Every February, millions of viewers tune in to the Super Bowl—not just for the game, but for the highly anticipated slate of ads. For decades, brands have used this stage to showcase their creativity, humour and cultural relevance. But with rising costs and intense competition advertisers face significant challenges in justifying their investment.
So, in this fragmented landscape, what makes a Super Bowl ad successful and does the payoff justifies the expense?
What Makes Super Bowl Ads Successful?
Super Bowl ads are expected to entertain, make people laugh, and stay culturally relevant. According to Jo-Ann Foo, senior director at Analytic Partners, the key is authenticity. “Entertainment, humour and relevance—being really authentically and culturally relevant” are what make these ads stand out, she explained.
These commercials succeed when they tap into the cultural moment, resonating with audiences beyond the game. Foo describes this challenge as “a tough brief” due to the immense pressure to get one up on what came before.
“With this comes increased expectation each year that this year’s “entertainment” will somehow outdo last year’s be it through a great celebrity cameo (or multiple celebrities), creative which leverages the current cultural sentiment or moments with humour, or by having some unique gimmick or call to action,” Foo explained.
Celebrities, humour, and surprise elements like “big reveals” often dominate. But while the Super Bowl is a chance to push creative boundaries, Foo cautions that brands must stay true to their identity. “It’s about pushing the envelope but still being true to their brand heritage,” she said. “The adaptation is akin to when you let a little bit of your uninhibited self out of the bag—maybe not the fully drunk you, but at least the more cheeky side.”
The ROI Challenge: Success Beyond the Ad Spot
Given the astronomical cost of securing a Super Bowl ad slot—often exceeding $$12 million (AUD) for just 30 seconds of airtime—measuring its success requires a more comprehensive evaluation than simply analysing in-game viewership or immediate sales spikes. Marketers must look beyond the brief moment on-screen to assess the full scope of a campaign’s impact.
According to Foo, return on investment (ROI) for a Super Bowl ad should be considered holistically, factoring in every element of the campaign that surrounds the high-profile spot. “It becomes even more critical to ensure that if you’re measuring the ROI of a Super Bowl ad, you’re capturing all parts of the campaign itself, not just the spot,” she explained.
This means evaluating not only direct sales or website traffic immediately following the game but also the broader brand awareness, social engagement, and long-term equity built through strategic activations.
Historically, direct ROI from Super Bowl commercials tends to underperform when compared to other marketing channels. In fact, short-term returns on Super Bowl ads are often 20–50 per cent lower than alternative advertising methods. However, Foo emphasised that this narrow view of performance fails to account for the ad’s long-term value and the ecosystem surrounding it. “Everything that a brand can leverage around the ad itself can add up to 4–5x more [ROI] over time,” she noted.
This includes teaser campaigns in the weeks leading up to the game, integrated partnerships, influencer collaborations, and post-game engagement strategies that keep the conversation alive well beyond the event.
One of the most powerful multipliers of a Super Bowl ad’s effectiveness is social media and public relations. With millions of consumers actively engaging online before, during, and after the game, the opportunity for amplification is significant. “Paid social media around the event can more than double the impact of the ad,” Foo said.
Furthermore, organic social media engagement and earned media coverage can extend an ad’s lifespan well beyond game night.
Additionally, the Super Bowl’s marketing potential is no longer confined to live TV viewership. With streaming, social media highlights, and viral content reshaping how audiences interact with brands, a well-executed campaign can reach consumers even if they don’t tune in to the game itself.
“If you create enough buzz, brands could feasibly pull people in versus relying on the ad to give that initial push,” Foo pointed out.
This means that a successful Super Bowl campaign isn’t just about making a splash during the broadcast—it’s about leveraging cultural relevance, sparking online engagement, and sustaining momentum long after the final whistle blows.
What Doesn’t Work?
Even with extensive planning, some Super Bowl campaigns fail to resonate with audiences. Despite the massive investment, not every brand manages to create a lasting impact. The most common reason for failure? A lack of emotional or cultural connection. Super Bowl ads that miss the mark often struggle to strike the right balance between entertainment and brand relevance, leaving viewers either confused about the message or indifferent to the brand behind it.
Another critical misstep is treating the ad as an isolated moment rather than as part of a larger, integrated campaign. According to Foo, brands that fail to weave their Super Bowl commercial into a broader ecosystem of marketing efforts significantly limit its potential impact.
Without supporting digital, social, and PR strategies, even the most creative and well-produced ads risk being forgotten once the game ends. Successful brands ensure that their Super Bowl moment is merely one piece of a much larger storytelling arc, engaging audiences before, during, and long after the event itself.
Additionally, some brands succumb to the immense pressure of the Super Bowl stage and overcomplicate their messaging. The desire to stand out in a sea of high-budget, celebrity-filled commercials can lead to an identity crisis—resulting in ads that feel disjointed, inauthentic, or overly gimmicky. Rather than reinforcing their core brand values, these ads attempt to do too much in too little time, ultimately diluting their effectiveness.
The key to a winning Super Bowl campaign isn’t just about making a splash—it’s about ensuring that every element, from storytelling to amplification strategies, is carefully aligned with the brand’s broader objectives.
By maintaining authenticity, fostering emotional resonance, and integrating the ad into a larger, multi-channel campaign, brands can maximise their investment and leave a lasting impression on audiences.
Is It Worth It?
With rising costs is a Super Bowl ad worth the investment? Foo suggested that it depends on the brand’s goals.
“Arguably, a brand doesn’t invest in the Super Bowl for its amazing return on investment,” she said. Unlike performance-driven marketing channels where ROI is measured in direct conversions, Super Bowl advertising operates on a different playing field. Its true value isn’t necessarily in short-term sales spikes but in the ability to make a bold brand statement, outmanoeuvre competitors, and establish a launchpad for broader strategic initiatives.
For some brands, the justification comes down to market positioning, brands that view the Super Bowl as a pivotal moment in a long-term brand-building effort may find the investment well worth it. “If there’s other justifications in terms of making a market statement, wanting to be seen as a market leader, or setting up a message platform which will push through ongoing strategy—then yes, there may be a good justification,” Foo explained.
Beyond immediate sales, the Super Bowl offers something few other marketing moments can: cultural relevance. With over 100 million viewers watching live—and millions more engaging on social media—brands have the rare opportunity to create a lasting impression. A well-executed Super Bowl ad can generate viral moments, earn significant PR coverage, and spark conversations that extend far beyond the game itself.
However, for this investment to pay off, brands must ensure they have a strategy in place to capitalise on the attention. The Super Bowl isn’t just about the ad—it’s about how brands leverage the moment before, during, and after to drive long-term brand equity and maintain relevance in the cultural conversation.
So, is a Super Bowl ad worth the investment? For brands that view it as a long-term play to solidify their market presence, the answer may well be yes. But without the right strategy, even the biggest stage in advertising can prove to be an expensive missed opportunity.
