The top 10 alternative rules for Super Bowl spots
Whether it's checking on Will Ferrell's availability or referencing all those memorable Super Bowl spots from years past, like that one with the kid, or that one that had a dog in it, Matthew Charlton, CEO of Brothers & Sisters London, has got you covered.
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Ok. 30 seconds. $5m for the media spot, $5m for production. Every brand going for the most creative idea they can muster.
What are you going to do if you get the Super Bowl brief into the agency?
This. This is what you're going to do:
1. Don’t overthink it. All the spots are very light on strategy. Go for something that is going to snag a creative hook into your memory. If that means being a bit flexible with the brief, so be it. Send the planners out of the room, they are not needed. Being on-brand means featuring the brand colours in the spot. Eg: “You are blue. Great, we have blue. Loads of it. The sky.”
Send the planners out of the room, they are not needed.
2. Grab something that is already massively popular in American culture, be that a celebrity, a movie or an avocado and do something interesting with them. It is already famous so it will already have a huge following.
3. You’ve only got 30 seconds and one spot, so you’ve got to push people to the edge of either humour or tears. Whatever you do, don't play it safe and get stuck in the middle.
Credits
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- Agency The Community/New York
- Production Company O Positive
- Director David Shane
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Credits
powered by
- Agency The Community/New York
- Production Company O Positive
- Director David Shane
- Executive Producer Ralph Laucella
- Executive Producer Marc Grill
- Head of Production Devon Clark
- Editing Mackcut
- Editor Gavin Cutler
- Executive Post Producer Gina Pagano
- Sound Designer Sam Shaffer
- VFX Framestore/Los Angeles
- Executive Creative Director Aron Hjartarson
- Creative Director Victoria Osborn
- Executive VFX Producer Nick Fraser
- Virtual Production & VFX Eyeline Studios
- Executive Producer Perry Kain
- Head of Production Eranka Weerasuriya
- Music Duotone Audio Group
- Executive Music Producer Ross Hopman
- Creative Director Peter Nashel
- Sound Design/Audio Mix Sonic Union
- Sound Designer/Audio Mixer Steve Rosen
- Audio Mixer Julienne Guffain
- Executive Producer Patrick Sullivan / (Head of Production)
- Color Company 3/Los Angeles
- Colorist Skip Kimball
- Senior Executive Color Producer Ananda Reavis
- Talent Will Ferrell
- Talent Jonathan Van Ness
- Talent Priah Ferguson
- Talent Vanessa Lachey
- Talent Antoni Porowski
- Line Producer Eric Liney
- Composer Jordan Lieb
- Composer Eric Hachikian
- Associate Creative Director Ruth Bellotti
- Associate Creative Director Marcelo Maciel
- Associate Producer Diana Sanchez
- Chief Creative Officer Frank Cartagena
- Copywriter Chris Henchy
- Copywriter Harper Steele
- Creative Director Guilherme Grossi
- Creative Director Gabriel Gama
- Creative Director Federico Diaz
- Creative Director Juarez Rodrigues
- Creative Director Ian Reichenthal
- Executive Creative Director Lucas Bongioanni
- Executive Producer Chris Parke
Credits
powered by
- Agency The Community/New York
- Production Company O Positive
- Director David Shane
- Executive Producer Ralph Laucella
- Executive Producer Marc Grill
- Head of Production Devon Clark
- Editing Mackcut
- Editor Gavin Cutler
- Executive Post Producer Gina Pagano
- Sound Designer Sam Shaffer
- VFX Framestore/Los Angeles
- Executive Creative Director Aron Hjartarson
- Creative Director Victoria Osborn
- Executive VFX Producer Nick Fraser
- Virtual Production & VFX Eyeline Studios
- Executive Producer Perry Kain
- Head of Production Eranka Weerasuriya
- Music Duotone Audio Group
- Executive Music Producer Ross Hopman
- Creative Director Peter Nashel
- Sound Design/Audio Mix Sonic Union
- Sound Designer/Audio Mixer Steve Rosen
- Audio Mixer Julienne Guffain
- Executive Producer Patrick Sullivan / (Head of Production)
- Color Company 3/Los Angeles
- Colorist Skip Kimball
- Senior Executive Color Producer Ananda Reavis
- Talent Will Ferrell
- Talent Jonathan Van Ness
- Talent Priah Ferguson
- Talent Vanessa Lachey
- Talent Antoni Porowski
- Line Producer Eric Liney
- Composer Jordan Lieb
- Composer Eric Hachikian
- Associate Creative Director Ruth Bellotti
- Associate Creative Director Marcelo Maciel
- Associate Producer Diana Sanchez
- Chief Creative Officer Frank Cartagena
- Copywriter Chris Henchy
- Copywriter Harper Steele
- Creative Director Guilherme Grossi
- Creative Director Gabriel Gama
- Creative Director Federico Diaz
- Creative Director Juarez Rodrigues
- Creative Director Ian Reichenthal
- Executive Creative Director Lucas Bongioanni
- Executive Producer Chris Parke
- HP Laurie Malaga
Above: Will Ferrell stars in this year's spot for Netflix and General Motors.
