We were treated to 67 Super Bowl commercials this year, but only the best of the best ‘scored’. The goal of a good Super Bowl commercial is to be memorable and tell a compelling story. These commercials were the most controversial as they received thousands of tweets after they were aired.
Budweiser “Born the Hard Way”
Even though Budweiser claims their ad was not political, it sparked a good amount of controversy from people who felt that it was trying to say something against Trump’s new immigration policy. Not only did it generate endless conversations, the ad was magnificently crafted by introducing America to the founder of Anheuser-Busch, who started from nothing and eventually created one of the most successful brands. Whatever their motives may have been, there’s no question that Budweiser ‘scored’ in getting people to talk about their brand.
84 Lumber “The Journey Begins”
The ad follows a mother and daughter’s long journey from Mexico to the US and got a lot of people talking. But even after viewing the entire commercial, it was unclear what side of the immigration debate 84 Lumber was on, which polarized people on both sides. Ultimately, this ad ‘scored’ because 84 Lumber aired one of the most cinematically striking and emotionally gripping commercials of the game.
Airbnb “We Accept”
This ad projects one very strong message: It doesn’t matter where you come from, Airbnb is about love and acceptance. The ad is a quiet political stance against cultural and political suppression of minorities and other disadvantaged groups. It ‘scored’ because it conveys a simple yet powerful statement in a unique way of seamlessly merging images of various non-white-man demographics together.
Coca-Cola “It’s Beautiful”
Coca-Cola revived one of its ads from 2014, featuring people singing a multilingual version of “America the Beautiful.” The premise of the commercial is America is beautiful and Coca-Cola is for everyone. While the commercial was not new it ‘scored,’ because it struck an entirely different chord with viewers given the national conversation around immigration and diversity.
Audi “Daughter”
A father watches his daughter in a cart race wondering whether she will be judged based on her gender, and whether she will be paid less than a man despite her talents. The girl wins the race, and the ad closes with the message: “Audi of America is committed to equal pay for equal work. Progress is for everyone.” This ad ‘scored’ because Audi is a car company that doesn’t usually associate with femininity, so it made the message more striking and got people talking.
What do you think?
Tell us what you thought about this year’s Super Bowl commercials. Which one do you believe has a compelling brand story?