Ginny Golden is a Group Creative Director at AKQA.
There’s one cardinal rule for Super Bowl ads: Go big or go home. When you think about the amount of money and effort that goes into creating these commercials, going under the radar is a waste. Worst case scenario it is you go un-noticed. Best case scenario is people remember your product, as much as they remember your concept.
The question becomes, how are you going to get noticed when the themes from year’s past are so expected you could play them on a bingo card:
Blockbuster teasers. 
Preachy manifestos.
Hollywood “sell-outs”.
Over-the-top action.
Babies. Animals. Baby animals.
Overly, sexed women (men too).
Things that talk, that shouldn’t.
And, the just plain weird.
There is very little mystery left, especially when most brands drop their spots in advance of Super Bowl Sunday. What excites me is seeing the fresh takes on these Super Bowl traditions. If life and art are truly reflections of one another (and I do believe commercials are an art form), how will our cultural conscious reveal itself in this year’s Super Bowl ads?
STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT
Telling the world what you think is not ok, is often the best way of defining who you are and what you’re about. I was thrilled to see Audi’s spot, “Daughter” making a statement about gender pay equality. It delivers a message of hope and progress—which is especially timely right now. The only thing missing for me was a helmet with two cat ears. I think it’s safe to say, this ad will get the praise it deserves. Audi is a good example of how a company can contribute to positive change in its message and its practices.
RISE OF THE FEMALE BADASS
In Hollywood, we’ve seen a strong uptick in casting women as the main action hero and not as the arm candy of a male protagonist. Hallaluah! This year, two brands will put a female badass at the center of their story. ‘Wonder Woman’ Gal Gadot takes on a group of thugs in a spot for Wix and Bethesda Softworks is elevating gaming fan-favorite, Naryu, as the lead action hero to promote the release of Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowwind. You won’t see any damsels in distress here. Only confidence and swagger.
TOO CONTROVERSIAL FOR TV
In a time when the American Dream is being called into question, I commend two brands that had the courage to stick their necks out on the controversial topic of immigration: Budweiser and 84 Lumber. Both sparked criticism for their coming to America story. Yet, only 84 Lumber was subjected to censorship when Fox forced them to alter their commercial, deeming it too politically charged. Apparently, it’s been reported the image of a wall being built by workers is where Fox draws the line. They were unable to see what for some is a story of hope. The content wasn’t flagged for being offensive. It just didn’t align with Fox’s politics. I don’t think I am overstating this when I say the biased censorship here is unprecedented. Regardless, the conclusion will soon be revealed and the world can judge for itself. My hope is 84 Lumber reaches an even bigger audience through PR and social media once it does.
NEW BATTLEGROUNDS
There are some new battles flaring up this year. Super Bowl marks the beginning of tax season and the stress that comes with it. H&R block is returning to the game in an attempt to win a leadership position. The plan is to announce a first-time partnership with IBM Watson. The tone is expected to be serious, while challenger brand Turbo Tax is going for laughs with Humpty Dumpty falling to pieces. Each company is promising expert help with different products. Who could rightfully claim bragging rights is anyone’s guess. Truth is, the hard work for both brands will have to be done online where viewers will ultimately make their choice.
Another battleground is for web services. Go Daddy, who has gone virtually unchallenged for years, has some fierce competition. Wix and Squarespace are returning with some big star power, while Go Daddy attempts to climb out of its sexist hole with Blake Irving the new CEO providing the rope. There’s even an Easter egg nodding to the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing (GHC), the world’s largest gathering of female technologists. Sure, the mention is subtle and the majority of viewers won’t even know it’s there, but it’s a step in the right direction and I’m grateful for that.
THE TOTAL SUPER BOWL EXPERIENCE
Brands are putting more work into deeper digital experiences, using their TV spot as a teaser to drive people online. A great example of this was what Squarespace did with Jeff Bridges’ sleep tapes in 2016. I thought it was simply brilliant and hilarious. I’m loving the continuation of that theme this year with John Malkovich. The campaign shows how Squarespace is a platform that can help make your dreams come true (even if someone took your domain name first). Wix.com took a page from the same playbook, but the story is more of a sweepstakes gimmick online. The Squarespace campaign feels more authentic – how a business could work. Meaning, the Jeff Bridges’ sleep tapes were real – you could download them. The John Malkovich’s collection is real – you can shop it. It contextualizes and legitimizes the web service so much more.
On the flip side, Snickers promises a 36 hour live Facebook stream, that precedes the commercial – a first-ever live Super Bowl spot with Adam Driver. When I connected to the stream (late in the evening) I discovered a “security duck” to what I imagine guarding the set. At first glance, I thought the scene was rather boring, then I couldn’t stop reading the hilarious comments of others (like me) who were also watching the duck. It’s always great to see brands experimenting with the next big thing — after the last big thing (and the thing before that).
Ginny Golden is a Group Creative Director at AKQA.
