Tim Riester’s Expert Commentary on Super Bowl 60 Ads Featured on Fox News and NPR
Months of planning went into capturing the hearts of the 130 million viewers tuned into the most-watched live event in the world, the Super Bowl. With brands shelling out a staggering $8 million for just 30 seconds of airtime, the stakes couldn’t have been higher. For the first time in history, technology and health-related commercials outnumbered food, beverage and automotive ads. While the commercials certainly entertained, the real question is: how did they score on creativity and memorability? And what were the moments outside of the commercials that created buzz?
Mascot Guilt Grabs Viewer Attention
”On average mascots perform 20% better than celebrities in commercials,” said Tim Riester, Founder & CEO of RIester, “yet less than 10% of the commercials in Super Bowl 60 featured them.” This year Pepsi ambushed Coke’s longtime mascot, the polar bear by placing it in an unusual situation where this iconic character inadvertently selected Pepsi Zero Sugar in a taste test against Coke Zero Sugar! What followed was a hilarious reckoning with the unexpected event, including the polar bear seeking out therapy. The commercial’s unexpected mascot storyline centered on human vulnerabilities sprinkled with humor earned big points for Pepsi.
Daughter and Father Tug at Audience Heart Strings
Anyone watching the Lay’s Potato Chips commercial for only a few seconds already had a lump in their throat. “Emotional commercials like this one from Lays deliver 5x greater memorability and brand preference than unemotional commercials,” said Riester. The heart-warming exchange between a potato farmer and his daughter, which took viewers back in time through her childhood on the farm, communicated family pride and reminded viewers that the product is made with real potatoes grown on American farms. It also surprised some viewers by deliberating choosing a daughter as the protagonist.
Cultural References Tackle Current Social and Political Issues
Redfin/Rocket Mortgage reprised an important message taught decades ago by daytime children’s TV show Mister Roger’s Neighborhood when they shared the emotional story of a Latino family that relocated into a white neighborhood. Lady Gaga even personalized the iconic “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” song from Mister Roger’s for the commercial. “Rising above recent social and political rhetoric, Redfin/Rocket Mortgage demonstrated that regardless of our ethnic background, we all want a family to love, a safe place to live and friends to enjoy,” said Riester. “This was truly a wonderful way to associate their brand with the American dream.”
“The NFL continued its bold leadership on social issues as well,” said Riester. “They aired two commercials leaning into the importance of positive mental health for children and created an extraordinary halftime show connecting Latin community and culture to the American game of football. It was a brilliant way for the NFL to invite sports enthusiasts from Spanish speaking countries to sample the Super Bowl while also educating their existing fans about the importance of Puerto Ricans who have been part of America since 1898.”
Watch Tim’s interview on Fox TV and listen to his interview on NPR to learn more about Super Bowl’s winners and losers.