The Super Bowl 60 culminated in a win for the Seattle Seahawks against the New England Patriots, but the excitement extended beyond the field. Numerous brands emerged as winners and others faced setbacks with their advertising efforts during the game.
Advertisers faced significant pressure, as a mere 30 seconds of airtime could cost up to $10 million during the event. Companies invested heavily in developing their commercials, engaging celebrity endorsers, and promoting their advertisements in advance.
This year’s most impactful Super Bowl ads struck emotional or comedic notes while effectively highlighting the relevance of their offerings, based on insights from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. The school’s post-game analysis ranked Google’s advertisement for its Gemini AI service as the top performer for effectively conveying emotion while demonstrating the platform’s capabilities, such as visualizing a recently purchased home with various enhancements.
Tim Calkins, clinical professor of marketing at Kellogg, emphasized that “Google’s ad was more of a product demonstration” and noted that brands with successful ads conveyed clear information about their products. AI-themed advertisements were prominent this year, with nearly 25% of pre-released commercials focusing on artificial intelligence, as highlighted by ad research firm iSpot.
In contrast, Coinbase’s advertisement received criticism for failing to clarify its services, despite using nostalgic music from the Backstreet Boys. Calkins remarked, “The messaging was unclear regarding what they were selling,” stressing the importance of making the product’s value obvious to leverage the Super Bowl audience effectively.
The advertisements from Super Bowl 60 broadly emphasized themes of kindness and community, resulting in the most heartwarming campaigns in over five years, according to an analysis by Daivid, an AI-driven advertising firm. They recognized the Rocket commercial featuring Lady Gaga as the most emotionally resonant ad this year.
Top Performers and Ratings
In total, nine commercials received “A” grades from Kellogg’s review, while two earned failing marks. Notable top ads included Google’s touching depiction of a family home and Bosch’s clever use of Guy Fieri. Calkins noted that “Anthropic’s ad effectively differentiated its message,” making it clear what the product was and its benefits, which showcases the importance of effective advertising in achieving broader business goals.
Full Ratings Snapshot
- A-rated Ads: Google, Bosch, Novartis, Anthropic (Claude), Michelob ULTRA, NFL, Pepsi, TurboTax, Levi’s
- B-rated Ads: Fanatics Sportsbook, Lay’s, Ring, Xfinity, T-Mobile, Uber Eats, Hellmann’s, Microsoft Copilot, and others
- C-rated Ads: Apartments.com, Homes.com, Liquid I.V., Toyota, Dove, Universal Orlando Resort, and more
- D-rated Ads: Ritz, The MAHA Center, Poppi, Instacart, and Volkswagen
- F-rated Ads: Coinbase, Ai.com
