Nedal Ahmed’s Post

🏈 While some tune in for the football action, I'm all about those Super Bowl ads! 💥 With big brands shelling out around $7 million for just 30 seconds of airtime (not to mention production costs and celebrity endorsements), the anticipation for this year's ads is sky-high, with expectations to surpass last year's staggering 115 million viewers. From heartwarming to humorous, Super Bowl ads can make or break a brand's image. For me, the standout ads from last night's lineup were truly memorable: 1. Dunkin' Donuts stole the show with 'The DunKings' featuring an all-star cast including Ben afleck Matt Damon, TomBrady, and more, delivering a self-aware and entertaining spot. 2. Homes.com enlisted celebrity powerhouses Dan Levy and Heidi Gardner for a series of quirky and memorable videos. 3. Verizon collaboration with Beyoncé was simply top-notch, captivating audiences with its star power and message. But here's my take: I'd love to see more content creators involved in the Super Bowl frenzy. With the creator economy booming, their unique perspectives and storytelling prowess could add a whole new dimension to the advertising landscape. Here's to hoping we see more diversity and innovation in future Super Bowl ad lineups! 🚀 #SuperBowlAds #creativeinnovation #creatoreconomy

The debate around SB ads is only getting more interesting in light of a broadcast that is now second only to the US moon landing (change in counting methodology aside). A more interesting question than 'which ad was best?' might be whether any ad lived up to the ambition afforded by the moment. More in this issue of The Good Update!

Everyone knows about Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift at the Superbowl. But did you see Kanye West’s Super Bowl Ad?? If you watched the Super Bowl 2024, you probably saw a lot of flashy and expensive ads from big brands, featuring celebrities, special effects, and catchy slogans. But one ad stood out from the rest, not because of its production value, but because of its lack thereof. I’m talking about Kanye West’s 30-second spot for his Yeezy fashion line, which he apparently recorded on his phone in the back of a car. The ad was simple, direct, and authentic, with West telling viewers to go to his website and buy his shoes and clothes. The ad generated a lot of buzz on social media, with some calling it genius and others calling it ridiculous. But regardless of your opinion, you have to admit that it was effective. According to reports, the ad generated $19.3 million in sales within 24 hours, translating to 284,357 orders. So what can we learn from Kanye West’s unconventional approach to marketing? Here are some key takeaways: Authenticity matters ✅ Simplicity sells ✅ Innovation pays off ✅ What do you think of Kanye West’s Super Bowl ad? Do you think it was a smart or a silly move? Share your thoughts in the comments below. #traviskelce #kanyewest #taylorswift #marketing #marketanalysis #superbowlads #superbowl #kansascitychiefs #losangelesram #genius #thinkdifferent

It’s here! Super Bowl 2024 isn’t just about the Kansas City Chiefs vs. the San Francisco 49ers (or the other team: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce). Like most people, I'm excitedly preparing for the Super Bowl and looking forward to the commercials. As a marketing professional, I watch with two lenses: as a fan and as a marketer. This year, with so much happening in the world, I believe that three things are essential for a great ad: 1. an emotional connection 2. a powerful message 3. memorability Emotional connection tends to go hand in hand with the other two. When we feel something, we're more likely to remember it and talk about it. I've seen the Super Bowl ad previews and have my front runners, but the real test is seeing them on the big screen with others. So, what do YOU think makes the best ad? What do you look for? Is an emotional component important to you, or do you prefer something light-hearted, funny, or with celebrity appearances? Share your thoughts in the comments below. 👇 #SuperBowl #Marketing #Advertising #EmotionalConnection #PowerfulMessage #Memorability #taylorswift #advertisingstrategies #commercials

Are there more women in Super Bowl ads now than there were 50 years ago? What about people with larger body sizes? People with darker skin tones? In the United States every year, the Super Bowl draws more than 100M viewers. Precious few ad spots get bought up by the biggest and boldest brands for multiple millions of dollars. Budgets to envision and produce the ads are sky high. Reporting on Super Bowl ads - ads, not the game - starts in mid-November and continues through late-February. With so much time, money, and attention given to the ads, we wanted to know: who are the brands choosing to represent their products on screen? How has inclusion and representation changed in Super Bowl ads over the past 50 years? This report is our way of answering those questions. Does advertising respond to cultural moments? Or shape culture? Let me know what you think after reading. Huge thank you to Jarvis Sam and The Rainbow Disruption for contributing DEI commentary to this report. Thank you to Elsa Amri for knocking the design work out of the park yet again. Thank you to Chris Ariens for lending editorial expertise. Full report: https://lnkd.in/gE7KWavg

