Super Bowl Ads Make Moments That Can Live Forever

This challenge requires a special kind of creative mindset and client to succeed

Every February, the Super Bowl delivers a cultural moment. Yes, there’s that game on the field. But for ad folks, it’s the one day of the year when what we do matters. In the runup to the Big Game, how many calls have you received from an aunt, cousin or mom asking, “Do you have commercials for the Super Bowl”?

We debate them, rank them, rewatch them and share them. That makes the Super Bowl a fundamentally different advertising game. It’s one that demands a different creative mindset and, just as importantly, a unique kind of client to truly do great work. The spots must earn attention instantly, justify their price tag and ideally live far beyond the telecast.

That’s pressure.

The question isn’t just “Does this communicate the brand message?” but “Will I care enough to talk about this tomorrow?”

If you play it too safe, it will disappear like a ship in the night. I stole that from Ogilvy. So, we design for impact. And that is the hard part. Because even the strongest idea will fail without the right client behind it.

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The best clients understand that a Super Bowl spot isn’t just a media decision; it’s a brand statement. My former client Tim Ellis, CMO of the NFL understood that. The “NFL 100” commercial was a herculean task that took every single individual’s full buy in. And in the end, it worked.

Why?

They understand that a single, powerful idea will travel farther than a checklist of talking points. Most importantly, they accept that risk is the entry fee for the Super Bowl.

Timing also changes the dynamic. Super Bowl ads aren’t one-and-done executions anymore. The smartest brands think in ecosystems: teasers before the game, the main spot during it, and social extensions after the final whistle. That requires clients who are ready to commit beyond broadcast. It’s a living idea rather than a single asset.

And finally, there’s the other and I’d argue the most important part.

Love.

People for once want to see your ad. If you let them down, they may never forgive you. If you surprise and delight them, they may never forget you. Which might be the beginning of a beautiful relationship. I stole that too. Brands that understand this stop trying to sell and start trying to entertain. It’s subtle but crucial, and it’s often what separates the ads people remember from the ones they forget.

“Where’s the Beef,” “Money Out of the Wazoo,” “Aaron Burr,” “1984.” All Super Bowl mic drops. None of which will ever be forgotten.

The Super Bowl is a different game because the stakes are higher, the audience is louder, and the margin for error is thinner. It takes audacity and a client brave enough to trust the idea enough to let it fly.

When you do that, you make a moment. And as we know during the Super Bowl, moments are everything.