Turkish Airlines “Pangea” (:30)

At #10 we have Morgan Freeman’s Turkish Airlines pitch reminding marketers that effective advertising resides in simple, smart messaging. By featuring a suite of in-sky passenger aircrafts, sweeping top-down landscapes, and a voiceover by one of the most recognizable and cross-generational actors on the planet, Turkish Airlines’ Super Bowl commercial drives increases in brand associations with Contentment, Excitement, and Inclusivity. Though the ad’s emotional engagement falls below par, the power of the ad lies in its Emotional Brand Appeal, as Morgan Freeman lends authority to a well-timed – but not outstretched – pitch for human connection.

E-Trade “Baby – Off The Grid” (:30)

At #9 on Sentient’s top Super Bowl LVI’s ads is return of the E-Trade’s famous baby, first aired in the 2008 Super Bowl, and last appearing in 2014.  Sensing a renewed consumer demand for solid financial advice not given by memes, E-Trade (and its new parent company Morgan Stanley) timed the Baby’s reentry into the ad market amid rising inflation and languishing savings accounts.   The funny ad, cleverly tracked by Britney Spears’ “He’s Back”, immediately recalls E-Trade’s successes of yesteryear.  E-Trade’s beloved character, a number of consistent and funny narratives, and the brand’s long-standing presence in the Super Bowl amplifies his return, and results in a top-tier Implicit Emotional Brand Appeal score in the 90^th percentile.

Greenlight “I’ll Take It” (:30)

Making financial services accessible for teens, Greenlight’s Super Bowl spot features Gen Xer Ty Burrell of Modern Family fame and carries one of the top-performing Influence scores this year.  The brand successfully stitches a series of vignettes to reiterate a simple, yet funny, message true to Burrell’s character as an impulsive consumer.  The ad’s strength lies in its awareness to not overreach with narrative. Greenlight knows that to impact teens and their parents, a clean message works best, if done well. The result is a funny ad that significantly increases Greenlight’s Implicit Emotional Appeal after a single exposure.

Hellmann’s “Mayo Tackles Food Waste” (:60)

At #7 on Sentient Insights’ Super Bowl Ad Ranker is an updated take on a celebrated Super Bowl spot from two decades ago featuring Terry Tate as an “office linebacker” for Reebok.  This year, former NFL linebacker Jared Mayo is hired by Hellmann’s (Mayo) to tackle unsuspecting household members who contribute to food waste by not using mayonnaise. The ad draws top-end Engagement – especially so toward the end when SNL celebrity Pete Davidson punchlines the ad’s central joke. The Influence score, however, underperforms, in part due to the ad’s central category argument and its namesake linebacker (Mayo).  A lack of unique branding throughout the ad contributes to the low score.  This is yet another Super Bowl ad that emphasizes strong emotional engagement over an explicit pitch for the brand or product.

Rocket Mortgage “Dream House” (:60)

This quirky Anna Kendrick lead spot empathizes with today’s home buyer and the challenges they face, finally presenting Rocket Mortgage as a resolution to the ad’s setup.  The tone is vintage Gen-X and spot-on branding with Anna — steeped in irony and satirizing the pursuit of a material American Dream.  Recalling an 80s toy Barbie pitch, Rocket Mortgage’s emboldened strategy resonates well with the cynicism rampant in today’s home buying market, and resolves the ad with a strong branding play reflected in an increase in Emotional Brand Appeal. However, the Barbie Doll narrative carries a limitation, as Inclusivity associated with Rocket Mortgage significantly declines after ad exposure.

Toyota “The Joneses” (:60)

Toyota’s clever comedic device in The Joneses brought a top-shelf Engagement score. Celebrities of different ages and backgrounds who share the Jones surname is undoubtedly funny and entertaining, both Super Bowl hallmarks. Tommy Lee Jones, Leslie Jones, Rashida Jones, Tom Jones (in audio), and in the punchline, Nick Jonas, lend a nice chemistry to the ad. However, the ad’s underlying message, that Toyota is a universal brand no matter your background, does not shine for viewers. Its Influence score falls well under par, as celebrity and entertaining narrative are prioritized over brand communication.

Vroom “Flake the Musical” (:30)

Vroom’s :30-second musical tells the story neatly of a used car sale gone bad.  The ad pays off the tension strongly, as the music stops, and the final scenes focus on Vroom’s resolution.  This results in a solid spike in Engagement, and a top tier Influence score above the 75th percentile.  The ad’s emphasis on diversity and representation lands as well: Viewers associate Vroom with being more “Inclusive” after viewing the ad.  In fact, this sub-group’s more intensified emotional journey is testament to the power of diversity and inclusion within advertising to change attitudes.

Doritos “Push It” (:60)

Megan Thee Stallion’s in-the-wild observance of animals beatboxing to a GenX classic, Push It (Salt n’ Pepa), was at once nostalgic, funny, and altogether compelling. The ad’s Engagement score sits atop Sentient’s database in the 99th percentile.  Its intriguing slow-build recalls the iconic 1995 Budweiser “Frogs” Super Bowl commercial. And we see more evidence that inclusionary casting and story carries benefit as “Inclusive” is more significantly associated with Doritos after a one-time ad exposure. However, the brand’s pitch seems lost in translation, as the ad’s Influence score is in the lower tier of Sentient’s norms. This reflects a common tendency of Super Bowl advertising to strengthen an emotionally engaging narrative at the expense of Brand Influence.

Polestar “No Compromises” (:30)

In announcing itself with authority, Polestar’s challenger ad sits #2 on Sentient’s Super Bowl ad ranker. By using the Super Bowl’s launch pulpit to focus on identity positioning over conventional advertising priorities like brand awareness, the electric vehicle market, and unique product features, Polestar’s choiceful strategy pays off with a strong emotional response to the ad. However, Polestar’s slightly below average brand appeal – even after a strong lift from ad exposure – suggests a need to explain tangibly how Polestar fits into a crowded electric category, and not solely as a brand with strong positioning.

Lay’s “Stay Golden” (:60)

Congratulations to Lay’s “Stay Golden” :60 making it to #1! Starring long-time friends Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd took the top spot in Sentient’s Subtext Score rankings. It is one of the few Super Bowl ads that scored well on both Subtext dimensions: Emotional Engagement and Emotional Brand Appeal. In the ad, the Lay’s brand is the central focus of the narrative as it flashbacks to comedic moments throughout the actors’ relationship to emphasize the nostalgic appeal of Lay’s Potato Chips. The ad’s use of two close friends sharing hilarious pre-wedding moments evokes strong emotions from viewers. This resonance translates to the Lay’s brand. In fact, Lay’s is one of the few Super Bowl ads to benefit strongly from an increase in Emotional Appeal, a proven signal tied to business impact.