” nod to the importance of fiber. Nostalgia was easily captured by the “Good Will Dunkin” throwback, while the influx of AI commercials felt like the worst of the bunch.
Michele Hart-Henry, Managing Director, CP Health
This year’s winning ads leaned into a unifying theme of legacy, from the nostalgia of “Good Will Dunkin,” Levi’s iconic back pocket, and the Budweiser Clydesdales to modern spins like VW’s “Drivers Wanted” and our own Gorton’s Seafood spot. These commercials were universal hits in my family’s multi-generational group chat, though each age group—from the Silent Generation to Gen Z—interpreted “legacy” differently. Whether seen as vintage style, brand relevance, or pure sentimentality, it was a reminder that legacy isn’t just about history.
Carrie Parks, Managing Director
Novartis took the top spot with their “Relax Your Tight End” ad, succeeding through a simple concept, relevant stars, and light-hearted humor that avoided the typical Super Bowl trap of over-complicating the message. On the other hand, ai.com was the night’s clear loser; their spot lacked substance and failed to offer a clear consumer benefit. Adding to the failure, their domain crashed immediately after the ad aired, signaling a lack of technical readiness.
The winner in the ai category was Anguilla; with .ai domain sales already driving millions in revenue, the British Territory is the true beneficiary of the night’s AI-heavy messaging. Congratulations, Anguilla—you’re the real winner of Super Bowl 60.
John Norwood, Associate Brand Director
This year’s broadcast confirmed that the most effective breakthrough strategies remain rooted in the familiar pillars of humor, nostalgia, and celebrity influence. The most successful brands used these elements to create an immediate connection with the viewer, bypassing the need for complex explanations. By blending star power with ‘throwback’ cultural beats, advertisers were able to create a sense of instant trust and emotional resonance that a new concept alone rarely achieves.
Scott Madden, Sr. Partner, Chief Strategy Officer
Despite being a marketer who believes strongly in the power of brand storytelling, I have to admit that when I’m off the clock and sitting on my couch as a consumer, you can pull me in very easily with relatable humor and funny one-liners. I’m a cheap laugh, what can I say. So naturally I found myself enjoying a bunch of the comedic ads—a few that come to mind are State Farm’s “Stop Livin’ on a Prayer” with Danny McBride and Keegan-Michael Key and the nostalgia-focused “Good Will Dunkin” featuring some of my childhood favs.
But if I were to put my work hat back on, I personally loved Grubhub’s “The Feest.” These days people order food delivery like they breathe air, and one of the primary pain points that everyone talks about is all the extra fees. Grubhub creatively—yet very clearly—addressed that topic head-on, conveying a simple message that we can all get behind: no more fees (on orders of $50 or more…there always has to be a caveat, of course). The filming style, the dialogue, the little details (like calling it a “Feest”), and the George Clooney reveal all came together to make a really effective ad that raises awareness of something—no fees—that will resonate with the masses.
Neal Malone, Director of Social Media, Influencer Marketing, and PR
At the end of the day, the best ads are the ones that keep the conversation going long after the final whistle. Whether it was a nostalgic throwback or a glimpse into the future of AI, this year’s lineup proved that a $10 million-dollar buy is only as good as the idea behind it. The game may be over, but the debate over who truly won the night is just beginning.
