CeraVe
“Funny is back with a vengeance this year, as with Michael Cera’s cream for CeraVe.”
-Josh Green, ECD, House 337’s sports practice
Dunkin’
“The brand truly understands the power of self-aware comedy and leveraging celebrity endorsements that are not only relevant but also deeply rooted in contemporary culture. It seamlessly blends humor with cultural references, creating memorable moments that resonate with viewers.”
-Shayne Millington, CCO, McCann New York
“The best line in a Super Bowl 58 commercial was ‘It’s really hard to be your friend’ from Matt Damon in Dunkin’.”
-Greg Hahn, co-founder & CCO, Mischief
Popeyes
“I found the Popeyes chicken wings spot hilarious. Simple idea that sells the product that’s brilliantly written and performed. Overall though, is the whole thing becoming a little formulaic?”
-Ian Heartfield, co-founder and CCO, New Commercial Arts
Duolingo
“Duolingo’s wordless five seconds of an owl’s butt paired with a timely push notification made a bigger splash than most 60-second spots in the Super Bowl. Lovable and weird, the Duolingo Bird cements himself as a cultural icon both on and off social. A brilliant use of both the media and the moment.”
-Chloe Bayhack, senior copywriter, and Caroline Mortensen, senior art director, FCB
And one trend: Self-aware humor
“If there was one trend that shone this year, it was celebrities mocking themselves, whether it was Michael Cera’s haunting CeraVe commercial, Jennifer Aniston and the Beckhams in Uber Eats, or Anthony Hopkins donning the Wrexham mascot suit. They all put ego to one side and shared in-jokes with their audience at their own expense. Even Christopher Walken faced members of the public impersonating him in his BMW ad. Comedy was ultimately the winner of this Super Bowl.”
-Ross Neil, deputy ECD, VCCP
The Super Bowl ads that flopped
Cetaphil
“Cetaphil’s attempt fell short, especially considering the controversy surrounding their use of a storyline originating from TikTok, highlighting the importance of understanding the cultural landscape and audience sentiment in advertising.”
-Shayne Millington, CCO, McCann New York
Oreo
“I always love a spot built on an insight—in this case, it was that countless Oreo eaters twist it open to eat it. With that said, the journey through history where key decisions were made based on the twist of an Oreo left me wanting more.”
-Liza Suloti, co-founder & CCO, Shadow
Bass Pro Shop
“Bass Pro Shop’s [voiceover]-driven ad felt exactly like that: an ad. Doing too much telling and not enough showing, Bass Pro Shop failed to tap into their target’s emotional connection to the great outdoors. Not to mention, Bass Pro Shop is having a moment in Gen Z streetwear on which they could have capitalized. Overall, they missed the mark.”
-Chloe Bayhack, senior copywriter, and Caroline Mortensen, senior art director, FCB
