Oreo “Dunk in the dark” (2013)
Agency: 360i
Brands pour vast amounts of resources, budget and planning into Super Bowl campaigns, but Oreo stood out with a spontaneous response on Twitter (now X) that cost much less than a Big Game slot. After power went out in half of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Oreo crafted a clever tweet reminding people they could “still dunk in the dark.” It is still lauded as a masterclass of real-time, social media marketing.
Always “#LikeAGirl” (2015)
Agency: Leo Burnett
The message of Always’ film may seem standard now, but it defined a genre of advertising that challenged gender stereotypes. #LikeAGirl went viral, won awards and inspired other brands to change their narratives.
P&G’s Tide “It’s a Tide Ad” (2018)
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi New York
The four-part campaign starring actor David Harbour not only hijacked the Big Game—in the best way—but also refreshed a staid medium. It centered on multiple fake spots that commented on advertising itself, called back to classics like Mr. Clean and Old Spice, roped in additional P&G brands and tweaked an iconic beer (Budweiser). Pacing, acting and comic timing were flawless, with the inventive concept always returning to the Tide brand message. Awards later flooded in from Cannes, D&AD and other groups, adding an industry glow to the fan favorite ads.
HBO and Bud Light “Joust” (2019)
Agencies: Droga5 and Wieden+Kennedy New York
Two brands, two agencies, a dragon and an epic death—those are the elements that combined for a jaw-dropping surprise no one saw coming in Super Bowl 53. To promote the final season of Game of Thrones and pump the heritage beer brand, HBO and Bud Light set a new bar for collaboration with a link between the bloody fantasy and the lighthearted “Dilly, Dilly” world. And it was all fun and games until someone got murdered—the Bud Knight at the hands of The Mountain, bone-breaking sound effects included. Then it was advertising legend.
