Marketing & Communications

The Super Bowl Ad in 2025:
‘You Can’t Win, So Win’

At this year’s Super Bowl, many ads felt like worn-out clichés — but a few won the day by speaking to people’s values and the importance of bridging divides.

Brand Provided | By Thomas Kolster | Published 1 month ago | About a 4 minute read

Image: Jordan Chiles stars in Nike's 'So Win' | Nike

In 2017, I noted, "The political unrest seems to be good for advertising with a conscience, as this year’s Super Bowl saw the highest number of Goodvertising campaigns ever." Back then, CEOs were held accountable; for instance, then-Uber CEO Travis Kalanick resigned from the former President’s economic advisory board in February 2017 following intense criticism from employees and customers. Brands stood up for their values — such as in Airbnb’s "We Accept" campaign promoting inclusivity and diversity in response to rising anti-immigrant sentiment, including the President’s travel ban. Airbnb also updated its terms and conditions, requiring all users to agree to a non-discrimination policy — ensuring hosts could not refuse guests based on race, nationality, religion, gender, or other protected characteristics.

In branding, especially around Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues, consistency is pivotal. One can’t tiptoe on these issues without seeming ingenuine. Take Hellmann’s, with its clever, multi-year fight against food waste — including post-Super Bowl food waste — now, that’s brand building.

Worn-out clichés

Today’s culture is wildly different — unfortunately, it seems we haven’t learned much since then. Applying the same strategy to push against anti-DEI politics or to talk about climate change is much less effective. One example from this year’s big game was from Science Moms and Potential Energy Coalition, called "Climate Change Awareness" — which delivers a blunt message about the urgency of addressing climate change to secure a better future for our children. Sorry, are we not in 2025? Who is the coalition trying to target? We can’t win hearts or grow brands simply by preaching to the choir, increasing polarization, and continuing a losing values war. Look to ordinary people’s lives instead of falling into a polarizing trap.

If you want to win hearts, speak their language

In simplest terms, it’s about knowing your audience — and in this increasingly divided time, we need to remind viewers how we are united if we want to break through the bias. If you want to change people’s minds on issues around climate or diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), it’s impossible without affirming — to some extent — their worldview. Look for opportunities to engage around what people care about: family, children, their health, their paycheck. Tell them something new. Try to target the bias or prejudice head-on instead of repeating clichés.

Out of around 50 Super Bowl ads — most of them standard, product-peddling fare — a fair number took this approach, touching on ESG topics in ways likely to resonate with American football fans and their families:

Ram’s “Goldilocks and the Three Trucks” shows that plug-in hybrid trucks are still manly.
Kroger’s “Silence Hunger” reminds viewers that childhood hunger is close to home.
Cheers to our health: Hims & Hers’ “Sick of the System” calls out the US healthcare system’s focus on profit over people, and highlights accessible health and weight-loss solutions. And Novartis’ clever “Your Attention, Please” celebrates that part of women’s bodies that gets “so much attention, yet so ignored” — driving home the importance of regular breast-cancer screening.
Two ads showcased the power of DEI in sports: Dove's “Keep Her Confident” promotes body positivity and supporting young girls in sports, and Nike’s “So Win” features superstar female athletes — including Sha'Carri Richardson, Caitlin Clark, Jordan Chiles and Alexia Putellas — highlighting their perseverence and success in the face of the societal challenges and criticisms female athletes often face. Both are examples of the companies continuing to create powerful, positive messages aligned with their brand values.

Another notable theme across several ads was bridging divides. As Harrison Ford waxes philosophical about in Jeep’s “Owner’s Manual,” Snoop Dogg and Tom Brady discuss in the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism’s "No Reason to Hate," He Gets Us illustrates in “What Is Greatness?,” and Brad Pitt reminds viewers in “Huddle Up,” we have more to gain by coming together and focusing more on our similarities than our differences.

Brands, this is not a time to give up on your purpose, beliefs or values. But if you want to talk to someone about what you believe in, please, don’t talk over their heads. Try and put yourself in people’s shoes. That usually works in marketing.

Thomas Kolster

Founder / Author / Speaker
Goodvertising Agency

Thomas Kolster is an internationally recognised marketing & sustainability expert, author and keynote speaker, and founder of the global Goodvertising movement that’s inspired a shift in advertising for the better.

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