Superbowl musings and leadership implications
Dave Ulrich
Speaker, Author, Professor, Thought Partner on Human Capability (talent, leadership, organization, HR)
The 57 Superbowl ads offer a glimpse into societal trends and cultural norms.? Advertisers spend millions to capture messages that influence thoughts and change behaviors.? The ad rankings suggest messages that matter most. ??https://admeter.usatoday.com/2025
?What do the messages of the top 10 highest ranking ads imply for executives leading organizations?
?1.?????? Legacy brand matters.? Budweiser Clydedale horses (#1) has consistently been ranked the top ad. Uber (#8) draws on food history to promote current service. ?Memories of the past linger.? Executives need to build consistent and lasting organization brands (or cultures) that tie to and build on the past.
?2.????? Overcoming odds.? Lay’s little farmer (#2) with a girl planting a potato, Michelob’s (#3) ad on pickleball surprise winner, and NFL ad (#6) on women in flag football illustrate success by trying something new.?? Executives should have aspirations that exceed resources and set ambitious goals to exceed expectations.
?3.????? Personal identity and well being.? Stella Artois (#4) on twin brothers, NFL (#5) ad being somebody, Bud Light’s (#7) ad on being invited to a party, and Pfizer’s (#10) ad on knocking out cancer highlight personal identity and well being.? Personalization and mental health are top business priorities in today’s challenging and changing markets.??
?Executives running organizations who recognize broader societal themes can bring those insights into their work settings.??
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OK Bo?tjan Dolin?ek
HR Generalist | Talent Acquisition | HR Analytics | Compensation & Benefits | MBA (HR & Finance) | HR Tech | HRBP Aspirant
1 周Great insights Dave Ulrich The connection between Superbowl ads and leadership lessons is fascinating. Just like Budweiser’s Clydesdale horses create lasting emotional recall, organizational culture & employer branding must be consistent and deeply rooted. Employees stay loyal to companies that have a clear, long-term identity.
The Shanley Group
2 周What a great post…..I love how you thought about this and provided us these insights. Bravo!
Mitglied des Vorstands Generali Deutschland AG * COO Generali Deutschland AG
2 周interesting and insightful, esp. no. 2, thank you Dave Ulrich