Lara has over 15 years of experience across sports marketing, consumer goods, alcoholic beverages and beauty. She is currently CMO and EVP for the Kansas City Chiefs, which won their second straight Super Bowl title last night. Lara’s previous stints include Anheuser-Busch InBev, L’Oreal, Avon and PHD.

We spent two minutes with Lara to learn more about her background, her creative inspirations and recent work she’s admired.

Lara, tell us …

Where you grew up, and where you live now.

I grew up in Weston, Conn., and lived there until college. I now live in Kansas City after moving here three years ago from NYC.

Your earliest sports memory.

Outside of playing soccer and softball growing up, going to a Yankees game at the old stadium with my dad. He worked and commuted to the city every day, so going back into the city on weekends wasn’t something we would do much. But he would always make the effort for a Yankees game. There’s nothing better than a summer game and a hot dog with your dad!

Your favorite sports team(s).

Biased for sure—the Kansas City Chiefs.

Your favorite athlete(s).

Biased for sure again with our players on the Chiefs for what they do on and off the field. But I also love Alex Morgan and Serena Williams. They were the best of the best while also being amazing mothers. 

Your favorite sports show or podcast.

I have rewatched Friday Night Lights (the show) about three times. It’s one of my favorites. I also love 30 for 30, the best type of storytelling for avid and casual fans to learn about a player, team or athlete.

Your favorite sports movie and/or video game.

Does Mario Kart count as a sports video game? As a mom of little kids, we play it often. It teaches good sportsmanship for sure.

A recent project you’re proud of.

The work that our team did to bring a Chiefs game to Germany—the first NFL game in Frankfurt—and activate around it with our “ChampionShip.” It set the bar on how to drive the internationalization of the brand and grow our fanbase. It was truly a team effort and required a lot of belief and creativity to pull off.

Someone else’s project that you admired recently.

I love the work by State Farm. The ability to take a “transactional” product message and make it emotional, funny and memorable is amazing. Love the approach and creativity.

What sports can do that nothing else can.

There is no experience or product that I have worked on outside of sports that can bring people from all walks of life together with such intense love, loyalty and passion. The Chiefs’ fanbase is a gift. They show up physically and digitally to rally our brand on both the good and hard days. 

What you’d be doing if you weren’t in the sports world.

I have and will always want to be in the world of media and creativity.

Back to top

American Values

Back to top

Apartments.com, RPA

Back to top

BetMGM, Highdive

Back to top

BMW, Goodby Silverstein & Partners

Back to top

Booking.com, Zulu Alpha Kilo

Back to top

Bud Light, Anomaly

Back to top

Budweiser, FCB New York

Back to top

CeraVe, Ogilvy North America

Back to top

Coors Light, Droga5

Back to top

CrowdStrike, In-house

Back to top

DoorDash, Wieden+Kennedy Portland

Back to top

Doritos, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners

Back to top

Dove, Ogilvy

Back to top

Drumstick, Opinionated

Back to top

Dunkin’, Artists Equity

Back to top

e.l.f. Cosmetics, Shadow

Back to top

E*Trade, 72andSunny New York

Back to top

Etsy, Orchard

Back to top

FanDuel, Wieden+Kennedy New York

Back to top

Foundation to Combat Antisemitism

Back to top

Google, Gut

Back to top

He Gets Us, Lerma/

Back to top

Hellmann’s, VML

Back to top

Homes.com, RPA

Back to top

Kawasaki, Goodby Silverstein & Partners

Back to top

Kia, David&Goliath

Back to top

Lindt, Grey Toronto

Back to top

M&M’s, BBDO New York

Back to top

Michelob Ultra, Wieden+Kennedy New York

Back to top

Microsoft, Panay Films

Back to top

Mtn Dew, Goodby Silverstein & Partners

Back to top

Nerds, Digitas Chicago

Back to top

NFL, 72andSunny

Back to top

Oreo, The Martin Agency

Back to top

Paramount+, Droga5

A shortened version of this will run in-game.

Back to top

Pfizer, Publicis Conseil and Le Truc/Publicis N.Y.

Back to top

Pluto TV, Haymaker

Back to top

Popeyes, McKinney

Back to top

Poppi, Virtue

Back to top

Pringles, Grey New York

Back to top

Reese’s, Erich & Kallman

Back to top

Skechers, SKX Studios

Back to top

Snapchat

A shortened version of this ad ran during the Super Bowl.

Back to top

Squarespace, In-house

Back to top

Starry, VaynerMedia

Back to top

State Farm Insurance, Highdive

Back to top

T-Mobile, Panay Films

Back to top

Temu

Back to top

Toyota, Saatchi & Saatchi and Le Truc

Back to top

TurboTax, R/GA

Back to top

Uber Eats, Special U.S.

Back to top

Verizon

Back to top

Volkswagen, Johannes Leonardo

Over the years, piece by piece, director Rodney Lucas, who signed with Little Minx for commercials and content representation last fall, has built an impressive body of work that celebrates Black America. Across his projects, Lucas imbues a documentary approach with poetic visuals and a drive to authentically represent diverse communities.

Some highlights from his reel: a spot for Nike that finds legendary Chicago journalist Scoop Jackson teaching a boy about the Black athletes who broke barriers in the 1960s; Southside Magnolia, a documentary for Doordash, chronicling the revival of a beloved BBQ restaurant on the South Side; and a commercial for United with Opal Lee, the activist and educator known as the grandmother of Juneteenth, marveling over the accomplishments of Black pilots.

Earlier this year, Lucas marked a career milestone as a commercial director when his NFL spot “We See You” aired during Super Bowl LVII. The moving ad finds players including Saints linebacker Demario Davis and 49ers tight end George Kittle sharing their appreciation for everyday heroes, ranging from mothers to military veterans.

Now based in Brooklyn, Lucas was brought up on Chicago’s South Side, where he saw his father sent to prison, his sister shot and close friends murdered. He knows what it is like to go hungry and has experienced periods of homelessness.

“I didn’t expect to live this long, which is probably the reason why I work so hard,” says the self-taught filmmaker. “I walk every day with a sense of purpose but also a sense of confidence that comes from me not even seeing myself in these shoes 10 to 15 years ago.”

Below, Lucas talks about his creative mission as a filmmaker, casting process and the types of brands he seeks as partners.

MUSE: When I look at your work, I really get a sense of who you are and what is important to you. Can you talk about what want to accomplish?

RODNEY LUCAS: Thank you for saying that. I’ve done it on purpose. When you see my stuff, I try and film it in a way that you know it’s Rodney. My relatives see my commercials and know it’s me. They text me, “Yo, I just saw one of your spots.”

The initial goal was to give people this view into Black America. I’ve always seen my mother and my aunts, my uncles, my community as this really magical place. And the second I had the chance to pick up a camera, I wanted to show the world the folks that have influenced me, the folks that I think have influenced the world. So, like in my NFL spot, the woman holding a baby—that’s my sister. That’s her and her wife’s baby. Probably half my spots I try to include members from my family.

Can you tell me more about your casting process? You appear to come at it from the point-of-view of a documentarian.

