Every year, the Super Bowl brings a flood of headlines focused on ad spend – who dropped $7 million (plus production!) on a 30-second spot and which ads “won” the day. But the real lesson isn’t about dollars, it’s about smart decisions. The brands that break through don’t win just because they spent big. They win because they made strategic choices long before kickoff: a single message, a clear audience, a confident tone, and creative amplification. And those strategic principles aren’t reserved for global players, they’re there for the taking by any brand that wants to break through.
So rather than add to the inevitable rehashing of this year’s crop of Super Bowl spots, let’s roll back the tape and look at standout campaigns that exemplify these principles.
Single Message: One Idea, Well Delivered
The Super Bowl’s legendary ads are simple in concept but powerful in execution.
- Apple – “1984” used a clear narrative about breaking conformity to launch the Macintosh, not a laundry list of specs.
- Got Milk? — “Aaron Burr” injected itself into our cultural consciousness and told one succinct story that multiplied and stuck with countless viewers for years onward.
- Old Spice — “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” committed to a single humorous premise that reinvented the brand’s tone.
The lesson for brands: Your strongest ads are built on one sharp idea, not 10 jumbled messages. Clarity is what audiences remember.
Audience First: Know Who You’re Talking To
The Super Bowl audience is infamously enormous and diverse. We often say to clients that a brand can’t target everyone under the sun and still be meaningful. Some of the most effective spots know who they’re for, not just who will see them.
- Dodge Ram — “Farmer” spoke directly to rural Americana and people who value hard work and tradition.
- Always — “Like a Girl” started with a specific, lived insight about young girls’ confidence, speaking directly to that audience and trusting in the broader cultural power of the spot.
- Toyota — “Upstream” pulled on emotional insight tied to community and family.
The lesson for brands: Breakthrough begins with defining a specific audience truth. You can always expand later, but start with the people you truly understand.
Own It: Commit to Your Voice
Great Super Bowl ads use tone intentionally. You’re not performing, you’re bearing the soul of your brand.
- Volkswagen — “The Force” embraced charming earnestness that fit both brand and cultural context.
- Snickers — “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” leaned into humor consistently across multiple campaigns.
- Nike — “Dream Crazy” chose a bold, sometimes divisive tone tied closely to brand values.
The lesson for brands: If tone feels like an afterthought, it won’t feel like anything. A confident tone signals clarity. A muddled tone signals uncertainty.
Media as a Multiplier: Planning Beyond the 30-Second Spot
The Super Bowl itself is only one part of the story. The best campaigns are designed to travel.
- Budweiser — “Puppy Love” became a social media phenomenon and emotional touchpoint across channels.
- Doritos — “Crash the Super Bowl” turned the Super Bowl into the final act of a much larger campaign by inviting fans to create the ads themselves.
- “CeraVe – Michael Cera” got rolling weeks before the big game with fake paparazzi, conspiracy theories, influencers and a social media uproar that culminated in a reveal at the big game.
The lesson for brands: Paid media should start conversations, not be the only conversation. Design work that can be cut down, shared, discussed, and extended.
What This Means for Mid-Size Brands
If you walk away from Super Bowl week thinking that big spend equals big success, you’re missing the point. What really drives attention isn’t budget, it’s strategy: purposeful choices about audience, idea, tone, and amplification. Big brands win because they commit early and clearly, and smaller brands can apply the same thinking at any scale.