How much does a Super Bowl ad cost in 2024? And more importantly, is it worth it? Our Media Director, Bill Brassine, shares his expertise and thoughts: "Each year the Super Bowl national spot cost tends to increase. This year the average national price point exceeds $7 Million for a single :30 commercial. And that’s for the airtime only. It doesn’t include the cost to make the commercial. While that may seem outrageously expensive, the Super Bowl broadcast is expected to draw 110 million viewers, so the price actually falls within reasonable metrics. However, the $7 Million price tag is not affordable for most brands to invest for one evening in mid-February regardless of the number of eyeballs that will be viewing. That’s why most participants are multi-billion-dollar global brands." - Read more about Super Bowl Ad Cost in this article by The Independent: https://lnkd.in/g7S6qTRx

I am really looking forward to moderating this session next week. What are we going to talk about? Three big things: 1. The advertiser's crisis! Viewers are disengaging with your ads, citing repetition (42%), oversaturation (40%), and intrusiveness (25%) as reasons to leave them playing to nothing but an empty couch. 2. How to augment your marketing mix to combat this with In-Scene Advertising, a genre that can't be avoided, skipped or ignored - at a fraction of the cost and environmental impact of traditional product placement, yet just as powerful. 3. The huge opportunity this is opening up for networks and creators to monetize their catalog. It's going to be an awesome session - if you're at Ad Week, I highly recommend a visit! #AWNY24

Fascinating to see the results of Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management's Super Bowl ad ratings! Their analysis highlights the importance of creative execution and brand alignment, alongside entertainment value. The highest-rated ad, CeraVe, might have been unconventional, but it certainly grabbed attention. It sparks the question: is memorability enough, or should the message resonate directly with the product? Kawasaki's humorous "mullet mayhem" landed them a B, suggesting that nostalgia and brand personality can be effective tools. But was it just fun, or did it truly connect with their target audience? Dunkin's star-studded cameo scored a C, raising the question: can celebrity power overshadow the product itself? Ultimately, the "best" ad is subjective. But these ratings offer valuable insights for marketers: focus on creativity, stay true to your brand, and ensure your message lands. https://lnkd.in/gX8QmVyC

There has been no shortage of Super Bowl commentary this month - the ads, the performances, the events, and the celebrity involvement across them all - and while I have opinions aplenty (message me - let’s chat!) I want to throw out a higher order hot take. 2023 was our first real post-pandemic year, and in the wake of COVID-19 chaos I think we (Americans, but let’s be honest, it’s probably more accurate to say humans), are starved for moments of collective culture. As trying a time as the pandemic was (and as divisive as the politics became) it brought us together in bizarre and beautiful ways. I am by no means trying to glorify that time with revisionist history, but rather, reflecting on that period in hopes of drawing out the lesson - in the same way that we’d analyze the aftermath of a campaign; let’s ask ourselves what we can learn, and how we’ll adjust to make the future that much better. I think what we saw then (with nightly applause for healthcare workers, everyone trying their hand at bread making, caring way too much about exotic animal handlers…you name it) and what we see today (with people in pink flocking to the theaters for Barbie last summer, and record-high viewership of the big game this month) is that people found value in, and crave the continued opportunity to, really participate in things that are bigger than themselves. They’re chasing a feeling of connection; they want to be part of the whole. Make no mistake: this is not a PSA for purpose-driven marketing. (That’s not to say there isn’t a place for that, and that marketers shouldn’t try to unite people to make the world a better place if / when they can - that’s just an argument for a different day.) But it is a rallying cry for all of us to think bigger. It’s not enough to just show up to the party - to run an ad; to be a sponsor. We need to help MAKE it a party. How are we amplifying the experience before, during, and after the event? Are we giving people something to wear / drink / play with / take home / etc. that not only makes the anticipation / party / after party better, but allows them to share with the world a little bit about who they are as an individual, through that collective experience? We could debate the ad rankings all day, but I think the more important conversation right now isn’t about who shows up, but who helps others show out. How are you and your brands thinking about the intersection of identity, culture, and commerce? Who’s really nailing this right now? Let’s talk about it! https://lnkd.in/g6CNsbh8

Yesterday may have been the 58th Super Bowl, but it was also the 36th USA TODAY Ad Meter. And the Top-10 results are in. These are the ads that most connected with consumers. --What are your thoughts? --Did these brands do a good job of aligning their messaging? --What were your favorite spots and why? --Was there anything that surprised you? --Did anything leave you completely scratching your head in confusion? Or lastly: What game? #alignment #datatrust #factor