The Super Bowl teaches us a lot about healthy competition each year — but we don’t always see it play out on the football field.
Some of the greatest game-day face-offs happen when the commentators send us to commercial breaks. While soccer teams compete for trophies, companies spend millions trying to get more views, leads and revenue than other brands advertising in their industry on the same day.
If you’re a video marketer, you can learn a lot from the top Super Bowl commercials, even for a small brand.
Although these ads have budgets we can’t imagine, the brands behind them still take advantage of the creativity and ingenuity they use to raise awareness at scale and stand out among their tough competition .
To help you zone in on the key takeaways from the Super Bowl ads that resonated most with viewers, we asked more than 150 US consumers to vote on their favorite big-game ads this year across four key product categories .
The 4 Most Popular 2023 Super Bowl Ads According To 150+ Viewers
Below are four consumer favorites, plus takeaways that any marketer can leverage to fend off their biggest competition.
Consumers’ favorite food and beverage commercial
Dunkin’ – ‘Drive-Thru’ starring Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck has been jokingly referred to as the unofficial spokesman for Dunkin’ for years — since his 1997 breakout role in Good Will Hunting,
So it makes sense that the Academy Award-winning actor decided to take to a Dunkin’ Drive-Thru in his home state of Massachusetts for the brand’s latest Super Bowl commercial — much to the surprise of some unsuspecting customers.
According to our survey, 34% of consumers said this ad was their favorite Super Bowl ad from a food and beverage brand.
advertising draws inspiration from a popular internet memes Several photos of Affleck walking around with Dunkin’ products. The ad also includes real-life reactions from actual Dunkin’ customers when they learn that a Hollywood star is taking their order.
The ad ends with a cameo by fellow megastar Jennifer Lopez scolding her husband and demanding an order.
While your brand may not have the budget to book two A-list celebrities for your next video marketing campaign, it is still possible to recreate this strategy.
If you know of an influencer or content creator who is consistently using your products or giving your brand a shoutout, include them in your next campaign.
Consumers’ favorite technology and e-commerce commercial
Amazon – Saving Sawyer
31% of consumers listed Amazon’s ad about a family trying to keep up with their rowdy dog as their favorite Super Bowl ad from a tech or e-commerce company.
The ad, Saving Sawyer, featured a dog who had become accustomed to being constantly around his family as they worked from home or engaged in distance learning.
What makes the business stand out from its competitors is relatability. more than 23 million American households Pets have been adopted during the pandemic as people try to cope with the loneliness of lockdown.
And as millions of Americans return to work and learn outside their homes, many of the “Pandemic Pets” Have become co-dependent and unruly as they have adapted to being home alone for the first time.
Amazon reflects on this common occurrence in its new ad that shows a family dog named Sawyer destroying his family’s home and belongings after he goes back to work and school.
To solve the problem, the family orders a dog crate from Amazon and uses it to bring home a new puppy that will keep Sawyer company while everyone is away.
Commercials is a common problem that many people face and then Amazon and its services are presented as a solution.
Think about a common problem your target audience faces. What products or services does your brand offer that can solve their problem? Use the answers as inspiration for your next video marketing campaign.
Consumers’ Favorite Automobile Commercial
Jeep – Jeep 4xe ‘Electric Boogie’
With its upbeat soundtrack, hilarious animals and clever displays of product attributes – it’s no wonder that 33% of consumers listed Jeep’s 4xe commercial as their favorite automobile-related Super Bowl ad.
The commercial primarily focuses on the features of Jeep’s new vehicles. Listeners watch as the vehicles navigate the rough terrain with ease while the driver uses their built-in sound system to listen to “Electric Boogie”.
The sound system is so crisp and clear that the animals nearby can’t help but dance along. And when an overzealous snake gets a little too close to the jeep, the jeep’s cameras are triggered to alert the driver of the moving obstacle.
Finally, the commercial ends with the drivers stopping to charge their respective Jeeps – because they’re electric!
Find a way to showcase your product’s features for your next video marketing campaign.
Consumer favorite advertising related to entertainment.
youtube tv – ‘Football Cats’ NFL Sunday Ticket is coming to YouTube TV
Sometimes it helps to keep your ad short and to the point, like NFL Sunday Ticket coming to YouTube TV’s Super Bowl ad platform. 34% of consumers said the ad was their favorite Super Bowl ad related to entertainment.
The 30-second commercial features one of the most viral videos on YouTube – Keyboard Cat. The video is edited to make the cat look like it’s playing the NFL theme, and it ends on a black screen with white words that read “A modern, simple way to watch.”
The ad tells viewers that watching football on YouTube TV will be as easy as the ad.
If you don’t want to break the bank with your next campaign, feel free to choose something short, simple, and relevant.
Takeaway for Video Marketers
Celebrities, music, and cute animals aren’t among the 57 commercials that aired during the Super Bowl, so the above ad stands out. All four ads include at least some of the following elements that any brand can incorporate into their video marketing materials.
relativity
Dunkin’ and Amazon both feature related content in their respective ads. Dunkin’ featured real-life customers reacting to a celebrity taking their order. And Amazon highlights the real issue of millions of pet owners returning to work.
Humor
While many Super Bowl commercials in years past had a heavy tone, all four of the ads on the above list — and many of this year’s — won viewers over with a light, optimistic, and funny tone.
Relevance
leaned into a popular online meme about Ben Affleck’s love for the Dunkin’ brand. Amazon referenced a current event triggered by a pandemic that we are still grappling with.
Jeep played a popular song at nearly every family gathering and cookout. And YouTube took advantage of the viral video, viewed by more than 70 million people.
By paying attention to relatable themes and elements, these brands were able to create ads that were memorable and engaging.
Even without a multimillion-dollar advertising budget, you can take these themes into account and create affordable video content that meets consumer needs and engages your audience.
