Intersection’s Super Bowl Hits and Misses

The Super Bowl is one of the most important days of the year in the advertising world, and this year, a 30-second spot came with the hefty price tag of $6 million to $7 million. With a price like that, there’s a huge amount of pressure to stand out and create something memorable. After the big game, the Intersection team discussed which companies rose to the occasion, which fumbled, and why.

Now, we may be biased because we all are obsessed with our four-legged friends, but our team gravitated toward the ads that featured dogs. As a team, we volunteer at animal shelters and we bring our pups to the office on a regular basis. To us, our pets are definitely full-fledged members of our family. So, it's no surprise that we unanimously decided that our favorite ad was all about the bond between a dog and his owner.

The Farmer’s Dog, a boutique dog food brand that boasts fresh, human-grade ingredients, stole the show with its heartfelt spot titled “Forever.” The ad shows a girl, Ava, and her dog, Bear, growing up together. It made viewers hopeful that they too could spend their whole lives with their beloved furry friends. The Farmer’s Dog took a simple and sincere approach, but the excellent execution made their spot stand above the other ads of the night.

Another honorable mention that tugged at the heartstrings was Amazon’s ad “Saving Sawyer.” It told the story of Sawyer, a dog struggling to adjust to his family heading back to the office for work. Not used to being home alone, he begins rebelling and destroying the house. When the family orders a dog crate from Amazon, the viewer immediately questions how the family will deal with the issue. Will they give the dog away? Crate him while they’re not home? To the viewers surprise, the crate is for another pup to keep Sawyer company. Amazon positioned itself as a solution to a highly emotional challenge while keeping the audience guessing.

We found that some of the least successful ads relied too much on featuring a celebrity or being outlandish and over-the-top. Many of the ads felt like they had tried too hard to be funny or memorable. In contrast, our favorite ads created a real connection with the consumer and solved problems we all worry about. The Farmer’s Dog told us that our pets can live longer and stay healthy if we use their product and Amazon proved its services can help us make the best decisions for our families. Both put the consumer at the forefront and positioned themselves as a helpful guide instead of the hero.

What does this mean for you and your marketing strategy? It proves that you don’t need to have the hottest, trendiest ads to make yourself stand out. What you do need is a genuine connection that positions your client as the hero of their story. When you’re crafting your marketing strategy, consider taking the time to see how you can solve your client’s challenges in a meaningful way.  Using these ads as inspiration, you can create a heartfelt message that makes your clients feel seen and valued—without the $7 million budget.