We know the Super Bowl has come and gone and might even be considered old news to some. But when you’re an advertising agency AND based in Kansas City (go Chiefs!), the Super Bowl and its debut commercials will always remain top of mind for us!
We just got done celebrating the Chiefs win and thought we’d talk advertising and share some of our top Super Bowl ads. Here are Sassafras’ top five of the best ads:
Rocket Mortgage
Embracing the perennially-popular trend of having name-brand stars endorse products at the Super Bowl, Rocket Mortgage employs Aquaman himself, Jason Momoa, to describe the comforts of the home. But rather than wax poetically, Momoa demonstrates his typical home from work routine, shedding his shoes, belt, and eventually, his muscular frame and full head of hair. Sure, the CGI visuals of Khal Diogo removing 75% of his arms may have been just as disgusting as his slide guitar noodling, but there’s no doubt this piece got people talking about Rocket Mortgage.
Tide
In a simple but well-executed premise, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadephia’s” Charlie Day stains his shirt but is told to wash it later. Throughout the commercial, Day tries to figure out the specific time that “later” actually arrives — is later after the game ends, or years down the line when he’s a retired old man? It’s a cute bit, but the innovation lies in Tide’s integration with different ads throughout the rest of the Super Bowl. In spots for Bud Light and the halftime show, Day re-appears on screen attempting to determine if he’s found the right moment to do a quick wash, leaving viewers to wonder if and when his character would return.
Hyundai
Smart Park, an aptly named automatic parking function for the newest Hyundai Sonata, speaks for itself. But in the auto giant’s standout Super Bowl spot, a trio of stars discuss the feature through their own unique voices. The Massachusetts-born Rachel Dratch, Chris Evans, and John Krasinski watch in awe as the vehicle parks itself, adding comments every step of their way in their home bred Bostonian accents. In one fell swoop, “Smaht Pahk” turned a new product into a memorable, easily repeatable Havhad Yahd-style catchphrase.
Jeep
Living in the age of remakes, and sequels, not every Hollywood property is worthy of another reboot — do we really need another “Fantasy Island” or Shaft?” “Groundhog Day,” the beloved existential Bill Murray wintertime struggle, stands out as another perfect piece of filmmaking that doesn’t need a total revamp — which made its brief sequel as a Jeep commercial stand out as a fun way to revisit beloved characters for just another minute.
Of all of the products that don’t need much advertising, Google comes to mind — after all, once your product has become its own verb, what more do you need? Google answered that question with “Loretta,” a touching story about an elderly man using Google Assistant to catalog his life’s memories. Not only did Google show off the human side of its products, it demonstrated key features that users might not be taking advantage of.
So, there you have it, five gold standards when it comes to advertising. From a Sassafras point of view, these ads all possess characteristics that make a great advertising campaign: humor, compassion, wit, and most of all, they’re memorable. Even a month after the Super Bowl, we’re still talking about these top players in the commercial ad space.
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