Completely. My casting comes from the streets. When I go into a town, I go to the barber shop, I go to the mall. I want to know who’s got the best gold. I want to know who got the best rides. I want to know who is lit and on fire in those towns. I need that energy of the streets to push the volume of my spots.

And that talent is seeking more than economic gain or more commercial work beyond that moment. That talent is genuinely seeing a Black man on the other side of the camera that is accountable in terms of the image to put out there about us. We share this bond as it relates to the portrayal of our community. And when they see me, they finally see an ally on the other side.

It is powerful seeing Chicago sports writer Scoop Jackson in your Nike ad as a mentor to a little boy.

He was actually in one of my first pieces [a branded film for Dick’s Sporting Goods] called “Benji Lives,” about a basketball player who was from my neighborhood that was killed in the ’80s. 

I’ve always seen Scoop as like the Spike Lee in Chicago. When I was in school, and I just wanted like a hug from a Black man, Scoop was always there to give it to me. I would go by Scoop’s house on the South Side and have a drink. I just wanted to be close to a Black man that was positive and believed in me.

When we wrote the script for Nike, I knew I wanted the kid talent to be able to be the recipient of and feel the same love that Scoop had been giving me for a decade of my life. I knew that would really come across onscreen because Scoop naturally has that sense of protection as it relates to connecting to Black youth.

The kid is actually one of my best friend’s sons. Just a beautiful wide-eyed baby. And that store is the store I grew up on. Literally, I would go to that store since I was five years old. So I wanted to create a vibe that was basically an interpretation of Rodney at the age of seven or eight, hanging out in this store soaking in game from older brothers that were on the corner.

What inspired you to make the short documentary Black Hercules about Black bodybuilders?

I wanted to create a short that was a love letter to Black men that spent time in prison. To me, they came home looking like superheroes. Like these brothers had a workout regimen in the joint that was just like next level. I thought that was something quite revolutionary. You could have a caged body, but that caged body had enough self-discipline and enough self-love to work out, to stay in hope, to create a pattern of self-care while in bondage. So these brothers would come out [of prison], and I would call them Black Hercules. They were like the people’s champ.

Doing research that went beyond my uncles, I became really tight with a brother named Craig Monson, who was a bodybuilder in the ’80s, and he essentially started the bodybuilding culture of South Central L.A., a bodybuilding culture that was heavily inspired by prison workouts.

The foundation of Black Hercules is how in spite of being caged and locked up and dealing with the extremes of Reagan-era politics, these brothers still came out beautifully chiseled and representing a sense of pride for the community.

There is so much pride and love and celebration in everything you make. I see it in the Nike spot you directed starring track and field sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson. The camera stays on her nails for much of the spot, and we learn so much about her by looking at them while we listen to her speak.

I wanted young Black women to see those fingernails and know that’s Sha’Carri just like we see the motherfucking jump man and know that’s Michael Jordan. So in order to reach that level of personalized branding within our psyche, I had to show the level of creativity, the level of art that was involved with those fingernails.

And I really wanted the shoot to feel like a family reunion, because I knew she was distrustful of the media. So when she came to that set, it was my goal to make that set feel like her grandmother’s kitchen, to make that set feel like home. I wanted everything that I could possibly have within my power—food, the whole energy of us playing Lil Baby—to make her feel exactly at home and to make her feel that we cared and loved her.

How did you get into making commercials?

I didn’t even realize that there were actually known commercial directors until late in my career of making films, honestly. I didn’t view it as a thing.

You were making documentaries, and then began working in the ad world, right?

Yeah, my first piece was [a documentary] called South Side Forever, and that was a piece about my community. I wanted to capture something, a short story basically. Give people a real-time view into three different chapters of Black life in Chicago. And Nowness [the digital video channel] picked it up. They kind of called, “Fire!” And then folks reached out to me, different production companies wanting to sign me. I signed with Emerald Pictures, and that was my first go in the commercial world. [Lucas was later represented by Even/Odd Films before joining the Little Minx roster.] They wanted to take what I did because they saw so much promise in it and see if I could incorporate that visual language into 30-second clips.

How do you work as a director when you are on location or on set?

It’s my job to be of service when I’m on set. I used to be a waiter for over a decade. So even like my first spot I would actually wear an apron on set because it just reminded me of being of service. You know what I’m saying? Like walking past a table and subconsciously bussing that table because for so long I was in the trenches of brunch. I think what that does is set the tone for my entire crew to ultimately follow my lead and be of service to our talent in the community.

And once I leave these communities, I want to leave them with something. So, typically, when I’m on set, I have a young kid, not even interning, but just following me around as part of the energy because I want them to be able to learn the system.

For so long, white men have fronted that this shit was rocket science, and it has been like this string of gatekeepers—as if it takes some next-level brilliant mind to crack the code of commercial filmmaking. Right. I’m like, nah, no bro, that’s not it. They just need to protect their pockets. That’s why they’re doing that. But come here, and I can teach you how to work this 16 millimeter camera. I can teach you how to be able to put together an effective spot that hits all the boxes and ticks all the marks within a 30- or 60-second piece.

The energy I’m on is ultimately leaving tools for my community to be able to tell their own stories, control their own narratives through commercial filmmaking, through branded content.

What kinds of brands and advertising agencies do you want to work with?

I’m trying to see if they’re really about it, right? If they have the receipts for the message they want to give to the public. So, if it’s a message regarding any group of marginalized people, I want to see them actually doing the work in the community before we make that spot.

There needs to be a backstory. To me, that’s essential. I think part of bringing me onboard a project is that I’m giving this company, I’m giving this brand a level of credibility, and for me to consider you a true ally, frankly, some of the work, some of the groundwork at least has to have already been done. Those are the projects I try to take on and am the most excited about.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have partners to make really, really cool stuff with—folks that are actually out there working. I love to see creative directors that are creative and pushing, pushing, pushing a sense of freshness. We’re not going to necessarily change the entire landscape of commercial filmmaking through one man, but I do think that there are endless possibilities.

You see these slivers of hope so to speak, and you see these moments that really give you the opportunity to say something great, say something that’s powerful, say something that’s going to move America. And I try and take those moments every single chance I get, even if it’s written in code through my sister holding her baby in a commercial. I live for those moments completely.

Can Rob Gronkowski, who excelled in 11 NFL seasons as a tight end, join his former New England Patriots teammate Adam Vinatieri as one of the greatest placekickers of all time?

Hell no! But maybe Automatic Adam can help Gronk make a 25-yard field goal on Super Bowl Sunday as part of FanFuel’s “Kick of Destiny” campaign developed with Wieden+Kennedy New York.

The sportsbook brand will air Rob’s effort live during the game’s third quarter on Feb. 12. FanDuel set up the premise last week. Today we get a second teaser, with Vinatieri training Gronk to put his best foot forward.

That retro Hollywood montage—driven by John Farnham’s 1986 testosterone-spiked anthem “Break the Ice”—was kickin’! The same can’t be said for Gronk. Still, there’s time for him to improve, with one more ad planned ahead of the Big Game.

Rob will make his attempt at an undisclosed location near State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., site of Super Bowl LVII. If he prevails, folks placing SB bets of $5 or more via FanDuel before kickoff could win part of a $10 million pot. 

Frankly, when this concept dropped, it felt somewhat deflated. Oh look, there’s Gronk again. And he’s hyping FanDuel. Meh.

