What It Takes to Win the Super Bowl

The Super Bowl is advertising’s biggest annual event. It’s a cultural phenomenon where, for once, an audience of millions - 123.7 million this year, according to Nielsen - actively look forward to watching some TV commercials.

Each year, after the final whistle has blown and all the Super Bowl spots have aired, the American public has its say on which ads they liked the most, and the news company USA Today compiles its Super Bowl Ad Meter rankings. In four out of the last five years, Chicagoan agency Highdive has earned that number one spot, with three different brands. The seven-year-old agency is just the third - alongside DDB and BBDO - to achieve four pole-position films, doing so with Jeep, Rocket Mortgage and State Farm.

So, as brands and their agencies begin putting together their Big Game plans for 2025 - yes, it often starts this far in advance - LBB spoke with Highdive’s co-founder and co-CCO, Chad Broude, to find out what makes a successful Super Bowl spot today, and predict the strategies and trends for next year’s event.

Above: Chad Broude, Highdive co-founder and co-CCO

LBB> The Super Bowl is a huge cultural moment each year – what does it mean to you personally? And why is it so important to the ad industry?

Chad> The Super Bowl is the advertising industry’s Super Bowl. Kidding, but not. It's the one time a year consumers actively seek out ads instead of avoiding them. This captive audience is unparalleled. For agencies, Super Bowl success is the ultimate showcase, demonstrating our ability to connect with America on a mass scale. There's no better ad for an agency than creating a talked about spot during the Big Game.

Personally, it transformed my life. In 2020, our three-year-old agency found some fame with the two most talked-about spots in the game: Jeep's ‘Groundhog Day’ and Rocket Mortgage's Jason Momoa spot. Overnight, the Highdive brand was solidified in the industry’s consciousness.

LBB> What are some of your favourite ads in Super Bowl history?

Chad> A classic example is Reebok's ‘Terry Tate: Office Linebacker’ from 2003. This ad was a knockout at Super Bowl parties. Despite airing 22 years ago when I was 14, I remember it like yesterday.

More recently, Chrysler's ‘Born of Fire’ (2011) really stands out for me. Not only is the spot killer, but it also launched a significant brand platform. A perfect example of how to use the Big Game.

Both ads showcase the power of Super Bowl advertising to create lasting impressions and drive brand narratives.

LBB> What are Highdive’s own Super Bowl credentials? Tell us a bit about your most successful Super Bowl ads!

Chad> We’ve placed #1 on the USA Today Ad Meter four out of the last five years.

2020: Jeep -  ‘Groundhog Day’

2021: Rocket Mortgage - ‘Certain Is Better’

2022: Rocket Mortgage -  ‘Dream House’

2024: State Farm ‘Like a Good Neighbaaa’ 

But I just learned an industry fact that blew my mind: In the history of advertising, only three agencies have four #1 Super Bowl spots - DDB, BBDO and Highdive. Even more impressive, only one agency has done that with three different clients - Highdive.

I think I’m most proud of the idea that we’ve done this across so many brands and we’ve only been around for seven years.

LBB> What have you found are the key components of a great Big Game spot? Has this changed with time?

Chad> In terms of just the in-game spot (not the pre-game strategy), here are my rules that don’t really change over time.

The Two Beer Rule - People are eating and drinking and talking. Keep things wickedly simple.

Be Strategic with Celebrities - Don’t fall into the trap of doing a traditional spot that shoehorns a dozen celebrities into a pointless 30-second spot. 

Ignore Common Sense and Swing Big - ‘Don’t go for Bill Murray, you won’t get him’... Good thing we ignored that! I’d recommend focusing on a great idea and ignoring the obstacles during the process. That’s where the magic happens.

What’s changed over time is that it used to be a one-day holiday. Now brands have three chances to win if they take an earn-led mindset.

Before the Game - There are endless ways your campaign can steal a share of voice in the months leading up to the game. For example, FanDuel’s ‘Kick of Destiny’ or State Farm’s faux movie last year.

During the Game - Did you stand out from the 53 other spots? Was it funniest? Most emotional? A stunt that stole the show?

After the Game - When you win the USA Today Ad Meter, you almost get a bonus Super Bowl moment the Monday after the game. Last year, every major news outlet in the country was replaying State Farm ‘Like a Good Neighbaaa’ and breaking down the spot because America voted it to be their favourite. Good news… all that media is free.

LBB> How important is the celebrity aspect of Super Bowl ads? How should brands deploy celebrities in their Big Game ads, if at all?

Chad> Can I rant for a second? This is one of the silliest conversations to me where the industry gets in its own way. People worry about what ad nerds think about, versus 200 million real people watching the game.

Here’s my answer -- do what makes the idea better. If a celebrity strengthens an idea, then use them. If it distracts or waters down the idea, then don’t. Did you need Eminem in the ‘Born of Fire’ Chrysler spot? No. It was a great concept, well written. Did Eminem make it much stronger and culturally relevant? Yes.

Did we need to put Jason Momoa in our Rocket Mortgage Super Bowl spot? No, it could’ve been a very entertaining spot if we just casted a good looking, muscular actor. But using Jason made it a cultural phenomenon that still lives in meme culture today. 

I don't think Christopher Nolan or other Hollywood directors worry about using big celebrities in their films because they’re ‘over-used’. They do what will make the project more interesting and get people to watch.

LBB> Comedy is often seen as the way to go, why is that?

Chad> Think about how a majority of people are viewing the spot. They’re watching a football game. Drinking beers. Hanging with friends. That setting invites levity and viewers are not super interested in brands showing up as a buzzkill with something super heavy. That being said, if you do non-comedy well, you can really stand out. But if you miss, you can miss really hard.

LBB> Have you noticed any other trends from the last few years? What are brands finding success with?

Chad> The three big trends I’ve noticed are.

1) We’re seeing more stunts.

2) More robust plans to make a splash before and after the game.

3) Releasing longer format spots before the game to take advantage of a captive online audience and no media time restrictions.

LBB> With these elements before and after the game, has this changed how you approach a Super Bowl project? Is a simple TV spot no longer sufficient?

Chad> It’s not that a TV spot is insufficient, it's just that with only one spot, you're not maximising ROI. Brands have three bites at the Super Bowl apple - before, during and after the Big Game. I would strongly recommend using all three.

LBB> How do you predict brands will be trying to stand out and get their money’s worth at next year’s Super Bowl?

Chad> I think we’ll see a much greater emphasis on trying to win the six to eight week pre-game period. Brands will try to replicate Cerave's recent pre-game success, building buzz and impact well in advance. This shift will likely transform the actual game-day spot into just one component of a larger, more comprehensive campaign strategy.

The goal will always be to maximise return on investment by extending the campaign's lifespan and engagement beyond the game itself. Brands will likely leverage social media, teasers and interactive elements to create sustained interest leading up to the Super Bowl.