essay about super bowl ads

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Let’s Analyze Super Bowl Commercials

In 2015, YouTube Super Bowl ads accumulated 133 million views, and many of these views came well in advance of the actually Super Bowl broadcast, offering advertisers a rich (pun intended) opportunity to attract online audiences. The Super Bowl is the largest advertising event of the year, with costs to air a 30 second ad in excess of $3 million. Clearly, planning, design, and execution of Super Bowl commercials requires meticulous persuasive rhetoric.

As Super Bowl audiences, we enjoy the commercials; they’ve become part of the bigger picture of the Super Bowl as a mega-media event alongside the halftime entertainment spectacle and the actual football competition. But the Super Bowl commercials also present us with an opportunity to unpack the methods by which we are made to feel a particular way about a product or service. And, when we step back from the content of a text like Super Bowl commercials, we become reflective. Reflexivity is a developable capacity—the ability to self-reflect is not separate from the process of coming to know and understand. When we recognize the persuasion infused within text structures like Super Bowl commercials, we become better readers of other texts and our world.

So, what language and visual analyses can we apply to Super Bowl commercials? How can we move from deciding what the Super Bowl commercial topics are to how their composers are crafting their arguments?

Persuasion, Messages, and Assumptions 

It helps to understand what “persuasion” is in order to get started with Super Bowl commercial analysis. Persuasion is communication intended to induce belief or action. If they’re successful, text composers will capture and hold their audiences, and those audiences will be persuaded to think, to know their worlds, and to behave in particular ways based on persuasive appeal. The messages that are embedded within texts like Super Bowl commercials are part of an information exchange that contains a definite world view. Composers disseminate messages in ways that attempt to persuade their audiences to see the world in particular ways.

Those particular ways of seeing the world are sometimes called “assumptions.” Assumptions are ideas that are accepted to be true without having much accompanying evidence. Amateur and professional sports are constantly-evolving spaces, and Super Bowl commercials describe these sports spaces and the larger society in which we live through embedded assumptions.

A Four-Part Process to Analyze Super Bowl Commercials

So much happens during a Super Bowl commercial! A full story is told within 15 or 30 seconds. As the audience, we respond not only to fictionalized characters and conflicts but stylized images made possible through sophisticated digital editing  techniques. Together, a series of elements create effects that cause us to respond in particular ways. Breaking these elements into parts and synthesizing them afterward can help us to show evidence of measured thought and to digest multiple possible interpretations of Super Bowl commercials as persuasive media texts. 

Content and Context 

Start by listing objects within the commercial and offering detailed descriptions of these objects. What do people say to each other in this commercial? How do individuals respond to and build upon others’ language choices? Note the most important conversational exchanges.

Consider the structural mechanisms that are used to draw the viewer into the text. For example, how are lighting, sound, music, voice overs, special effects, editing, color symbolism, and/ or casting used to foster audience interest? Is there any specific implied prior knowledge that would be important for a viewer to hold in order to understand the commercial? If so, name it. Describe the setting: time and place. Why did the composer choose these instead of other possible times and places?

Return to the list and descriptions of objects you created.  Now isolate certain objects that seem to stand out as unusual, important, or curious. Explain what these isolated objects often represent in society. This type of representation is sometimes called “allusion.” Allusions use one object to remind us of a deep series of meanings through calling to mind popular culture, history, politics, literature, religion, or art.

Make a hypothesis for each isolated object: what might the composer of this commercial be trying to tell us about our own lives through this allusion?

Composer and Target Audience  

Research who commissioned the text. Since Super Bowl commercials are so expensive, it’s likely that a corporation paid to have the commercial produced. What do we know about the corporation and its holdings? Who actually designed and produced the commercial? What is that company’s or individual’s reputation and experience within the world of advertising? For what other advertisements is the designer/ producer known?

Who is the target audience for this commercial? How do you know? What features of the commercial appeal to a particular age and demographic group? What are the possible economic consequences of this commercial’s success? How might it lead to new audiences adopting the corporation’s product or service?

What themes or lessons is this commercial telling us about our world and ways that we should behave? What evidence or reasons does the text composer supply to support the theme or lesson? How good are these reasons or evidence? Why do you trust or distrust the reasons and evidence?

How might different people interpret these themes or lessons differently? What are the possible consequences of such themes or lessons for different audiences?

Critical Thought through Analyzing Commercials

Breaking apart Super Bowl commercials like this takes methodical thought and effort. However, such textual analysis through both visual and language deconstruction moves us from being passive recipients of messages to active interpreters of media and society. Sound bites have less power when we can demonstrate why media messages reproduce certain cultural norms in our society.  

Because we both consume and produce media texts, we can integrate the critical analysis techniques we learn through Super Bowl commercial analysis into our lived media experiences. Super Bowl commercial analysis opens us up to how advertising is played out between corporations and changing objectives of economic and cultural fields. The interplay between corporations and the media can become a bit more apparent when we recognize media’s changing forms and content and its impact on lifestyles, social norms, and belief systems that most people consider “normal.”