But now, creating a storyline to build excitement for a real-time event seems like a smarter play every day. Rather than simply trumpeting its Super Bowl debut, the brand’s getting beaucoup buzz from heightened media coverage. Judging from the wealth of recent headlines and social chatter, this initiative really is breaking through.

Gronk’s overexposure as a pitchman actually works in the campaign’s favor. Scores folks love the dude. Or hate seeing his chiseled mug in commercials all the time. Either way, millions feel invested in the “Kick of Destiny” drama. They’ll tune in to cheer him on. Or else chortle if the ball hits the crossbar and bounces back to smack Gronk in the head.

“There’s no way to script the outcome, and that’s inherent to the experience of betting on FanDuel,” says W+K New York GCD Gerard Caputo. “We’re giving everyone a taste of that, and if they’ve been following along the result will be even more rewarding.”

CREDITS

CLIENT: FanDuel
PROJECT NAME: “Kick of Destiny”

AGENCY: W+K NEW YORK
CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER: Scott Dungate
PRESIDENT: Jiah Choi
GROUP CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Gerard Caputo
SR COPYWRITER: Barry Katz
SR ART DIRECTOR: Alex Kaplan
ART DIRECTOR: Hannah Campbell
HEAD OF INTEGRATED PRODUCTION: Nick Setounski
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Sam Kilbreth
SR PRODUCERS: Bianca Cochran, Tania Pirozzi, Rodrigo Nino
SR ART PRODUCER: Diana Pam
PRINT PRODUCER: Wayne Treptow
GROUP ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Ryan Johnson
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Perry Kayla Fox    
ACCOUNT SUPERVISOR: Nico Rodriguez  
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Will Parker
SR PROJECT MANAGER: Alex Doomany
GROUP STRATEGY DIRECTOR: Stéphane Missier
STRATEGY DIRECTOR: David Ceng
COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING DIRECTOR: Zack Green
SR COMMS STRATEGIST: Javaad Beg
SR BUSINESS AFFAIRS MANAGER: Paul FitzGerald
BUSINESS AFFAIRS MANAGER: Ivian Nunez
TRAFFIC SUPERVISOR: Sonia Bisono
TRAFFIC MANAGER: Jacqueline Crane
HEAD OF STUDIO: Chris Whalley
STUDIO MANAGER: Jill Kearton
SR STUDIO ARTIST: Nate D’Alessandro
DESIGN LEAD: James Hughes
JR DESIGNER: Tyler Smith

PRODUCTION COMPANY: Arts & Sciences
DIRECTOR: Mike Warzin
MANAGING PARTNER: Marc Marrie
MANAGING DIRECTOR: Mal Ward
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Christa Skotland
HEAD OF PRODUCTION: Milena Milicevic
LINE PRODUCER: Joey Zadwarny
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Autumn Durald
PRODUCTION DESIGNER: Eric Archer
FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Jason Lombardo

EDITORIAL COMPANY: ARCADE NY
EDITOR: Dave Anderson
ASSISTANT EDITOR: Sam Barden  
PRODUCER: Ellen Lavery
EP/PARTNER: Sila Soyer

VFX COMPANY: PARLIAMENT

COLORIST COMPANY: COMPANY 3
COLORIST: Tom Poole
COLOR PRODUCER: Shannen Troup

DESIGN & ANIMATION: LOS YORK

SOUND DESIGN, RECORD, AND MIX: BRIAN GOODHEART

ORIGINAL MUSIC: WALKER
MANAGING DIRECTOR: Sara Matarazzo
SENIOR EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Stephanie Pigott
SENIOR PRODUCER: Danielle Soury

PHOTOGRAPHER: Emily Shur
PHOTOGRAPHER’S AGENT: Giant Artists

RETOUCHING: 150PROOF & Co.                                  
HEAD OF RETOUCHING: Chris McClelland
RETOUCHER: Kevin Walker

Can Rob Gronkowski kick a 25-yard field goal on Super Bowl Sunday? The question never came up during Gronk’s 11-year career and five Big Game appearances. Probably because he played tight end. They catch passes. Then run a bit. Kicking is someone else’s problem.

Now, that’s all changed, thanks to FanDuel and Wieden+Kennedy, which tapped Gronk for a “Kick of Destiny” during the third quarter on Feb. 12.

He’ll aim for the uprights in a live third-quarter spot, making the attempt at an undisclosed location near Glendale, Arizona’s State Farm Stadium, site of Super Bowl LVII. If Gronk succeeds, folks placing Super Bowl bets of $5 or more via FanDuel between now and kickoff could win part of a $10 million pot. If not, well, dude still gets paid. (No fool, Gronk!)

Spots like the one above will run drive interest in the run-up to the game. You’ll note that Gronk name-checked his former New England Patriots teammate Adam Vinatieri, the greatest placekicker ev-ah. Might Adam also appear in the campaign? Spoiler: We’d take that bet!

For its first Super Bowl foray, FanDuel seeks to build a brand story over several weeks by mixing live action with commercials.

“We are looking to leverage all of FanDuel’s media during the NFL playoffs to create a narrative that culminates with the Super Bowl,” W+K New York GCD Gerard Caputo tells Muse. “While this is a Super Bowl assignment, it’s also about the full journey that builds to that big moment.”

He continues: “We see lots of big commercials every year with celebrities and borrowed interest, which are very entertaining, but we want to engage more than just entertain. In addition, we wanted FanDuel to feel truly part of the game and put something on the line as the leader in the category and a growing sports entertainment brand.”

Makes sense. But why Gronkowski? Sure, he’s beloved. But some of us feel Gronked into pulp by the man’s seemingly endless ad appearances.

Naturally, Caputo disagrees, arguing that Rob’s ubiquity provides “a ton of recognition with core football fans that are important to FanDuel. He has appeal on a broader spectrum.”

“It’s not just a situation where a celebrity shows up for a couple of days, you film them, and get a social post right before the Super Bowl,” Caputo adds. “This person needs to perform live with an audience of over 100 million people watching. They have to be up for this and get it. He has the right energy and attitude we need to pull this off.”

So, it’s Gronk as we’ve never seen him, a fresh role for a familiar pitchman that leverages his athletic abilities rather than just doubling down on his goofy-bro persona. (Though we still get some of that. It’s still Gronk, after all.)

A second ad breaks Jan. 16, with a third installment launching at month’s end. Support includes digital, social and OOH elements.

In a related development, FanDuel archrival DraftKings will make its third Super Bowl appearance, running a commercial with Kevin Hart. He won’t be asked to kick a field goal. More’s the pity.

