An Experiential Strategist’s Top 4 Super Bowl Ads of All Time

Jess Black is a senior strategy lead at global experiential agency Imagination, adopting her senior creative strategy role in the New York and Houston regions. Following Super Bowl LVI, we asked for strategists and creatives to share their favourite Super Bowl spots of all time and provide a bit of insight from their world of work. Here are Jess’ top four all-time picks for her favourite ‘Big Game’ ads. 

Budweiser - Puppy Love 

Why it’s a favourite: Context / Emotion 

This spot is objectively moving, but I remember absolutely sobbing when it played during the third quarter in the controversial 2014 Super Bowl. Hope was draining from my parents living room as we watched the Seahawks (my home team) “lose” to the Broncos due to a few objectively asinine calls. 

This Budweiser spot came on, the room went quiet, and the surge of emotion shifted from anger to the raw emotionality that only cute animals in a beer commercial can inspire. 

M&Ms - Sexy and I know it 

Why it’s a favourite: Nostalgia 

This spot reminds me of a simpler time when we didn’t think twice about sexualizing M&Ms. This ad is just so “of-a-moment”. It’s not going to show up on any best-of-all-time lists, but it’s fun and simple. 

Oreo - Dunk in the dark Tweet 

Why it’s a favourite: Real-time response 

I cringe to even mention this one since it was discussed ad-nauseum at every marketing conference I attended between 2013-2019. The fact that the industry has finally stopped talking about this may be one of the few silver linings of covid. 

The story goes that the power went out during the 2013 Super Bowl. Oreo responded with this tweet. It was one of the first times a brand had reacted in real time on social. The tweet went viral and fans were delighting, launching a new phase of second screen, real time brand interaction. 

Disney - “I’m going to Disneyland” 

Why it’s a favourite: Transcended advertising to become an iconic cultural touchpoint 

The iconic phrase was born in 1987 when Phil Simms became the first quarterback to deploy the phrase after winning the game. Both Simm and Rival quarterback John Elway were offered $75,000 if they agreed to say it upon victory. A version of the commercial continues to be a post-Super Bowl tradition to this day.