The 4 best Super Bowl ads... and why.

Yes, I'm a marketing nerd, so yes, the Super Bowl ads are worth talking about to me. So here I go!

First, here are the criteria for a great ad:

• The message in the ad must be simple.
  
• The message must be clear to the audience.
• The ad itself must be memorable. Funny or clever ads are memorable, emotionally charged ads are memorable, and ads that tap into pop culture or current trends are memorable. Sadly, some advertisers also believe sexy ads are memorable, but that influence is fading (shame on you, Carl's Jr.).
• The ad must elevate the brand. What I mean by that is, the ad should reinforce what we already believe to be true about the brand, or clearly convince us what we should believe about it. Furthermore, the brand name should be entwined in the ad, rather than an afterthought mention at the end, so we remember who the advertiser is!
• NEW CRITERIA (influenced by the internet): The more shareable the ad, the better. Media and social mentions go a long way in 2015!

So, ON TO THE LIST!  I tried to select the top 3 ads, but there are 4 clearly superior ads. Hey, at least it creates symmetry, since there are four quarters in a football game! It's a stretch, I know. Here we go:

Q1 - CHEVY

WHY IT'S GREAT: It's certainly memorable, since it terrifies us that the Super Bowl coverage has blacked out!! The message is simple, and it makes us want that truck, which elevates the brand!

Q2 - ESURANCE

WHY IT'S GREAT: This one is exceedingly memorable. The 'sorta you' concept is brilliant, it ties in to pop culture with the Breaking Bad connection, and the script is actually quite funny. I also give it points for the simplicity of the message: coverage specific to YOU. Bonus points for the #sorta hashtag at the end.

Q3 - T-MOBILE 

WHY IT'S GREAT: This ad is also extremely memorable. It's funny, and it stars Kim Kardashian West who is one of the biggest celebrities on the planet. I don't have a lot of good things to say about her, but her willingness to poke fun at herself makes the ad more enjoyable. Of all the Super Bowl ads, this one also boasts the clearest message: T-Mobile lets your keep your unused data.

Q4 - ALWAYS

WHY IT'S GREAT: This one excels at all categories. The message is clear and simple ('Hey girls, Always has your back'), it definitely taps into our emotions, and it elevates Always brand in our minds. As added bonuses, the logo is interspersed in the ad, and the #LikeAGirl hashtag is a social media hit.

LESSON FOR MARKETERS

If you're creating an ad (in any form, not just TV), remember the criteria. Can you list them in your head without scrolling back to the top?

YOUR TURN

Here is a complete compilation of the Super Bowl ads. Which ones do you like better than the four listed here? Drop us a comment!