CREDITS

CLIENT: FanDuel
PROJECT NAME: “Kick of Destiny”

AGENCY: W+K NEW YORK
CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER: Scott Dungate
PRESIDENT: Jiah Choi
GROUP CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Gerard Caputo
SR COPYWRITER: Barry Katz
SR ART DIRECTOR: Alex Kaplan
ART DIRECTOR: Hannah Campbell
HEAD OF INTEGRATED PRODUCTION: Nick Setounski
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Sam Kilbreth
SR PRODUCERS: Bianca Cochran, Tania Pirozzi, Rodrigo Nino
SR ART PRODUCER: Diana Pam
PRINT PRODUCER: Wayne Treptow
GROUP ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Ryan Johnson
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Perry Kayla Fox    
ACCOUNT SUPERVISOR: Nico Rodriguez  
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Will Parker
SR PROJECT MANAGER: Alex Doomany
GROUP STRATEGY DIRECTOR: Stéphane Missier
STRATEGY DIRECTOR: David Ceng
COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING DIRECTOR: Zack Green
SR COMMS STRATEGIST: Javaad Beg
SR BUSINESS AFFAIRS MANAGER: Paul FitzGerald
BUSINESS AFFAIRS MANAGER: Ivian Nunez
TRAFFIC SUPERVISOR: Sonia Bisono
TRAFFIC MANAGER: Jacqueline Crane
HEAD OF STUDIO: Chris Whalley
STUDIO MANAGER: Jill Kearton
SR STUDIO ARTIST: Nate D’Alessandro
DESIGN LEAD: James Hughes
JR DESIGNER: Tyler Smith

PRODUCTION COMPANY: Arts & Sciences
DIRECTOR: Mike Warzin
MANAGING PARTNER: Marc Marrie
MANAGING DIRECTOR: Mal Ward
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Christa Skotland
HEAD OF PRODUCTION: Milena Milicevic
LINE PRODUCER: Joey Zadwarny
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Autumn Durald
PRODUCTION DESIGNER: Eric Archer
FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Jason Lombardo

EDITORIAL COMPANY: ARCADE NY
EDITOR: Dave Anderson
ASSISTANT EDITOR: Sam Barden  
PRODUCER: Ellen Lavery
EP/PARTNER: Sila Soyer

VFX COMPANY: PARLIAMENT

COLORIST COMPANY: COMPANY 3
COLORIST: Tom Poole
COLOR PRODUCER: Shannen Troup

DESIGN & ANIMATION: LOS YORK

SOUND DESIGN, RECORD, AND MIX: BRIAN GOODHEART

ORIGINAL MUSIC: WALKER
MANAGING DIRECTOR: Sara Matarazzo
SENIOR EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Stephanie Pigott
SENIOR PRODUCER: Danielle Soury

PHOTOGRAPHER: Emily Shur
PHOTOGRAPHER’S AGENT: Giant Artists

RETOUCHING: 150PROOF & Co.                                  
HEAD OF RETOUCHING: Chris McClelland
RETOUCHER: Kevin Walker

Are you ready for some Weeknd!?

The platinum-selling artist will headline the 10th annual Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show, and today, and his 2019 chart-topper “Blinding Lights” fuels a fun, head-bopping spot from Goodby Silverstein & Partners.

The :60, titled “Get Ready,” kicks off a monthlong promotional blitz from the cola giant, culminating in the Weeknd’s performance on Feb. 7 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

In the spot, diverse folks sing and dance along to the synthsational track, and if you’re guessing the man himself makes an appearance…

…well, d’uh! He rolls up to the arena in a sweet ride at the end. Smooth!

“Over the past decade, the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show has become one of the most anticipated, viewed and talked about moments in music and entertainment,” says Todd Kaplan, the company’s vp of marketing. “So, this year, instead of buying a traditional 30-second in-game Super Bowl ad, we decided to double down on the 12 minutes Pepsi already has in the middle of the game.”

“Coming off of a year that was mostly void of live music, we are reimagining the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show to ensure fans can experience The Weeknd’s performance in new ways that have never been done before, with tons of exclusive access and content leading up to the show,” Kaplan says.

Along with the new commercial, which broke over the weeknd—that’s a tribute, not a typo!—Pepsi’s push includes Super Bowl LV Halftime logo cans and packaging at retailers nationwide. There’s also a QR code leading consumers to PepsiHalftime.com, where they can access exclusive content and AR filters.

Check out the industry’s picks below, sorted alphabetically by advertiser. And if you have a pick to share, please email me and I’ll consider adding it. 

Thanks to everyone who contributed, and congrats to all the advertisers (particularly Jublia, who surely wasn’t expecting any kind words after the drubbing its 2016 Super Bowl spot received at the time). 

• Airbnb, “We Accept” (2017)

Arya Davachi

Culture Curator, TBWAChiatDay LA

When was the last time you let a stranger into your home? The backbone of Airbnb is the acceptance of strangers and difference. They’ve built a global community by allowing us the opportunity of walking in a stranger’s shoes and living freely. This ad was the best kind of reminder of that power.

• Always, “Like a Girl” (2015)

Will McGinness

Partner and Executive Creative Director, Venables Bell & Partners 

There are few commercials that have the power to quiet a room during the Super Bowl, and this is one of them. It was a beautifully sharp insight that cut through everything and made you think. More importantly, it made you feel. 

Jennie Moore

Creative Director, Wongdoody

Before 2015, the average person—my feminist, daughter-having self included—used the phrase “like a girl” as a slam. But in 60 perfect, female-empowerment-fueled seconds, Always turned “like a girl” into a rallying cry. And helped girls, women and the ad industry realize we’re capable of more than we ever thought possible.

Elizabeth Barrutia

Founder and President, BARÚ Advertising

Half of the Super Bowl audience is women, but most of its ads target men. The ones with women frequently rely on harmful stereotypes. Always #LikeaGirl shows the effects of those stereotypes, speaks to the female audience through their love of athletics, and reminds them to be proud of who they are.

Moa Netto

Chief Creative Officer, RAPP

I’m most drawn to ads with powerful human insights behind them. In “Like a Girl,” Always addressed the lack of confidence girls experience after puberty by challenging what it means to be a woman, representing the power of advertising: ideas that not only mirror culture but reshape it and leave a positive legacy.

Quynh Mai

Founder, Moving Image & Content

This spot connected to the female fanbase (the NFL estimates 45 percent of fans are women), debunked stereotypes about women and sports—and cut through the clutter of hyper-masculine ads. It sparked conversations about equality that continue to snowball today. Being topical to culture-at-large, but also to the event, was effective.

Jeff Ragovin

Chief Growth Officer, Social Native

A perfectly executed campaign that highlighted just how powerful personal stories are. The spot cut through the hype of the Super Bowl and brought the viewers together with the use of real stories, a powerful, culturally relevant message and a global cause, which captivated and inspired millions.

• Amazon, “Baldwin Bowl” (2016)

Lyndsey Fox

Director of Strategy, Allen & Gerritsen

My dream state is in a room overflowing with fried finger food, swathed by the ruggedly handsome Alec Baldwin and intellectually stimulating Jason Schwartzman, serenaded by a new Missy Elliot track, and a device reminding me to order toilet paper. It’s also the Alexa spot from 2016, making it my favorite by default.

• Amazon, “Alexa Loses Her Voice” (2018)

George Prah

Designer, Loyalkaspar

Everything goes wrong in this 90-second commercial, which weirdly makes me want to jump on the Alexa bandwagon! The irony played out by Alexa’s replacements—Gordon Ramsay, Cardi B and Rebel Wilson—is both clever and hilarious. Honestly, part of me wants Gordon Ramsay to yell at all my life decisions!

