Super Bowl LVIII is just days away, set to feature not only a showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers, but also serving as a stage for the brands that bought advertising time and the agencies that pulled them off.

In anticipation of the Super Bowl, executives and creatives from Dove, Google, Uber Eats, Oreo, Starry, Ferrara, Popeyes, Orchard and 72andSunny joined Ad Age this week during its annual Super Bowl Playbook event to divulge what to expect from Big Game commercials and what trends are expected to be the buzziest.

Several topics emerged, notably the allure to reach Gen Z audiences, expanding outreach efforts to include underrepresented groups, the use of nostalgic elements as a creative strategy and, of course, the “Taylor Swift effect.”

Below are takeaways from the virtual event. 

Promoting change

The Super Bowl does not only have to be a platform for laughs and to sell beer and junk food—it can also be used to promote change.

“When you tell the stories of those who are not always represented or you start to show the underrepresented, people really start to value being seen,” said Kathryn Fernandez, global brand director for Unilever’s Dove. “This is such a great stage and moment for that.”

Dove’s Super Bowl ad led by Ogilvy continues to expand on the company’s 20-year-old campaign “Real Beauty.”

For Dove, the Super Bowl presents an opportunity to showcase women in sport and those who help them along the way; for example, the impact coaches and parents have and how important it is to be a part of a team, according to Fernandez.

“The number of girls participating in organized sports also continues to increase,” said Fernandez, who emphasized that their interest in NFL and professional sports overall has grown exponentially.

Fernandez recognized that this ad is a bit different than many that will air on Super Bowl Sunday, and she added that it’s important to take into consideration the audience and people’s mindsets. 

“You really hope it makes people stop and think,” she said. “And hopefully take action.”

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Adam Morse, who directed Google’s Super Bowl ad “Javier In Frame,” which puts viewers into the shoes of a visually impaired character, echoed Fernandez’s stance on the value of the Super Bowl’s as a platform to tap into messages that hopefully resonate with and impact viewers.

“I think it’s the perfect place to grab people when they are emotionally invested in a big game,” said Morse.

Morse refers to himself as a “filmmaker who happens to be blind.” This first-hand experience allows him to take the viewer alongside a main character who is also blind and his experience using Pixel 8’s AI-powered “Guided Frame” technology. The director hopes the ad will educate viewers about the disability community.

For Morse though, the experience is not one-size-fits all, and even when the ad is represented from one main perspective, the director specified that it is impossible to convey blindness, regardless of the approach, since everyone’s experience is unique.

“It was just about trying to create something that would be organic and visceral,” added Morse. The opportunity to work on the commercial allows him to lead by example as a filmmaker with blindness.

“I think it’ll open people’s minds up to giving other talents a chance, like myself. That’s going to do a world of good to change the whole kind of way disability is perceived,” he said. “My big passion outside of creating cinema is creating social impact and especially for, you know, the community that I’m a part of.”

For Fernandez and Morse, presenting the narratives through real characters and people was vital.

“The primary focus for me and everybody on the team, all of us that created this spot, was just trying to make everything as real and authentic as possible,” said Morse.

Fernandez agreed and said for Dove’s spot showing age range and body diversity was important. “Super important to make sure that people feel seen,” she said.

In terms of inclusivity, Morse added that there was meaningful representation not only in front of the camera, but also behind the scenes. “Everybody’s a lot more conscientious these days which I’m really happy about,” he added. 

The key to reaching Gen Z

Gen Z is coveted among marketers longing to reach the new tastemakers who expect brands to connect authentically.

“Gen Z is definitely more emotionally connected to themselves and like their experiences,” said Calmatic, who directed Popeyes’ first Super Bowl spot, which stars Ken Jeong.

Popeyes’ ad relies on the humorous touch of veteran comedian Jeong, known for his shenanigans in “The Hangover” movie series, which Calmatic said they embraced to appeal to a younger audience.

“Aesthetically, I think a lot of agencies or creatives try to like predict what Gen Z likes, and I think they get it wrong a lot of times,” the director added. “We definitely underestimate the taste level of Gen Z.”

Calmatic added that combining nostalgic trends and filtering them through a lens that’s cinematic and has quality could be a way to connect with the generation. 

To resonate with Gen Z audiences and brand fans, Coors Light brought back its so-called “Silver Bullet,” now known as the “Chill Train,” and gave 100 fans the ability to virtually ride the train. Some will be part of a 90-second slow-motion cut, which will be released online on game day. 

“I think that Gen Z is too smart for us to try and just put a celebrity in our spot because we want a celebrity in our spot,” said Marcelo Pascoa, VP of marketing for Molson Coors. “I think that there is something that you're really interested about, which is connecting the past and the present; being timeless and timely at the same time.”

