Touchdowns & Fumbles: Inspira’s Take on The Big Game’s Ad Blitz

We all showed up for the big game. Some for the Eagles, some for the Chiefs, and some who wanted to see if Travis would propose to Taylor. While fans were caught up in the drama, brands were making a lot of (expensive) attempts to capture attention with 63 ads coming in at approximately $8M for a 30-second slot. Did their $500M investment pay off?

Today, we’re taking a look at this year’s Big Game ads. We asked our entire Inspira team what scored, what fumbled, and what should’ve been outright sacked. Plus, in the spirit of the Eagles’ offense, which ad successfully rushed to first.  

Before we get started, just know this blog should take less time to get through then the Chief’s total possession time…it’s really that quick. Now let’s get into it.

What We Liked

Maybe we love Alix Earle, maybe we just really like prebiotic sodas… but either way Poppi’s ad went straight to the top for us. It could be that 88% of our team agreed that humor is the #1 emotion that can be used to trigger consumer response, or the fact that Alix’s entire entourage was included in the making of this commercial (talk about a unique way to strengthen her close relationships), but as a result, Poppi scored a touchdown AND the extra field goal point for our team.

Although the ad won rave reviews from our team, its influencer activation—sending Poppi-filled vending machines to already wealthy influencers—didn’t quite pay off. Social blowback left consumers asking why they didn’t just give free Poppi to regular people (score one point for sampling and experiential marketing activations! @Poppi…we can help you with that!).

Second-string ads came up next for:

• Nike (we loved seeing women athletes recognized and “So Win” tagline)
• Dunkin’ (our #1 ad last year)
• BudLight (big Post Malone fans here)

Aside from humor, most of these campaign wins were attributed to their celebrity affiliates, sentimental or purposeful messaging, and their emphasis on the importance of real-world connections vs AI-driven content.

Notably though, 79% of respondents thought that last year’s ads were better than this year, so next up: the ones that fumbled.

What We Didn’t Like

This is where things get complicated. Despite humor being a leading emotional tactic, the more outlandish the copy (and in most instances, the visuals)…the bigger the ick. Martha Stewart in Skechers felt over-played, Mountain Dew felt too AI/CGI-generated, and Coffee Mate felt…well, just down-right uncomfortable. (Which personally, we stand with International Delight anyway.)

But across the board, the consensus was clear: they did in fact stand out. Did they establish new relationships? Unanimously our team said no, not with any brand this year, but who’s to say there isn’t someone out there that’s still singing “Kiss From A Lime” (low key, I am..)

A few verbatims from our team:

• No connection between brand and advertising
• Just a typical ad and not creative
• No strategy, boring and unclear

The takeaway: Deadpan marketing will get you nowhere. And while it’s good to take a risk to be remembered, that’s only half the battle. Your campaign needs to ensure that it accurately represents you, is resonating appropriately by peaking interest (not scaring consumers away) and offers incentives and opportunities to engage for the long-term. 

So, What Does It Take?

As a brand relationship agency that takes an integrated approach to building relationships between brands and consumers, we know how to turn customers into lifelong fans. It all starts with connecting with people on a deeper level, providing value in the up-front with the long-term goal of converting later, and can be explained with our secret formula playbook here:

• Step One: Understand Your Customers
• Step Two: Build Emotional Connections
• Step Three: Earn Their Trust

Did the Big Game ads understand their audience? Maybe, but with 37.1M U.S. households tuning in at once, it’s hard to ensure that every viewer felt seen and heard. Did the ads build emotional connections? According to our survey, absolutely—feelings were felt. But some hit and some missed. Humor, surprise, purpose, curiosity, sadness, and scare tactics are all to be considered, and it’s important to evaluate which ones will spark interest for the moment, versus leave a lasting (and positive) impression. Lastly, did any ads earn trust? We think the jury’s still out, but Novartis in particular seemed to have womens’ best interests in mind.

While we all may not have the budgets to invest in Big Game commercials for 2026, if there’s something else specific keeping you up at night, let’s connect. Whether it’s how to deepen relationships to convert your audience over and over again, or if you just need someone to talk to about Tubi’s disturbing skin-hat commercial, Inspira is here to help.