SUPER BOWL 2025
Today at breakfast (where I was nonchalant with Pharrell, btw), Daniel told me what he was writing about in The Marketing Millennials.
Highly anticipated Super Bowl ads. That he’ll rank. And then, rerank once they are live.
Immediately, I was jealous.
And then, I channeled my jealousy and asked him, casually:
“Honey, how many ads are you going to feature?”
He said, “6.”
I said, “Perfect, when you’re looking, find your 6. Then find 4 more and give them to me LOL.”
Luckily, the ad lineup this year is kinda thrilling. And, as you know, not all commercials are created equal.
Let’s break them down together. (Daniel created a ranking system for this and we’re going to steal that because it’s good). THANKS HONEY!!
Creativity (C) – Does it bring something fresh or unexpected?
Effectiveness (E) – Does it actually sell the brand and not just entertain?
Entertainment (EN) – Is it fun? Will people actually enjoy watching it?
Shareability (S) – Will this live beyond game day? Memes? Social chatter?
HERE ARE MY RANKINGS (for the 4 ads I was assigned LOL).
1️⃣. SQUARESPACE – A Tale As Old As Websites
Anticipated Score: 8.5/10
C: 9 | E: 10 | EN: 8.1 | S: 7
Why the Rating: It was immediately fresh. And, a single celebrity was used so bonus points for that (annoying if multiple in my professional opinion). The effectiveness score here is a 10 to me, because the end card so clearly reads, “A Website Makes It Real”. THAT’S THE WHOLE POINT OF SQUARESPACE!!!!!
2️⃣. UBER EATS – A Century Of Cravings
Anticipated Score: 9.1/10
C: 10 | E: 8 | EN: 9.5 | S: 9
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Why the Rating: Matthew McConaughey screaming OMAHA! steak OMAHA! steak made me, Daniel, and my Dad SNICKER. I watched it, then went and found my Dad so I could show him just that part. There’s something about Matthew McConaughey’s voice, and his known food obsession (tuna salad recipe IYKYK) that makes this so perfect. Not to mention, his known love of football. Nothing about this is random, and the wings did make me a little hungry.
3️⃣. STELLA ARTOIS – David & Dave
Anticipated Score: 6.2/10
C: 5 | E: 6 | EN: 7 | S: 7
Why the Rating: David Beckham is not from Belgium. This is a Belgium beer. Matt Damon is from America, which helps when selling a Belgium beer into an American market (there’s nothing more Americana than the Super Bowl). It gets cute at the end with the Ben Affleck joke, and is cute at the beginning with the parents, but I think David Beckham was miscast. Just because you can afford the biggest celebrity, doesn’t mean that they make sense!
4️⃣. HELLMANN’S – When Sally Met Hellmann’s
Anticipated Score: 10/10
C: 10 | E: 9.5 | EN: 10 | S: 10
Why the Rating: THE NOSTALGIA. The fact that mayo is DELICIOUS (I’m from a mayo family – it’s both Daniel’s and my favorite condiment). Sure, 1 too many celebrities (I don’t think we needed Sydney Sweeney because Harry and Sally are enough for me. But, this is an instant classic and made me blush. And, the product is at the CENTER of the ad.
Every 1 of these 4 has a celebrity, or many multiple.
A mix of nostalgia (Hellmann’s, Squarespace), celebrity power (Stella Artois), humor (Uber Eats), and viral potential (Uber Eats, Hellmann’s). Some will see the returns, some will flop, but only a few will own the night.
Let’s see who actually wins the Ad Bowl. I’ll be watching and I really, really hope that Taylor Swift doesn’t go all Louis Vuitton on us again. Once per season at max, please.
Send me your rankings or your favorites after the game, and why can’t I stop thinking about the Uber Eats OMAHA! Steak little maneuver he did with his hips???
VALENTINE’S DAY
If the Super Bowl isn’t your thing, that’s okay by me. Please find 10 things I think would make great Valentine’s presents, if you’d prefer to shop around.
👼: $25
👼: $50 (for him)
👼: $75 (for him)
👼: $100
👼: $150
👼: $200
👼: $250 (for him)
👼: $500
👼: $750
👼: $1,000
