It’s our most favorite time of year. It’s the Big Game Week.
This year’s ads are going for up to $7 million just for the advertising time — not including the cost of production, talent, and agency fees. We’ve talked before about if the Big Game is worth it (Spoiler Alert: We think for some brands, yes, it absolutely can be) and why brands should remember it’s not just the men watching the Big Game. When done well, a Big Game ad can become more than just a commercial — it can become a movement, a conversation and for many a memory. It can become the moment that the brand establishes itself in the mind of its consumer.
Farmer, 2013
“One of my favorite spots that aired during a Big Game is the ad Farmer created by the Richards Group for Ram Trucks. It’s beautiful; it’s moving; it’s inspiring, but most of all it’s meaningful. It has something to say about and to its audience and something to think about for those who are not part of the audience. It creates an appreciation through a variety of still images and moving words. There were no copywriters as this speech was from Paul Harvey, a radio broadcaster, whose voice connected many to a simpler time. The images were the work of a group of photographers. The agency brought the best voice and images to the brand and that’s an agency’s most important job.”
— Mike Ozan, CEO and Chief Creative Officer
A Coke Is A Coke, 2019
“A Coke Is A Coke, created by Wieden+Kennedy and animated by Psyop. I love that Coke celebrates diversity with a beautiful and playful animation. It is elegantly illustrated with a minimal color palette (red, black, cream and a hint of green) following the classic brand colors. I also really enjoy the line drawings of people and poignant creatures that are all different, yet embrace togetherness. Most importantly, the message is timeless: Everyone drinks Coke. And no matter who you are — rich or poor, tall or short, gay or straight — Coke is the same for everyone.
What I love most about it is, it celebrates our values at TWIST — values about inclusion and diversity. Especially with the ending lyrics:
We all have different hearts and hands,
Heads holding different views.
Don’t you see? Different is beautiful.
And together is beautiful, too.”
– Connie Ozan, Chief Brand Officer
Like A Girl, 2014
“My personal favorite — that I don’t think I will ever not love — is the Like a Girl spot from Always. It was the first ad I remember from Always and is still a favorite. The fact that the ad was placed in between male-dominated spots and during the Big Game made it even more memorable. Everything that the brand has done since this moment builds off of this spot. They truly understood the assignment.”
— Charlene Coughlin, President
Puppy Love, 2014
“The 2014 Budweiser Puppy Love commercial has been one of my favorites from the last decade. While it has nothing to do with beer, it shows some bonds just can’t be broken no matter how hard extraneous factors may try. Plus, who doesn’t love puppies and horses!”
— Andrea Buskirk, Account Executive
“Maybe it’s because I know they have another Clydesdale-dog commercial this year (I haven’t watched it. I hate spoilers pre-The Big Game). Maybe it’s because I love dogs. But Budweiser’s Puppy Love will always stay with me. Talk about pulling at your heartstrings! The Big Game tends to bring out brands that rely on humor. This commercial told a beautiful story.”
— Monina Wagner, Director of Content
The Force, 2013
“The Force, Volkswagen: I enjoy how they used the idea of smart and clever parenting to give life to their child’s imagination by demonstrating the new remote start feature on the brand new (at the time) VW Passat.”
– Will Alford, Art Director
We Will Rock You, 2002
“The most ICONIQUE Super Bowl ad of all time! Packing a punch of pop culture and entertainment.”
— Thiago Wimberly, Designer
“I’m stealing this pick from Thiago because it doesn’t get better… Beyoncé, Britney, Pink, Enrique, Queen. A classic.”
— Rachel Teuscher, Design Manager
Loretta, 2020
“My favorite Big Game ad is Loretta by Google in 2020. This ad is memorable to me because its emotional impact is universal and connects audiences to the Google brand on a deeper level.”
— Vicki Vincent, Designer
“Bud” “Weis” “er,” 1995
“The last Big Game ad I remember seeing is the Budweiser Clydesdales or frogs. So I guess I’m a sucker for anything animal-related.”
—Stefanie D’Angelo, Director of Operations
It’s A Tide, 2018
“One of my favorites, although I think Doritos usually has some of the better ones! First of all, David Harbour is hilarious. Second, it combines every cliche ad / commercial and repurposes them in an unexpected way. Every commercial made you wonder: Is this going to be a Tide ad?”
— Courtney Zuendel, Project Manager
If you’ll be watching the Big Game and want to tweet along, join over at @twisttweets and @cacoughlin.
