Super Bowl LVIII was one for the record books. With a dramatic overtime finish and a whopping 123 million viewers, MarketCast is back with a sneak peek of which ads made a big impression with audiences from our annual report.
Thanks to our Social Researchers, we already shared the Super Bowl ads that drove the most buzz on social media, and now it’s time to preview a few of the ads that drove the highest Brand Ad Appeal. Brand Ad Appeal is a unique MarketCast metric that delivers a holistic view of ad performance, accounting for ad memorability, brand communication, and audience favorability*.
Our full Advertising Impact Report, which includes social sentiment and emotional engagement, is delivered to our Super Bowl clients. To learn more about how to access this comprehensive, deep-dive report, contact us below.
As a quick sideline, unlike other research providers, MarketCast’s Super Bowl measurement is applied in-market with several thousand people who watched the game in their natural viewing environments – homes, bars, and restaurants. This is critical because we know the Super Bowl viewing experience is unique and influences advertising recall, resonance, likeability, and other metrics we measure.
The NFL Dominates the Top Tier
The NFL’s ad “Dreams Come True” is the overall winner of the Brand Ad Appeal metric, coming out as the most memorable of the lineup with a Brand Ad Appeal score of 34%, compared to the 13% Super Bowl norm. The ad follows a young boy in Ghana who dreams of becoming a football player. The spot evokes an emotional response from viewers and ties the message back to the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program.
The NFL’s other two ads, “Character Playbook: Bullied” and “Character Playbook: Mental Health,” also had a high Brand Ad Appeal score, continuing to turn to the power of human stories and emotions to connect with audiences. Both spots highlight common issues among children, like bullying and mental health struggles, and the NFL’s efforts to help kids with these challenges through their Character Playbook program. And all three ads benefit from being the league and brand associated with the Big Game.
State Farm is Baack, Baby
State Farm’s blockbuster-style ad, “Neighbaaa Choppaaa,” features the one and only Arnold Schwarzenegger and pokes fun at his pronunciation of “neighbor.” The ad’s use of humor with a familiar character resonated well with audiences. In addition, their consistent branding throughout, including State Farm’s iconic red polo shirt and the repeated use of their tagline “like a good neighbor,” helped boost their Brand Ad Appeal score.
Budweiser’s Signature Clydesdales Save the Day
When a winter storm hits, Budweiser and its Clydesdale horses come to the rescue of beer lovers everywhere in their ad “Old-School Delivery.” Remaining true to their advertising classics, this ad charms audiences with a little help from their furry friends, delivering solid branding and memorability.
The King of Dunkin’ Has Arrived
We haven’t seen the last of Ben after last year’s Dunkin’ Super Bowl ad, and this year, he brought along a few friends to help him show off his fandom in the coffee company’s ad “The DunKings.” The humorous, star-studded spot featuring J.Lo, Jack Harlow, Tom Brady, and (a reluctant) Matt Damon held viewers’ attention, while the friendly banter between Ben and Matt came across as very relatable.
Other standouts in the Brand Ad Appeal category include E-Trade’s “Picklebabies” and Dorito’s hilarious “Dina and Mita“, both scoring above the category norm.
Liked what you saw? MarketCast’s Super Bowl LVIII Advertising Performance Report contains insights from every ad aired during the Big Game, delivering brands a powerful way to understand how their advertising resonated with audiences and influenced their upper funnel.
*These results currently reflect ad coverage on the CBS broadcast only
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