Super Bowl: Industry Execs On Likeable Ads, Creator Economy Crossover

With the dust settled on Super Bowl LVII, we asked various TVREV partners for some of their major takeaways from the game. The responses touched on the game’s TV ads, to music selection, and of course, the creator economy’s link to the proceedings (and how it portends even more creator involvement in future Super Bowls and other large events).

Some of this year’s most likeable Super Bowl ads were easier to predict in advance, since they received positive feedback from consumers in advance of the game:

"Many of the ads that elicited positive reactions during this year's Super Bowl were also among the most likeable prior to kickoff," said Peter Daboll, Chief Strategy & Insights Officer, iSpot. "The Farmer's Dog, PopCorners and Skechers leaned into tried-and-true Super Bowl approaches with humor, celebrities and/or pets, which scored best with audiences amid a collection of great ad creatives this year."

Another major factor in a successful Super Bowl (or any) ad: Selecting the right music. From Johanna Cranitch, Associate Creative Director at Massive Music (a Songtradr company):

“I love the comedic moments. (Bud Light’s “Hold”) was interesting amalgamation of two very iconic brands who have very distinct branding. How can you hear hold music and not think of Cisco who famously haven’t updated their sound for years. Bud Light capitalized on the feel-good idea of ‘making the most of each moment’ by having celebrity talent — Miles and Keleigh Teller — dance to the hold music while grabbing a beer… I loved the music and the messaging together.”

On social creators’ continued growth into more “traditional” TV spaces like the Super Bowl:

“Logan Paul’s ad was an eye-opener. It speaks to the coming of age of the Creator Economy. Plenty of creators have supported other brands in and around the Super Bowl, but this is the first time that creators ARE the brand featured," said Tim Sovay, Chief Business Development & Partnerships Officer CreatorIQ. "It just shows how creators have become brands and media companies of their own.” 

Creators’ larger presence at this year’s Super Bowl could also be part of more involvement to come as young audiences become tougher to reach:

"Social video made a major impact on this year's Super Bowl, from YouTube's ads, to Prime Hydration's spot and the appearance of MrBeast in the NFL's own commercial spotlighting women and flag football," said Chrissy Werner, Vice President of Marketing, Tubular Labs. "As leagues and brands aim to attract younger audiences, expect to see events like the Super Bowl feature more nods to the importance of digital creators and user-generated content."