Creative Direction: Tips For Next Year's Superbowl Commercials

It's been a minute since I was involved in a #Superbowl campaign, the last one three years ago, which never aired.

So, instead of looking back and judging the commercials of this year (except for one), I'd rather look to the future.

So, if I were to hypothetically work with teams on a spot for next year, this would be my creative direction.

1. Challenge The Brief

Let's work together with the strategists to make sure the brief has a message we can execute upon. Without that, we rely on tropes to grab attention. This is our one chance a year to get people to pay attention, so let's make sure that we have a rock solid base to create a narrative that resonates. That way, we're not just making expensive noise; we're saying something that people will remember. In other words, pencils down until strategy gives us something to say.

2. Let's Do A First Round Without Celebs

Let's tread carefully with celebrity talent. Yes, they bring star power, but our brand should be the protagonist of this story, and our Business Affairs folk's will love us for creating a celeb-free-zone. They may actually get out of the office before 8.

Ralph Waldo Emerson's words, "Who you are speaks so loudly I cannot hear what you are saying," resonate deeply in the context of advertising, especially when it comes to using celebrities.

That's because there's a fine line between leveraging star power and letting it completely eclipse the brand's core message, which it often does. If the celebrity's persona doesn't align seamlessly with the brand's identity, the intended message can easily get lost—in some cases, leaving audiences remembering the celebrity but forgetting the product.

3. Creativity Through Constraint

Ok, so we finally have a big budget, but no one says we have to use it all. Throwing money at a project doesn't always mean better ideas (You've seen Justice League, right)?

Listen, the reason many Super Bowl ads don't hit the mark is precisely because the budgets are too bloated, leading teams to prioritize flash over substance. It's a bit contrarian, but it's true. So let's dial it back a bit.

We'll start first round ideas with a budget of $250k. I know, I know, you hate it, and that is an even smaller budget than our other campaigns. But, here's the why: constraints have a way of sharpening our creative thinking. They push us in ways that excess will not.

It's a curious thing, but when we're boxed in, we tend to get more inventive. Look at Vine and early Twitter, or the concise beauty of Haiku. Even MacGyver performs best in these conditions.

You've seen Clerks, right? Oh, you haven't. Well it was a black and white feature made for less than $30k, shot on actual film. Its strength wasn't in flashy production but in its solid script and well-crafted characters. So that's what I want from the teams.

We need to think big by scaling back. Large budgets might create a momentary spectacle, better crafty and some lux days at the edit house, but it's the clever, well-thought-out ideas that linger in memory. That's the shit you want in your book.

4. Be Brief

No one is captive these days, so every second of our ad must move the story forward. This isn't the time for drawn-out narratives or meandering storylines. Precision and conciseness will be our watchwords, ensuring our message is delivered with impact and immediacy. So stick with 30 seconds. The 60-second spots tend to stretch out the same idea in different ways, losing my (and the audience's) interest along the way.

5. Don't Rehash

Study the spots in the years leading up. If anything closely resembles a prior campaign, start over. Letting go is hard, but it is important to keep that boundary, and the more it happens in your career, the more resilience you build.

Actively search the internet for all ads, and ask around, rather than just hoping for the best. I was honestly surprised that the State Farm Spot became a rehash of "Smaht Pahk" rebranded as "Neighbaaa." It's up to you to create interest, not borrow it. And it is up to me to hold the line and make sure it is an original thought.

6. Consider The Audience

Do you intently listen to the commercials at a Superbowl party? Probably not. But so many ads seem to assume you are on the edge of your seat, shushing your drunk uncle and your chip-crunching nephew to hear the well-crafted dialogue. This is the Superbowl. It's a party. And yes, people watch for the ads, but they don't listen for them. Keep dialogue minimal, and know most people will not hear every word, either by choice or environment.

7. Don't Bring Me Down

Super Bowl Sunday stands out as a rare moment where we set aside our grievances over masks, politics, and Taylor Swift as a government asset. The world just chooses a side to cheer for, and we let the rest go. Let's skip the politics, the sadness, and the worldly reminders for now. We'll circle back to the headlines soon enough, but for these few hours, please let people unplug from that and relish the simple joys of guacamole, good company, and a break from the parts of our society we wish were different.

So that's it. Yep, it's easy to go big budget and tap into star power, but let's try something different and focus on story and message while everyone else is simply chasing spectacle. Constraints fuel our most creative leaps, so be brave and don't simply follow the storyline of everyone else. You'll be happy you did.