Which brands advanced their purpose the most in Super Bowl 2024?

What a game! Overtime in the Super Bowl is a win for the advertisers. These two teams held everyone's attention so ALL the ads could be enjoyed, and yes, commented on. Because heck, it's advertising - everyone is an expert!

This year my team and I decided to watch all the ads through a "Brand Purpose" lens. And I invited my team to share which brands - in their opinion - stood above the others in advancing their brand purpose.??

I will get it started.

There was a lot of great company/brand purpose activation before, during, and after the big game. It doesn't get much better than Nike and Dove teaming up. And Google once again demonstrated how useful their innovations are in helping people live up to their potential.??

However, my choices for top companies who advanced their purpose are Microsoft and ABInBev.

MICROSOFT

Microsoft's purpose is to empower every individual and organization on earth to accomplish more. And of course, they have been in the headlines all year with their leadership investments in AI.

Microsoft's ad for Copilot , its everyday AI companion, hit the bullseye in activating its purpose to empower everyone to accomplish more. The ad has a challenger spirit, portraying its heroes as people who are making their dreams happen in ways unimaginable just a few years ago - all while using Copilot as a helpful companion. "Anyone, anywhere, on any device" says it all about Copilot and says even more about Microsoft's purpose and culture.??

ABInBEV

ABinBev has had a rough year in 2023. Despite winning Cannes Lions Creative Marketer of the Year for the past two consecutive years, and despite a rising stock price over the past three months, the company has done a lot of soul-searching after the BudLight controversy last year.?

In its Super Bowl LVII ads, the company has rediscovered its footing, its confidence, and its place in the world. ABInBev's corporate purpose is to build a future that everyone can celebrate, and everyone can share: a future with more cheers. And I think all three of their ads in Super Bowl 2024 advanced that purpose:

1. The brand equity-rich Clydesdales returned for the 46th time , with the grown-up puppy from Super Bowl 2014, and they were joined by a real-life wholesaler of 34 years, Fred Dana. It is another beautifully sentimental spot, and it ends with Budweiser's best slogan of all time: “This Bud's for You.”
2. It's tough to make a bad ad with Jason Sudeikis and Lionel Messi. Michelob Ultra managed to feature these two larger-than-life personalities while still making its brand the hero of the spot. The brand created an ad rich with celebration, sharing, and "more cheers." Mich Ultra continued its journey of owning the brand equity space as the beer for active lifestyles, while dialing up the focus on product superiority.????
3. Bud Light is at home with its "Easy to Drink, Easy to Enjoy" platform (its expression of the corporate purpose), and it came to life in fun, creative ways throughout the Super Bowl weekend. The "Genie" ad is both a tribute to characters in Bud Light's past (like Post Malone) and a nod to the future with the Genie. It's lighthearted and never loses focus that Bud Light is the quintessential party beer.

Now I will turn it over to a few of my colleagues at The Jim Stengel Company for their perspectives on brands that advanced their purpose in Super Bowl 2024.

Suzanne Tosolini

My top 2 are Dove and Microsoft.

1. With Dove on a mission “to ensure that the next generation grows up enjoying a positive relationship with the way they look, and to help them raise their self esteem” this ad is bang on that strategy, as well as being? insightful, touching, and perfectly placed in the Superbowl for meaningful context.?
2. Jim’s comments on Microsoft above are spot on.

My runner-ups are:

1. e.l.f. - Their ad was fun, memorable and so clear against its purpose “to make luxurious beauty accessible.” With the Taylor-Swift-driven rise in the female superbowl audience I would guess this will pay off beautifully.
2. Volkswagen - The “people’s car” filled with legendary history and immense personality did a great job against its purpose of “mobility for generations to come.” This one stood out within the auto industry in building some emotional connection as well as featuring the car benefits. At a time when Americans need some positive americana this one nailed it.
3. Coors - a fun ad really driving home their purpose of “bringing the ice cold refreshment of the Rockies to drinkers around the world.” Love that it pulls people together to “chill” at a time when that’s needed.

Lisa Hillenbrand

1. Dove and Nike had me standing up and cheering for their spot about keeping girls confident and in the game. The message works perfectly to deliver their brand purposes. I was a competitive swimmer as a girl and credit swimming with helping me learn how to achieve tough goals. And to never be afraid to rock a swimsuit at the pool.
2. e.l.f. found a clever way to gently tease all those women who spend a fortune on hope in a bottle. e.l.f. can help them bring out their glowy skin for much less. It does a great job illustrating their brand purpose to disrupt industry norms and make luxury beauty products accessible, inclusive and fun. And Judge Judy tells it like it is, beautifully!
3. In a world full of conflict, Coors Light finds a delightful way to bring people together and give everyone a moment of chill. Cheers to riding the chill train and enjoying each other’s company.

Matt Carcieri

1. I give a big checkmark to Verizon . The brand’s ideal is certainty, and even Beyoncé couldn’t break Verizon's internet.
2. I also give high marks to Pfizer whose purpose is scientific breakthrough. Icons of science lip-syncing to Queen was an engaging way to celebrate and inspire medical progress.
3. I’m revved up about Microsoft’s Copilot too. The company’s purpose is empowerment, and the ad for its new power tool advanced that ideal in a rousing way.

Now it’s your turn: Which brands do you think advanced their brand purpose during the Big Game?