• Ameriquest, “Surprise Dinner” (2005)

Erika Gilbrech

Associate Creative Director, Propac 

I love how this ad gets across the brand promise in a quick, memorable way. The twisted, clever logic and inevitably compromising situation that follows are paid off nicely by a great tag. A smart concept with a clear tie-in to its offering—no flash or glitz needed. But maybe a white cat.

• Apple, “1984” (1984)

Tim Nudd

Editor in Chief, Clio

[Editor’s note: As noted above, we didn’t let anyone choose “1984” for this list, because half of you would have picked it. It remains at the head of the pack.] Chiat/Day and Ridley Scott’s masterpiece is the most famous commercial ever made, the ad to change all ads. Grand and darkly compelling, it brilliantly cast Apple as the spirited underdog to IBM’s Big Brother. The media buy—having it run just once—only added to its legend. It will surely never be equalled.

• Audi, “Godfather” (2008)

Joseph Assad

CEO, Kovert Creative

The 2008 Audi ad by Venables Bell & Partners borrowed from a famous scene from the Godfather, the greatest movie ever. Why was Audi advertising the R8 in the game? How did VBP pull off this concept? Who cares? It was brilliant, ballsy and memorable; Audi hasn’t looked back in the U.S. since.

• Audi, “Daughter” (2017)

Claire Barnette

Art Director, EP+Co

Audi’s “Daughter” spot is one that has stayed with me. It was the first time I remember seeing the gender pay gap discussed so plainly in a Super Bowl spot. The writing is simple and powerful, and as a young female creative post-2016 election, it was important to see.

• Avocados From Mexico, “Avocados in Space” (2016)

Elisa Silva

Managing Director, Clients + Culture, SS+K 

In the spirit of celebrating how enriching culture can be when we welcome perspectives, people, music, food and terrestrial beings from outside America (and Earth), I’m giving a shout-out to always-in-season Avocados From Mexico’s 2016 spot. The Chia Pets line gets me every time.

• Budweiser/Bud Light, “Bud Bowl” (1989)

Jeff Benjamin

Executive Creative Director, Barton F. Graf

It paved the way for elevating ad space into something bigger and more entertaining than the game itself. Best of all, it crowned the best beer—with the only beers playing made by Bud. It was a game within a game. Which begs the question … would we have the movie Inception without Bud Bowl?

• Budweiser, “Frogs” (1995)

Anselmo Ramos

Founder and Chief Creative Officer, GUT

Just three frogs in a swamp. Simple. Funny. Unexpected. Not taking itself too seriously. Impossible to forget. It was the pilot of an entire series. Season 2 introduced us to Louis, Frankie and the ferret. Also, you couldn’t tell the story without the brand. It makes people start croaking “Bud,” “Weis” and “Er.”

• Budweiser, “What Are You Doing?” (2001)

Leo Leone

Executive Creative Director, Barbarian

The success of Budweiser’s “Whassup” spots had the unfortunate side effect of turning one member of every male friend group into “the Whassup guy.” So in 2001, when the brand parodied the very phenomenon it started with “What Are You Doing?”, it was the perfect bit of snark the rest of us needed. 

• Budweiser, “Instant Replay” (2003)

Anthony O’Neill

Associate Creative Director, Goodby Silverstein & Partners

A good Super Bowl commercial should be able to stand the test of time. After this postseason’s questionable calls—catches no catches and fumbles no fumbles—I vote to run it this year! That’s what makes “Instant Replay” an instant classic; funny, simple and memorable.

• Budweiser, “Born a Donkey” (2004)

Nancy Kadowaki

Creative Director, Optimist Inc.

What I love about Budweiser’s donkey spot is that it delivers a touching story in a very short time, “character” development, humor and an aspirational message through the acceptance of the Clydesdale horses. But really, it’s the donkey braying.

• Budweiser, “Brotherhood” (2013)

Steve Red

President and Chief Creative Officer, Red Tettemer O’Connell + Partners

Clydesdale grows up with trainer. Clydesdale leaves trainer to join Budweiser Clydesdales. Stevie Nicks “Landslide” playing. Sniff. Clydesdale spots trainer in crowd … snniiifff, whelp … at parade … aaaaahhh, gulp … galloping. Hugging. Grrrpghrem … snort.

• Budweiser Clydesdales (various years)

Lee Clow

Chairman of TBWAMedia Arts Lab and Director of Media Arts at TBWAWorldwide

I love the Budweiser Clydesdales spots. All the way back to the beginning, playing football? Sorry I can’t pick one. You got the dog ones. And the baby horse ones. Then you got the baby horse and the puppy ones. Then the baby horse grows up one. How can you pick just one? [Ed. note: “Puppy Love,” from 2014, is shown above.]

• Budweiser, “Born the Hard Way” (2017)

Isabela Zawistowska

Junior Planner, EP+Co

To an immigrant from Canada, with Polish-Mexican roots, Budweiser’s founding story pulls the heartstrings. It speaks to the amazing spirit that immigrants share—a spirit that drives us to explore and embrace the unknown in all aspects of life.

• Bud Light, “The Bud Knight” (2018)

Holly Lang

Account Planner, Planet Propaganda

‘Twas a halt in the Bowl and thine brethren thirst for ale. 
Hither came thee valiant bro, shining in coats of blue.
O’er the hills of bloodiest battle, he fetched a score plus four. 
While Game of Thrones seized the commoner’s heart, the era was right
to hail thou great hero Bud Knight.

• CareerBuilder, “Tips” (2009)

Amos Goss

Creative Lead, The VIA Agency

What pisses me off is that it’s actually insightful and germane to their product—not just funny for funny’s sake like most SB spots. I know firsthand their biggest competitor was reeling after this. It’s also a masterclass in casting, directing and editing. If I made this, I’d flip everyone off and quit.

Jake Matthews

Senior Creative, Virtue

“It can be hard picking a favorite Super Bowl commercial. As a rule, if you laughed, it may be the one. If you laughed and it made you think, it may be the one. If you laughed and it made you think existentially about your own professional purpose, it may be the one.”

Maury Loeb

Partner and Editor, PS260

My favorite Super Bowl spot is Tom Kuntz’s cumulative CareerBuilder spot for Super Bowl XLIII. I’m just a sucker for its pitch-perfect casting, performances, setups, script and “house that jack built” structure. As an editor, I really appreciate the craft that went into this deceptively simple edit within an edit.

Next Page >

Carolyn Hadlock

Executive creative director, Young and Laramore

Guts and glory on every level makes “Born of Fire” the second spot in Super Bowl history to take my breath away. Starting with Olivier Francois convincing Enimem to be in it, not releasing it ahead of time, buying a two-minute slot, using local VO, and ending with the line “Imported from Detroit.” 

Jim Garaventi

Co-founder and creative director, Mechanica

It’s Super Bowl XLV. Chrysler is way down. (You know, after the 2009 government auto bailout and all.) It’s Hail Mary—or at least Marshall Mathers—time. What a brilliant comeback. “Imported From Detroit” is “Buy American” with guts, and craft and punch. An anthem to what anthem spots can be.

Marcus Wesson

Executive creative director, Dailey

The best ideas usually make someone nervous. Chrysler’s spot featuring Eminem was no exception. Chrysler’s then-CEO had reservations but ultimately understood the gritty determination of the city was a perfect match for the artist. It leveraged the economic climate to define not just its role on the roads but in society. Chills.

