You’re Right!

Super Bowl spots aren’t as good as they used to be…

 

If you think they don’t make Super Bowl ads like they used to, you may be right, because a study finds spots from recent years relatively forgettable.

 

Of the 10 most memorable Super Bowl ads of the past 10 years, only three aired during the 2020s, according to a study by independent agency VCCP and Cowry Consulting. Given that it was a memory test, conducted through a mix of unaided and aided recall among 1,000 people in the U.S., it’s remarkable that seven of the most memorable commercials didn’t air in the current decade.

 

 

Most memorable Super Bowl ads from the past 10 years
Brand Ad detail Year
1. Budweiser Puppy Love 2014
2. State Farm Like a Good Neighbaaa 2024
3. The Farmer’s Dog Forever 2023
4. Hyundai First Date 2016
5. Mr Clean You Gotta Love a Man Who Cleans 2017
6. Heinz Weiner Stampede 2016
7. Doritos Ultrasound 2016
8. E-trade Morgan Stanley Pickleball Babies 2024
9. M&Ms Human 2018
10. Planters Crunch Time 2019
Source: VCCP/Cowry Consulting

In terms of what made them memorable, eight of the 10 are funny, but two of the top three fall into the heartwarming/makes-you-want-to-cry category, including “Puppy Love” and “Forever” for The Farmer’s Dog.

 

That helped identify what factors led to memorability, he said. And among those were humor, emotion, surprise and audio elements. For example, State Farm’s 2024 spot with Schwarzenegger repeating “Like a good neighbaaa” repeatedly worked on the humor, character and audio hook fronts.

 

Budweiser’s “Puppy Love” wasn’t just about a cute dog, but the cute dog’s interaction with one of the brand’s trademark Clydesdales.

 

There are lessons here to apply beyond the Super Bowl, too.

“After the Super Bowl is over…we sort of forget…about all of those wonderful things in terms of telling a story that’s engaging, emotional, brings people joy and makes people laugh.”

*All of the above from AdAge.com (subscription may be required)