5 Super Bowl Ads That Scored in 2023
The Super Bowl is every advertiser's dream. Often referred to as "TV's biggest stage", the event is watched by millions worldwide. This year, 113 million viewers tuned in, making it the second most–watched non-overtime Super Bowl in history.?
The aim of advertising is to grab people's attention, subsequently gaining more reach and conversions. The Super Bowl provides the ultimate platform for this, but comes with a hefty price tag. Did you know that 30-second prime time slots cost up to $7 million each? Amidst the fierce competition, there is excessive pressure to produce a top-performing campaign that stands out from the crowd.
2023 has been a great year for Super Bowl ads, and (after careful consideration!) we've whittled them down to our favourite five. Are you ready to see who scored this year?
Who else hero-worshipped Cher in 'Clueless'? To this day, the character is branded a style icon - and, almost three decades later, Alicia Silverstone's still got it! Rakuten had the ingenious idea of reviving the iconic movie with an exclusive modern-day scene, which shows Cher and her arch-rival 'debating' about getting cash back. As the tagline states: "More Cher, more shopping and more Cash Back thanks to Rakuten".?
Interestingly, more Super Bowl ads than ever seemed to feature household names this year. There is no denying the marketing power of celebrity - particularly a face and character as recognisable (and apparently unaging?!) as Alicia Silverstone in 'Clueless'.?
In addition to its spot at the Super Bowl, the ad has amassed 26 million views and counting on YouTube. As if!?
Our Top Marketing Takeaway??
Make relevant references to popular culture. For example, your ad campaign may be a parody of a well-known song or TV show, or may just include a few subtle references - but if it's relevant to your brand, go for it! You need to create content that stops viewers in their tracks, and familiar territory is undoubtedly one way to do so.
2. Doritos?
This Super Bowl ad features not one, not two, but three celebrities. However, this advert is so much more than just the clout of Elton John, Jack Harlow and Missy Elliott combined (granted - that's a lot of clout!). The 'Try Another Angle' tagline - not to mention the excessive triangle theme of the advert - is clearly paying homage to the iconic shape of the Dorito. And when it comes to embracing their shape and size, the Dorito brand certainly doesn't do things by halves!?
Our Top Marketing Takeaway?
Storytelling is everything. Whether your advert is 30 seconds long or a borderline short film, you must weave a clear narrative throughout. Viewers want a story to become invested in, and the success of an ad is measured by its ability to keep people watching. After all, ads can be an annoyance, so you need to convince people not to change the channel or swipe past!?
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3. T Mobile
This ad is definitely one of our favourites. With taglines such as "stick together" and "life is for sharing", the wholesome, family-oriented themes of this advert align with the brand to a T (see what we did there).?
The viral advert is branded as "an attempt" to make a commercial with A-List actor Bradley Cooper and his mum, Gloria, which went awol as the loveable pair couldn't stop laughing. Whilst we have a sneaky suspicion that the 'outtakes' were, in fact, the intended advert itself, the concept is a huge marketing hit.?
Our Top Marketing Takeaway??
Authenticity is key. Customers favour authentic, human content, and this advert is the perfect example of a high-profile celebrity being utterly relatable: having a laugh with his mum. If you're creating an ad campaign, think about how you'd react to it if you were sitting on your sofa, watching TV at home; would it capture your attention? Would it connect with you - and how?
4. Tubi?
Tubi's 2023 campaign takes the crown for possibly the most attention-grabbing advert of all time! The streaming platform trolled millions with its ad, which cleverly mimicked the viewer accidentally sitting on the remote and critically changing the channel mid-announcement. The channel, of course, 'changed over' to Tubi - which is now more of a household name than ever before!
Our Top Marketing Takeaway??
Grab your audience's attention. Better yet - grab their attention in an unexpected way. You want to create an advert that everybody can't stop talking about, and the countless social media reaction videos have increased the immense reach of this ad! Sometimes, taking a risk pays off. Whilst this advert initially irked a lot of people, they later appreciated it for the genius piece of marketing it is. And one thing's for certain - Tubi is at the forefront of everyone's minds!?
5. Fenty Beauty?
Last but not least, we just had to give a shoutout to Rihanna's 15-minute Super Bowl performance - a.k.a. a true masterclass in marketing. Although this may not have been an 'official' ad, Rihanna ensured she got the most out of her screen time.?
Get your notepads out, as we've got an entire list! If you watched the iconic performance, you'd have clocked that Rihanna used her brand Fenty Beauty's Invisimatte blotting powder live on stage, whilst her dancers wore Savage X Fenty outfits. We love a cheeky plug!
What's more, Fenty Beauty created a single TikTok video that has amassed over 14 million views. Whilst this ad isn't directly affiliated with the Super Bowl (and doesn't even mention the game once!), the apt timing paired with the shape and colour of the product results in customers' automatic association with the global trending topic. All of this - and not a penny spent on advertising. Rihanna officially reigns supreme!?
Our Top Marketing Takeaway??
Be reactive, and take every opportunity to plug your brand. Marketing is all about seizing opportunities, and getting your business seen and heard by the right people. So, if there's a chance for exposure to your audience - that aligns with your values, of course - you should grab it with both hands! Moral of the story: Be More Rihanna.