Mark Garman

Creative director, Allen & Gerritsen

What does a brand that sells luxury American cars with a word like “imported,” or with a spokesman who grew up in a trailer park, know about making a great Super Bowl ad? More than most.

• Chrysler, “It’s Halftime in America” (2012)

Jay Russell

Chief Creative Officer, GSD&M

That spot hit me like a Kennedy speech. I would have believed it if you had told me he wrote it. It stopped the country in its tracks and gave us hope and pride. Not an easy task. Undeniably, the talent and media placement only doubled the impact.

Lora Schulson

Director of Production, 72andSunny New York

An iconic American spot, a great media moment, talking about what was happening in real time, at halftime. Powerfully positioning Detroit and the automobile industry as it rebounded, as a symbol of hope and healing. Great production choices; casting Eastwood as the sage voice of reason and filmed with authenticity. Still resonates today.

Justin “Scrappers” Morrison

Creative Worker, North

“It’s Halftime in America” is good poetry. Some old man reminding us that, yeah, we might be feeling down, and hopeless, but getting back up and working hard is the spirit of this underdog country his generation prided themselves on. It’s earnest, heartfelt, and about moving forward.

Joey Bullock

Partner and Operations Director, Legwork

Political attack ads were in full force by the time Super Bowl XLVI aired in 2012. Using Clint Eastwood as a uniting voice, Chrysler released “It’s Halftime In America” as an attempt to rally the country as one. The message was a bold one that received praise from viewers and the industry alike.

• Coca-Cola, “Hilltop” (1972)

Vann Graves

Executive Director, VCU Brandcenter

It came out when much of the world was plagued with political strife, and Coca-Cola took a stand as unifiers. It was a culturally groundbreaking ad that served to remind viewers of our commonality as human beings, and it resonates to this day. I’ve still got the song memorized. 

Christian Hughes

President, Cutwater

A positive message that celebrates the spirit of human generosity. This spot has stood the test of time, and its message is very relevant for the world today. 

• Coca-Cola, “Hey Kid, Catch!” (1980)

Mike Densmore

President, Forsman & Bodenfors New York

Starring “Mean” Joe Greene of the Pittsburgh Steelers, “Hey Kid, Catch!” will always have a special place in my heart. It’s a classic and timeless example of great storytelling that tugs at the heartstrings and leaves a lasting impression. It’s the defining reason why I pursued a career in advertising. 

Skip Tramontana

Creative Director, Innocean USA

I keep circling back to the Coca-Cola spot with Mean Joe Greene. It’s hard to appreciate through a modern lens, but at the time, with a weary Mean Joe symbolic of nation reeling from a recession and the Iran hostage crisis, it was a multi-layered “smile” the country desperately needed.

• Coca-Cola, “It’s Beautiful” (2014)

Matt Augustin

Senior Social Strategist, 72andSunny Los Angeles

It pulled at my heartstrings by taking an American classic and not changing the lyrics, but rather the way it was sung. As the son of immigrants, I immediately thought of all of the varying cultures that make American culture what it is.

Tianna Howard

Account Manager, Optimist Inc.

I’m usually at a Super Bowl party for the big game. The TV is muted during the commercials, and music is blaring as we squeeze by for beer. But in 2014, I distinctly remember leaving the couch teary-eyed after watching this. It was timely, impactful and controversial. Humor is great, but love always wins.

• Doritos, “House Rules” (2010)

Brianna Rodarte

Copywriter, Orcí

Cradle to grave, figuratively and quite literally. Through humor and exaggeration, Doritos caught attention on Super Bowl Sunday with an ad starring the true man of the house. Nothing is more important in life than your momma, and a man’s bag of Doritos. *SLAP*

• Doritos Blaze + MTN Dew Ice, “A Song of Fire and Ice” (2018)

Kimber Bowman

Senior Connections Strategist, 72andSunny Los Angeles

This ad slays for its layers and layer of cultural relevance. Layer 1: Tapped the lip sync battle phenomenon. Layer 2: Featured two of today’s most recognizable actors. Layer 3: Performances of two of raps most iconic songs with cameos from the original artists. Layer 4: The world weighed in on who won.

Brett Fisher

Executive Producer, Johannes Leonardo

I love music. So last year when PepsiCo rolled the dice on a lip-sync battle between Morgan Freeman and Peter Dinklage, they had me. Directed by Nabil, the spot delivered laughs for a hungry audience. The idea was big and it won for not just one brand, but for Doritos and Mountain Dew. 

• EDS, “Cat Herders” (2000)

Mark Mulhern

CEO, We Are Unlimited

You may question the media wisdom of a deep B2B message in the Super Bowl, but you can’t question the impact, scale and craft of this Y2K classic. Studded with a series of “nice little touches,” it’s a feast for the eyes, ears and heart.

Niki Dobratz

Chief Marketing Officer, Fallon

This spot aired six months after I started at Fallon and really just solidified that I worked at the most creative agency on the planet. A company that managed electronic data won the Super Bowl. Bill Clinton said it was his favorite, too. 

Paul Caiozzo

Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Interesting Development

One of two deeply personal picks. I first saw “Cats” while working in tech, a place where cliché phrases like “low-hanging fruit,” “open the kimono” and “herding cats” really thrived. When this commercial first came on, I remember immediately thinking that it was someone’s job to make that. I wanted that job. 

Seth Gaffney

Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Preacher

I moved to Minnesota because of “Cat Herders.” Fallon managed to take a company called “Electronic Data Systems” and make the masses care. They leaned right into the complexity, creating something simple and perfectly entertaining for the stage without dumbing it down. Imagine the pride people who worked at EDS must have felt.

• EF Hutton, “Joggers” (1979)

Rob Baiocco

Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, The BAM Connection

Back to ’79: EF Hutton. Three reasons. 1) Not just a great piece of film, but a great commercial that actually sells the brand. 2) Part of a long-term, branded campaign, not a Super Bowl one-off. 3) Not trying too hard. Not celebrity-laden, preachy, ridiculously hyped. Just clever, well executed, simplicity. Timeless idea.

• Esurance, “Esurance Save 30” (2014)

Desmond LaVelle

Executive Creative Director, Peter Mayer

Internet-born Esurance is a true champion of the consumer’s wallet. In 2014, the Twitter-exclusive “Pass It On” sweepstakes gave away over $1 million to a fan, and everyone learned you could save 30 percent with Esurance. With 1.5 billion impressions, #EsuranceSave30 was the top tweeted brand during Super Bowl XLVIII, surpassing big spenders like Doritos. 

• E*Trade, “Monkey” (2000)

Tim Nudd

Editor in Chief, Clio

[Note: We didn’t let anyone choose “Monkey” for this list, as it’s been written about endlessly, along with “1984.” But here’s another blurb about it anyway.] Some of the best Super Bowl ads are tailored to the game, and couldn’t run anywhere else. “Monkey” is the perfect example—a joyous, irresistibly idiotic scene that had viewers flummoxed, before delivering the ultimate crowd-pleaser payoff line. Inspired lunacy of the highest order—one of the great SB ads of all time.