Pascoa emphasizes that Coors Light faces a challenge like any big brand that has been around for a long time, which is reintroducing it to new fans, and entertaining those who have been following it. He added that today young people are content creators much as brands are content creators. “They have that freedom to take things from the past and give them a new meaning, make them relevant again. That’s exactly what we’re trying to do.”

Another way of connecting with the generation is by tapping into humor in everyday situations. This is what Starry, PepsiCo’s one-year-old lemon-lime soda brand, looked to convey in its Ice Spice-fronted ad.

Michael Smith, head of brand marketing for Starry, previously referred to Starry’s target customers as “irreverent optimists,” during an episode of Ad Age’s Marketer’s Brief podcast. During the event, Smith added that they maintain a positive outlook no matter what, even, as is the case in this ad, a breakup.

“The viewer had to be able to put themselves into the scene,” said Smith. “I think that's why we felt good about the humor coming through, because Gen Z can see themselves in any of the characters.”

To tap into Gen Z trends, Smith said he is “constantly in the comment section of our TikTok. We post almost daily and, you can learn, you can sadly learn a lot, both good and bad, just listening to the response to content that you're putting out.” 

Celebrities still matter

Celebrities are always a critical part of Super Bowl advertising, and this year they are being used in multiple ways to connect with the widest breath of consumers possible.

Kris Jenner, the Kardashian matriarch, will star in her first Super Bowl commercial for Oreo. But Jenner is not the principal subject, as the brand wanted to make sure to focus on the product. Instead, she is used as a storytelling memento in the zeitgeist of pop culture, included as just one in a series of influential moments in history.

“We really wanted to tell the arc of that story, but then tell it in meaningful ways within different vignettes,” Deignan said. “We didn’t want talent to dominate this, this was an Oreo ad.”

On the other hand, Uber Eats enlists multiple A-listers using self-deprecating humor to tell a story; the joke first and the celebrity second. 

“When we think about casting, we definitely think about the audience of the Super Bowl and this year there was something in it for everyone,” said Danielle Hawley, Uber’s global head of creative and brand. The spot includes appearances from Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, and Victoria and David Beckham.

As part of the strategy and having celebrities in the ads, Hawley said they shot a lot. “Especially when you make such a healthy investment in these celebrities. You'll see plenty of content that comes after the Super Bowl with all of the celebrities that are featured,” Hawley said.

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For Matt Murphy, global chief creative officer at 72andSunny, the agency that worked on E-Trade’s spot this year, among others, the approach to celebrities lies in how to connect with fans and beyond. Murphy notes the role of athletes, in particular, in Super Bowl ads.

“When you look at the role of celebrities, athletes are celebrities; you know, they're role models,” said Murphy. “They're larger-than-life figures.” 

First-time experience

There are at least a dozen first-timers advertising in the Super Bowl. This year’s newcomer lineup includes candy brand Nerds.

According to Greg Guidotti, chief marketing officer of Ferrara, Nerds’ parent company, the upcoming Super Bowl ad is all about household penetration.

“That was really the catalyst or the impetus to say, like, we want to get on a big stage,” said Guidotti. “The Super Bowl is so much more than just the ad itself.”

Popeyes bought its first Super Bowl ad to let customers know that chicken wings were added to its permanent menu. For Jeff Klein, chief marketing officer at Popeyes since 2022, this year’s Super Bowl was the right timing.

“It’s important that you have something to say when you’re going on the world’s biggest stage,” Klein expressed.

“There’s only one place in today’s media fragmented environment, where you can talk to a hundred million plus households, and probably far more than that this year, to get your message through,” he said referring to the Super Bowl reach, which is expected to grow thanks to pop icon Taylor Swift.

For Etsy’s first ad, which promotes its AI-powered gifting tool, Laura Janness, co-founder and chief strategy officer at Orchard, said the agency wanted to make sure the audience didn’t forget the brand or product while watching the ad.

“It’s one of those things where you’re excited about the opportunity, but it’s also, it’s so expensive. You would just really want to make sure you’re making it work as hard for their business as possible,” Janness said.

For those looking to dip their toes into the Super Bowl, Klein advises to “make your case for how it’s going to drive actual sales before and after the game.”

“We wanted to make big bets when we knew we could break through,” he added. “Make sure you’re convincing leadership that it’s a business case and a solid business case.” He added to focus on core message and KPIs.

“Making sure there’s a clear role for the product,” Janness added. And apply that same kind of strategic rigor you would for the rest of the year, she continued. “And it shouldn’t just be a short-term hit for the brand or the company you’re working with.”