Super Bowl 59 wasn’t just about the game, it was a huge event for the advertising world. As a media company, we pay close attention to the brands that go beyond the usual playbook, delivering commercials that entertain, inspire, and make an impact.
Being in the industry, we know how much strategy, creativity, and storytelling go into crafting a standout ad. This year, we saw a mix of humor, nostalgia, and bold storytelling that set new standards for creative marketing. Here are five ads that caught our attention, and why they worked.
First up is "Homes.Com Is The Best" with Dan Levy, Heidi Gardner and Morgan Freeman.
The agency RPA was behind this one. Morgan Freeman made an awesome cameo in this ad, while Dan + Heidi argue with their lawyer about saying why they can't say Homes.com is the best. It's just a funny ad that is also a hard sell on their site - Dan, Heidi and Morgan Freeman going back and forth with this lawyer, while the majority of the script is just saying that they are the best, in various ways. Great strategy and great execution on this one.
Next up is Duracells "Brady Reboost" done by Agencies VaynerMedia and Shadow Lion.
The roast of Tom Brady was a massive event, and the call-back to that here was genius. Also, Tom Brady being powered by batteries? It's a pretty funny idea to begin with. Not to mention, it felt like a lead back in to the actual broadcast, but then you realize it's a commercial; an excellent job by the production team. Finally, finishing it off with the line "I gotta go, Gronks down again" was a perfect ending. A+ to the team on this ad.
Mountain Dew returned to the Super Bowl this year with their "Kiss From A Lime" ad, featuring singing seals...
Goodby Silverstein & Partners was the agency behind this ad, and it was a success. This was good old classic stupid funny, because it's Seal..as a seal.. singing about Mountain Dew surrounded by Seals. It is technically a celeb cameo, and a great one at that. We also laughed at the fact that Seal fumbles with the Mountain Dew. Kinda like Patrick Mahomes did... oof.
Another really well-received ad was Google's "Dream Job" ad, which was done in-house.
As a father of a 1-year old daughter, this one certainly hit me, as I'm sure it did many others. Google promoted their AI product Gemini here, and how helpful it can be in real life situations. In the ad, a father is describing his role as being a dad, and how it's helped him prepare for a role he's interested in. Certainly a tear jerker for a lot of people, and Google did a great job hitting people's emotions with this one.
Last of this list is Nike, with their "So Win" commercial, produced by Wieden + Kennedy Portland.
In this expertly crafted advertisement, rapper Doechii delivers a beautiful tribute to female athletes, highlighting all the things they are told they can't achieve—yet they accomplish them regardless. Caitlin Clark, Jordan Chiles, Sabrina Ionescu, Sha’Carri Richardson, A’ja Wilson, and Sophia Wilson are prominently featured, bringing energy and excitement to the 1-minute commercial. Nike has taken a break from advertising in the Super Bowl since 1998, and they certainly came back with a punch here.
This year’s best spots proved that great advertising goes beyond selling a product; it creates an experience that sticks with the audience long after the game is over. As a media company, we’re always analyzing what makes these campaigns work, and these five stood out for all the right reasons. What ad was your favorite on Sunday night? Was it one of these 5 or a different one?
At Focus Forward Media, we produced a regional Super Bowl ad with a client of ours, check it out here! If you're looking to produce a winning video for your brand, reach out to us today and let's get the conversation going!
Comments