• FedEx, “We Apologize” (1998)

Dan Kelleher

Chief Creative Officer, Deutsch New York

In 1998, FedEx aired a Super Bowl commercial with just color bars on screen as an apology scrolled by. It made everyone sit up and pay attention … and then laugh out loud. It was proof that you don’t need a big budget—you just need a big idea. Absolutely, positively my favorite commercial.

Jillian Dresser

Creative Director, Walrus

When every other spot goes big and loud, this one outsmarts by being quiet. It commits to the joke to the end—no gotcha, no logo. Plus they managed to sneak in the word “boob.” A true gem for those fully paying attention during the game.

Steve O’Connell

Executive Creative Director and Partner, Red Tettemer O’Connell + Partners

It grabs you from the start, has a great twist, and lets the audience finish the ad themselves. It didn’t even need a logo. Brilliant. Also, it cost a dime and a nickel to produce. Which makes it all the more impressive and worthy of admiration.

Gavin Lester

Partner and Chief Creative Officer, Zambezi

FedEx’s “We Apologize” is a favorite Super Bowl spot of mine because it brilliantly and simply communicates the company’s product benefits without actually saying them. Contextually relevant, funny and smart, it speaks to the power of a good idea and how a small production budget isn’t a limitation. I bow to its genius!

Brendan Howard

Copywriter, Fallon

“We Apologize” proves that truth and simplicity can be more efficacious than expensive fireworks. As ad people, we aim to create work that catches the viewer off-guard, even as they stare straight down the barrel. And this spot delivers.

• FedEx, “Stick” (2006)

John Matejczyk

Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, M/H VCCP

Caveman tries to send a stick with a pterodactyl. Funny. Pterodactyl gets eaten out of the sky by tyrannosaurus. Funny. “You’re fired!” says boss caveman. “But FedEx doesn’t exist yet!” says caveman. “Not my problem.” Funny. Fired caveman walks outside and kicks a small dinosaur. Funny, funny, funny. As it should be.

• Google, “Parisian Love” (2010)

Sam Shepherd

Executive Creative Director, 360i

Imagine a client saying, “We’d like an ad that costs zero dollars, tells a compelling story, and functions as a 60-second product demo. Oh, and it can’t suck.” Sounds impossible! But that was Google’s “Parisian Love.” Radically simple and executed on the year’s biggest ad stage. That takes guts.

Spice Walker

Strategist, Rokkan

Google’s “Parisian Love” spot is simple, heart-tugging and smart. Told within the framework of a search window, it highlights how Google plays a role in some of life’s greatest moments. It was also made by students from Google’s in-house studio, proving that award-winning work can come from any age or experience level. 

Gaelan Draper

Creative Director and Partner, Quirk Creative

The magic of advertising is its ability to invest us in a story in a minute or less. This spot invests us in a fully realized love story and world without ever once shifting away from the Google interface. There’s nothing you could add or take away to make it better. Minimalist perfection.

Jeremy Cesarec

Strategy Director, Planet Propaganda

As Facebook swept in and distracted with a shiny new object, Google reminded us that our past searches tell a story, too. The emotional pull comes not from what we’ve typed into that little blank box over the years, but how our lives changed thanks to the answers it returned. 

< Previous Page  |  Next Page >

Lisa Bennett

Chief Creative Officer, Laughlin Constable

Cute animals? Check. Cool song? Check. Cute animals that aren’t puppies or horses singing one of the most classic songs of all time to sell a new product feature? Score. Honda Ridgeline’s “New Truck to Love” was a unique take on a winning formula. Sheep + Queen + product benefit. Game over.

• Jeep, “Snow” (1995)

Carren O’Keefe and Jim Wood

Partners and Executive Creative Directors, AnalogFolk

No beer. No sexism. No dancing animals or even sock puppets. None of the expected Super Bowl clichés. In fact, not a single reference to the product at all. Just 30 simple, memorable and intrepid seconds that demonstrate a beautiful snow-covered ruggedness only one brand can authentically and meaningfully pull off —Jeep.

• Jublia, “Tackle It” (2015)

Chris Landi

Group Creative Director, Merkley+Partners

My favorite’s Jublia, the toenail fungus tackler. No one sets out to make a bad ad. And piss-poor as this was, at least the team stepped into the arena. Letting themselves be judged by a nation of nacho-fueled cynics. They’re the fat kid at the gym. Don’t mock, just nod with respect. 

• Loctite, “Positive Feelings” (2015)

David Weinstock

Chief Creative Officer, Decoded

Loctite took the best of internet culture, 100 percent of a client’s budget and one single commercial slot to give you the simplest demo in a most memorable way. The casting is amazing. The wardrobe is perfect. And the down-the-barrel looks are spectacular. Add a catchy jingle and you have awkward perfection.

• Master Lock, Marksman (1974)

Teddy Stoecklein

Creative Lead, The VIA Agency

I have no idea which Super Bowl it first ran during [Ed. note: It was 1974] but I will go on record as saying it is the greatest product demo ever. No celebrities. No music. No fuss. Just a bullet and a message. If you want to hold on to what you’ve got, it’s gotta be Master Lock.

• Miller High Life, “1-Second Ads” (2009)

James Fraser

Head of Strategy, Mother New York

For all the blockbusters, I can’t help but appreciate the more novel approaches to winning. Whether Esurance for buying the first spot after the Super Bowl and giving away the money it saved, or Miller for being ballsy enough to buy a :01; just enough time to shout “High Life!” at perplexed viewers.

Pete Valle

Creative Director, Allen & Gerritsen

Snackable content before there was snackable content! They spent a year building the brand spear before deftly fashioning on this, the tip. I am smack dab in the middle of target audience, so the next second found me going out the door to get some High Life!

Todd Condie

Creative Director, Terri & Sandy

Ten years ago, Miller High Life subverted the very idea of a Super Bowl ad (and ran an end-around on Anheuser-Busch’s exclusive rights to beer advertising) by running 1-second ads on local stations during the big game. The brilliant ploy garnered loads of press, drove big sales, and had me shouting, “High Life!”

• Monster.com, “When I Grow Up” (1999)

Ben Wolan

Executive Creative Director, DDB San Francisco

It’s 1999 and I’m considering a career in advertising. This Super Bowl ad airs, and makes me think about not getting stuck doing something I don’t love. Either this spot motivated me to get to where I am today, or it was a huge warning that I didn’t heed. Only time will tell.

Kate Morrison

Director of Production, 72andSunny Los Angeles

It’s possible I’m a sucker for this as I got my first advertising job through Monster.com, but I think it holds up. It came out as I graduated high school, and I remember watching it not knowing what I wanted to do but appreciating that not settling was a great place to start. 

Krystle Mullin

Creative Director, RPA

I love me an underdog story. Super Bowl III. Monster.com has never advertised on TV before. They buy two 30-second spots during the game (I mean, if you’re going to start somewhere…) Résumés flood the site, $3 million in free press, beat out HotJobs.com to become No. 1 in the online employment category. #RudyRudyRudy

Chris Breen

Chief Creative Officer, Chemistry

This ad tapped into the basic human truth that as kids we dream big, then life beats us down until we settle. It challenged America to take a look and dream again. It put Monster.com on the map and instantly made it a household name. Score one for great advertising.

