AMA Presents: An Event Reflection – Ad Bowl 2025 🏈
“Stopping advertising to save money is like stopping your watch to save time.” – Henry Ford. Luckily for the National Football League, stopping their watch during the Super Bowl just about creates the opposite effect. This year’s game was just about 3 ½ hours long and provided a little over 45 minutes of screen time for brands to engage in a once-a-year opportunity to convey a message to millions. For over 55 years, the Super Bowl has been a staple of American marketing culture. The event brings together over a hundred million viewers for one of the most intense marketing opportunities of the year.
Every year, we pull together industry leaders from the local community to participate in a panel discussion and group reflection on the advertisements from this year’s Super Bowl game. This year, we had the pleasure of bringing together five incredible individuals who provided the knowledge and expertise of over 95 years of cumulative experience! This year, Andrew Miller hosted our panel discussion with panelists Lia, Taylor, Eric, and Pat; all respective Minnesota-local experts in marketing and advertising.
Moderator:
Andrew Miller – VP Group Earned Creative + Media Relations Director
Panelists:
- Lia Khayami Quinones – Group Creative Director, Colle McVoy
- Taylor Lord – Group Media Director, Carmichael Lynch
- Eric Hansen – Group Creative Director, BBDO
- Pat Petschel – VP Global Creative + Digital Marketing, Stanley Black & Decker
Our panel discussion began with a curated portion of questions for our panelists as well as the chance to rewatch a few of our favorite ads. Throughout the discussion, a few main themes emerged.
Main Themes💡
Audience & Viewing Behavior
Marketing strategies must adapt to changing audience demographics and viewing habits. Advertisers need to ask, “What screen are they watching on?” – Eric Hansen. The shift toward multi-screen engagement means brands must craft messages that resonate across various platforms, from traditional TV to streaming services and mobile devices. Understanding where and how audiences consume content is critical to ensuring ad effectiveness and storytelling impact. In the last few years, device-specific marketing has become more and more common, so brands will have traditional marketing plans for TV streaming, but many are pivoting into social media-based marketing for those watching on their cell phones. USAA launched the “USAA NFL Super Bowl LIX Sweepstakes,” offering a grand prize trip to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. The package included game tickets, tailgate passes, round-trip airfare, hotel accommodations, and branded merchandise. This is only one of the many examples of companies that focused on sweepstakes via social media to increase their outreach.
Content Creation & Brand Partnerships
Cocreation with outside content creators is an increasingly popular strategy, allowing brands to tap into authentic voices and expand their reach. However, it requires trust and flexibility. “Loosening control for that level of investment is terrifying!” – Pat Petschel. Brands must balance creative freedom with brand consistency to make these collaborations successful. A standout example from this year’s Super Bowl was InstaCart’s ad, which effectively leveraged the recognition of other brands to build and maximize its own impact. This approach demonstrates the power of strategic partnerships in amplifying brand messaging.
Star Power vs. Strong Storytelling
The debate over whether to use celebrities or focus on compelling narratives remains a key discussion in Super Bowl advertising. While star power can generate buzz, strong storytelling can create a lasting impression without the need for A-list talent. The Reese’s Chocolate Lava Cup ad showcased this beautifully, relying on engaging storytelling rather than celebrity endorsements. “You don’t always need it [star power].” – Lia Khayami Quinones. This highlights the importance of creative execution in delivering a memorable and effective ad.
As the Super Bowl continues, it serves as a reminder that great marketing is about more than just big budgets. It’s about understanding the audience, embracing innovation, and telling compelling stories. This year’s ads reinforced the power of strategic partnerships, the importance of adapting to changing viewing habits, and the balance of strong storytelling versus star power. As brands look ahead to future campaigns, the lessons from this year’s game will continue to shape how they connect with consumers in meaningful ways.
A big thank you to Colle McVoy and fjorge for partnering with us on this event! Your dedication and partnership helped create a wonderful shared experience.
The MN AMA Ad Bowl 2025 delivered an insightful discussion on the evolving landscape of Super Bowl advertising. Stay tuned for more events exploring the latest marketing trends! To learn more about AMA and check out our upcoming events, visit our programming page here. Written by Noah Polipnick