4. If none of the above work, call Will Ferrell and he can ad lib around your product dressed up as a 50-year-old basketball player. That's as long as he hasn’t already signed up to another brand as a 50-year-old basketball player.
If none of the above work, call Will Ferrell and he can ad lib around your product.
5. Don’t forget about all the pre-game social opportunities to get the film seen. Social coverage is as big as the in-game spot. However, ideally, you need the core ad to deliver social interest as nobody watches a full campaign for the Super Bowl. This is not a time for an integrated idea and how it works via the medium of banner ads. This is the Olympics of video.
6. If Will Ferrell really is out, remember you are dealing with a moment where America comes together, so don’t rule out going down the 'It’s half-time in America' theme again, like GM famously did with Clint Eastwood. A big, emotional pick-me-up for the nation. 'It’s half-time in America' is available for food brands like Wendy’s or 'It’s part-time in America' is available for recruitment brands. It’s wine-time, time-time, mine-time... there are lots of time themes available.
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Credits
powered by
- Agency Wieden + Kennedy/Portland
- Production Company Chelsea
- Director David Gordon Green
-
-
Unlock full credits and more with a Source + shots membership.
Credits
powered by
- Agency Wieden + Kennedy/Portland
- Production Company Chelsea
- Director David Gordon Green
- CD Aaron Allen
- CD Michael Tabtabai
- CD Joe Staples
- Copywriter Kevin Jones
- Art Director Jimm Lasser
- Copywriter Smith Henderson
- Copywriter Matthew Dickman
- Exec CD Mark Fitzloff
- Exec CD Susan Hoffman
- Exec Producer Ben Grylewicz
- DP Eric Treml
- Editor Tommy Harden
- VFX Method Studios/Los Angeles
- Music Alison Ables
- Audio post Jeff Payne
- Exec Producer Chelsea
- Exec Producer Lisa Mehling
- Exec Producer Pat McGoldrick
- Titles Method Studios/Los Angeles
- Producer Joint Editorial (In-House at Wieden + Kennedy)
- Exec Producer Robert Owens
- Flame Artist Claus Hansen
- Producer Bob Wendt
- Line Producer Melinda Nugent
- Producer Colin Clarry
- Talent Clint Eastwood
Credits
powered by
- Agency Wieden + Kennedy/Portland
- Production Company Chelsea
- Director David Gordon Green
- CD Aaron Allen
- CD Michael Tabtabai
- CD Joe Staples
- Copywriter Kevin Jones
- Art Director Jimm Lasser
- Copywriter Smith Henderson
- Copywriter Matthew Dickman
- Exec CD Mark Fitzloff
- Exec CD Susan Hoffman
- Exec Producer Ben Grylewicz
- DP Eric Treml
- Editor Tommy Harden
- VFX Method Studios/Los Angeles
- Music Alison Ables
- Audio post Jeff Payne
- Exec Producer Chelsea
- Exec Producer Lisa Mehling
- Exec Producer Pat McGoldrick
- Titles Method Studios/Los Angeles
- Producer Joint Editorial (In-House at Wieden + Kennedy)
- Exec Producer Robert Owens
- Flame Artist Claus Hansen
- Producer Bob Wendt
- Line Producer Melinda Nugent
- Producer Colin Clarry
- Talent Clint Eastwood
Above: Maybe it's time to bring back the halftime time theme.
7. Last year QR codes won. So, this year, do QR codes again, but with a twist. QR codes plus R2D2 and C3PO from Star Wars could be nice. Old tech meets new tech. No proper words.
8. Google the most successful movie franchise in the world and then call up Marvel. Take anyone available but do it three years in advance to get movie studio approvals and SFX in the production timing plan.
Do QR codes again, but with a twist. QR codes plus R2D2 and C3PO.
9. Think about all the famous Super Bowl ads you’ve seen before realising you can’t remember any of them apart from Whassup, Star Wars Kid and that Geico one with the dog.
10. Take the $10million and, instead, spend it on buying two seats to watch the game and a backstage meet-and-greet with Rhianna, where you can drink Pepsi and Instagram your brand’s logo in the background.