Chris Wooster

Executive Creative Director, T3

The analog to traditional BIG “big game” spots, Monster’s “When I Grow Up” came out of nowhere, slingshotting an unknown brand into the dot-com stratosphere. Shot in black and white with non-actors and a classical score, it’s a quiet creative miracle and model for a decade’s worth of subsequent Super Bowl ads.

Brooke-Lynn Howard

Head of Strategy, Swift

The Monster.com “When I Grow Up” ad from 1999 is one of the oldest I still remember today (20 years ago!). It struck a nerve by pointing out the tension between your aspirations as a kid and your adult reality, forcing viewers to re-evaluate their life and future. 

Steve Friedman

Associate Copywriter, Allen & Gerritsen

In a field of gimmicky, attention-hungry Super Bowl commercials, this Monster ad stands out for its simplicity. It asks you to remember that idealism of your childhood dreams and do something about it. And the result is 30 seconds that you’ll be thinking about for a long, long time.

• Monster.com “Double Take” (2009)

Casey Rand

Group Creative Director, Droga5 New York

Monster.com’s “Double Take” from 2009 is one of my favorite Super Bowl spots. I love that it’s a single incredible joke: What’s on the other side of a mounted piece of taxidermy? That is a hilarious premise. The perfect execution is the cherry on top. That single, measured take, the lighting, the music—delicious.

David Kolbusz

Chief Creative Officer, Droga5 London

Every Super Bowl Sunday, the ad world blows its chance to show the human world how thoughtful and talented we are by trotting out lowest common denominator garbage. Rather than throwing the kitchen sink at it, this Monster.com ad told one clever joke well. Its genius has stayed with me 10 years on.

Craig Allen

Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Callen

Why: In a sea of singing cats and celebrities riding dancing donkeys, this one is beautifully shot, dead simple, and super smart. It’s proof that you can win the Super Bowl with great ideas and execution. I remember seeing it and saying to myself, “Well crap.” I was jealous. Still am. 

• MTN Dew, “PuppyMonkeyBaby” (2016)

Kirsten Rutherford

Creative Director, TBWAChiatDay LA

PuppyMonkeyBaby. Call me juvenile … tasteless. Saw it in the midst of my own Super Bowl prep—hadn’t slept for four days. Their audience? Teenage boys jacked on caffeinated corn syrup. Their fan? A middle-aged zombie female copywriter. Hysterical laughter. Tears. I even started using it in text. ??? I’m so ashamed.

• Newcastle, “If We Made It” (2014)

Leslie Sims

U.S. Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy

Brave, brilliant, subversive and just goddamn hilarious. Perfect amount of edge with the perfect spokesperson. 

Ryan Delafosse

VP of Creative Strategy, Praytell

Newcastle taught us several lessons in 2014. Big, exciting creative ideas don’t have to fit into traditional media boxes. Create your own party, and conversation, when you don’t have the budget to get into the big one. And self-awareness isn’t a bad trait if handled with humor and grace. 

Cat Hyland

Executive Creative Director, Swift

Newcastle was one of the first brands to prove that you don’t need millions to own the Super Bowl. Their smart, hilarious “If We Made It” leveraged media dollars in all the peripheral channels surrounding the game to break through to viewers, and gave rise to what we now know as self-aware advertising.

• NFL, “Crazy” (2003)

Taras Wayner

Chief Creative Officer, Saatchi & Saatchi New York

My favorite Super Bowl experience was a spot I worked on for the NFL featuring Don Cheadle explaining how football has changed how we think about the word “crazy.” Shot Friday at the Super Bowl, edited Saturday, aired Sunday. Many fans said it was the best articulation of why they love the game. 

• NFL Network, “Leon Sandcastle” (2013)

Rony Castor

Associate Creative Director, Goodby Silverstein & Partners

For some reason, the first thing that popped into my head was Leon Sandcastle. Every time I watch that spot, I laugh out loud. Deion’s acting is on point. His afro and mustache look amazing. It was completely absurd, but I actually remember they were selling the NFL draft. The casting was perfect.

• Nike, “Hare Jordan” (1992)

Joe Staples

Partner and Executive Creative Director, Mother Los Angles

26 years ago, Nike made “Hare Jordan.” A basketball ad in a football game. The most serious player, with an animated bunny. There are so many reasons it shouldn’t have been made. I’m glad it was. Everyone loved it. Three years later, Disney grossed $230 million from Space Jam. That’s a big, brave idea. 

Driscoll Reid

Executive Creative Director, Sid Lee

Hare Jordan! I mean come on, Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny? Two of my idols together at last. It was one of the first commercials that made me think, “Who made this? That’s what I want to do.” Not to mention spawning a $6 billion franchise. It was classic Wieden+Kennedy + Riswold + Pytka magic.

• Old Milwaukee, “Field Cut Off” (2012)

Tim Nudd

Editor in Chief, Clio

This spot aired in just one tiny TV market—North Platte, Nebraska—continuing Old Milwaukee’s fun strategy from 2011 of running hyperlocal ads that got tons of press anyway. The 30-second buildup is punctured hilariously in the spot’s final seconds—a great bit of anti-marketing from Will Ferrell and director Jake Szymanski. 

• Pepsi, “Cindy Crawford” (1992)

Matt Hofherr

Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer North America, M/H VCCP

Cindy Crawford, in cut-offs, drinking a Pepsi, over catchy music, on a hot day, as two boys watch on. The drink shot is as refreshing as Mean Joe Green’s Coke spot. We think the boys are ogling Cindy, until one of the boys says “Is that a great new Pepsi can or what?” 

• RAM, “Farmer” (2013)

Stan Richards

Founder and Creative Director, The Richards Group

As much as I want to avoid looking biased, I have to be honest here. My favorite Super Bowl commercial is by The Richards Group: “Farmer,” produced for RAM. A quiet reflection on hard work sandwiched between the typical jokes and special effects, you could have heard a pin drop when that aired.

Dan Lucey

Executive Creative Director, Joan 

I’m not a farmer, never farmed, don’t know any farmers—but after seeing RAM’s “Farmer” spot, I think I want to be one. I usually like comedic spots, but this one got me and feels as fresh today as it did when it ran. Jealous of how powerful yet quiet it is. 

Nancy Hacohen

Managing Director of Live Action, Tool of North America

Paul Harvey’s velvet voice lent power and poetry to RAM’s moving Super Bowl spot about the enduring strengths of the American farmer. Watching this in the middle of the Super Bowl made a nation stop, listen and appreciate the triumph of hard work, the pride of honor, and the indomitable American spirit.

William Gelner

Chief Creative Officer, Engine

Instead of celebrities or athletes, we see simple photos of farm life. Instead of a pop song, we hear radio broadcaster Paul Harvey’s folksy voice delivering a speech to the Future Farmers of America. Brave, bold and beautiful. It’s the anti-Super Bowl ad that broke all the rules. And ruled.

Bobby Hershfield

Executive Creative Director, the community New York

I don’t want to not like it. Paul Harvey’s voice. The writing. The photography. The idea. And I don’t groan when the truck appears. No desperate attempts to win polls. Just smart and likeable. CareerBuilder’s spots came to me as well for different reasons, but I’m going with God.

< Previous Page | Next Page >