The Super Bowl is a massive shared visual content experience. Football fans and bandwagon big game watchers alike have so much to take in, from the game itself to the halftime show to the commercials. Meanwhile, brands will be vying for our attention, hoping to become the brand we’re all talking about at work on Monday.
Who will be the Belle of the Bowl? The next #PuppyMonkeyBaby?
We’ve got some predictions. Here are the top 10 brands to watch during Super Bowl 51.
#1 Pepsi
First of all, I know all of you little monsters out there are psyched for the Pepsi halftime show with Lady Gaga.
Pepsi is already giving fans a unique look at this year’s halftime show by sharing behind the scenes photos, videos and GIFs on social media.
“I’ve been planning this since I was 4, so I know exactly what I’m gonna do,” says Lady Gaga in one of the preview videos.
We’ve got @LadyGaga’s #PepsiHalftime show under the and it’s looking . Check out this #BehindTheScenes of her road to #SB51 pic.twitter.com/2A7pDM8i36
— Pepsi™ (@pepsi) January 31, 2017
Bonus points: Pepsi’s emoji game is .
#2 Tiffany & Co.
Lady Gaga is also lending some of her star power to Tiffany & Co. in the jewelry brand’s first-ever Super Bowl ad – despite the fact that Tiffany has handcrafted the Vince Lombardi Trophy for 50 years.
Check out a 15 second teaser for the 60 second ad:
#3 Avocados from Mexico
Avocados from Mexico is back this year after this gem in 2016… don’t miss the line, “They had Chia Pets, just like we do.”
Just like last year, the 2017 ad has no shortage of absurdity and hilarious one-liners.
As surprising as it is, I think this one lives up to my expectations.
Bonus points: Avocados from Mexico is hyping the ads with a ton of teaser content on social media, including Facebook Live sessions with celebrities like Tim Tebow and Jeremy Piven.
Want to learn @TimTebow’s #AvoSecrets? RSVP to his FB Live event on Feb. 3! #TebowLive https://t.co/NxeYjHrffI
— Avocados From Mexico (@AvosfromMexico) January 31, 2017
#4 Snickers
Snickers is blazing a trail this year with the Super Bowl’s first-ever live ad.
Check out the teaser:
And don’t miss this live stream that’s running until the big game, featuring special guests like Betty White:
#5 Hyundai
Hyundai is also living on the edge with its Super Bowl spot – the ad will be shot during the game and air immediately afterward. The brand has teamed up with director Peter Berg (known for Patriots Day, Deepwater Horizon and Lone Survivor) to shoot a documentary style story capturing the best moments of the Super Bowl that happen off the field.
Check out this teaser to get some hints:
#6 Audi
Audi is ready to pull at our heartstrings with an ad built around the brand’s main value: progress. Check out the full ad below.
This is a great example of connecting with your fans’ values – one of our 17 visual storytelling hacks for 2017.
#7 Honda
Honda just released its full 60 second spot – it’s entrancing to watch, with a ton of familiar faces (albeit, their younger faces), and it’s both inspiring and funny.
But Honda is really crushing it with its teaser content.
The brand is sharing bonus videos like this one:
When you first start out, it’s hard to know where you’ll end up. See you 2/5/17. #PowerOfDreams pic.twitter.com/9uit3d2qWZ
— Honda (@Honda) January 31, 2017
And the celebrities featured in the ad are sharing their own bonus content:
#TBT to my high school days, when I started acting. Share your TBT w/ #PowerOfDreams. #HondaPartner https://t.co/xQcxKWhWY8 pic.twitter.com/evmebr0riG
— Viola Davis (@violadavis) February 2, 2017
We can only hope there are more throwback photos where these came from.
#8 GoDaddy
In its 30 second ad, GoDaddy plays on a bunch of Internet phenomena – from AOL’s iconic line “you’ve got mail” to “the dress.”
Bonus points: Rickroll.
#9 Wendy’s
The Wendy’s ad is a simple one:
But behind it is an epic spoof, othr-guys.com. The site combines everything from gaudy website colors and old-school formatting to a two-minute infomercial for “Freezy Diskz.” All of the images and GIFs on the page are embedded from Tumblr, so you can easily like and share them – smooth.
#10 Budweiser
Budweiser is taking on a timely political issue with the story of the company’s immigrant founder, Adolphus Busch. The ad packs a heavier punch than the ads of years past, even though those puppies and clydesdales do have a way of pulling at our heartstrings.
Are You Ready for Some Football?
We can’t wait to see which brands stands out during Super Bowl 51 – on TV and on social media. Good luck to all the communications teams out there – may the odds be ever in your favor.