When we investigate the pleasure we derive from media consumption and learn how to question it, we achieve a duality of purpose that helps us to weigh the costs and benefits of media messages. Through our social media interactions, we can use media analysis to shift to our own greater community involvement and understand of media’s contributions to our collective culture. 

Carolyn Fortuna, Ph.D. is the recipient of the International Literacy Association’s 2015 Grand Prize Award for Technology and Reading. She teaches English Language Arts at a New England public high school and is an adjunct faculty member at Rhode Island College. If you’d like information about workshops in digital and media literacy and learning, contact Carolyn at [email protected].

This piece was originally submitted to our community forums by a reader. Due to audience interest, we’ve preserved it. The opinions expressed here are the writer’s own.

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Super Bowl — The Popularity of Super Bowl: Analysis of Advertising

The Popularity of Super Bowl: Analysis of Advertising

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Published: May 24, 2022

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Introduction, the nfl's unique approach, analyzing the commercial, works cited.

• Cordner, Jason. “The NFL's 100th Season Commercial Was the Real Super Bowl MVP.” The Source, THE NORTHSTAR GROUP., 4 Feb. 2019, thesource.com/2019/02/04/the-nfls-100th-season-commercial-was-the-real-super-bowl-mvp/.
• Jr., Tom Huddleston. “This Is How Much It Costs to Air a Commercial during the 2019 Super Bowl.” CNBC, CNBC LLC., 4 Feb. 2019, www.cnbc.com/2019/01/30/how-much-it-costs-to-air-a-commercial-during-super-bowl-liii.html.
• League, National Football. “Peter Berg Talks about Directing 'NFL 100' Super Bowl Commercial.” NFL.com, NFL Productions LLC., 31 Jan. 2019, www.nfl.com/videos/super-bowl-live/0ap3000001015026/Peter-Berg-talks-about-directing-NFL-100-Super-Bowl-commercial.

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Super Bowl Commercial Analysis Essay (Critical Writing)

Sales and purchases of various products within the marketing realm solely depend on brand positioning and after sales reactions. The idea behind an informative advert is to express its product in as few words as possible but then achieve the desired result in a restricted period (Anderson, 2010).

This paper drifts attention to Super Bowl adverts that use online methods in achieving public sentiment (Watch 2012 Super Bowl Commercials, 2012). Advertisers focusing on this system enjoy uninterrupted financial returns owing to the fast technology in place for wired activities. Customers visit user-friendly social site, blogs, and mobile applications to try out the advertised brands. Lately, experts tag ads alongside YouTube, twitter, Net log, and Facebook pages to distract the visiting customers.

Super Bowl Commercials work with numerous products by defining public redress based on demographic and psychographic propositions in order to reach the target audience effectively. This means that the outcome of the advert depends on careful environment analysis and collective agreements between the shoppers and the advertisers. It capitalizes on cost effective measures in swaying the biggest crowd (Grewal & Levy, 2012).

Notably, it uses legality in publicizing products ranging from politics, fashion and consultancy, fast food services, jobs, mortgages and retirement benefit packages, and cars. Limiting this discussion to the above-mentioned products, Super Bowl explores consumer needs and then comes up with new strategies to attain success (Watch 2012 Super Bowl Commercials, 2012).

A recent look at its web-based campaign on McDonalds’ fast food joint expansion makes consumers realize the importance of advertising in present day economy. Most people associate McDonalds’ with junk foods but lately Super Bowl advertised McDonald’s new restaurants in India.

These food outlets serve vegetables and salads since they target vegan consumers. According to Wenner & Jackson (2009), when an advertising agency realizes that the target audiences do not change their behavior, they change their strategies. Super Bowl uses blogs to display these restaurants and offers the society a chance to choose from the numerous options McDonalds’ offers. Since they could not change the cuisine in India, they changed the food varieties in McDonalds’ to suit the demand.

Besides the earlier mentioned product, Super Bowl markets politics and partisan aspirants. They package the candidates and brand position them for the diaspora to make rational decisions. Barack Obama’s presidential bid, campaign, success, and inauguration became a reality based on online publicity and promotional tactics.

The crusade messages targeted people from the grass roots through face book and twitter. Most people first met Obama by visiting various social sites (Anderson, 2010). They came across his proposals, realized that they were genuine, and voted him the 44th president of the USA. His campaigners used the power of digital connectivity to influence the masses in these states. It resulted in attitude change and behavior modification as political institutions around the globe adopted this system.

Adverts create a desire to purchase while motivating individuals to take the required step of action. When done properly, online marketing increases turn over and make customers develop trust with the advertising body. Today, most people land into their dream careers with the click of a button.

Such adverts target college graduates and job seekers worldwide (Grewal & Levy, 2012). Individuals identify Super Bowl with job advertising columns. Super Bowl uses credibility and legitimacy to attain its purpose in gaining goodwill from the society. In essence, it lessens the work of job seekers by researching on appropriate employment destinations and outsourcing for companies that experience a shortage in human resource.

Consequently, Super Bowl markets mortgages and retirement benefits to the ageing populace to ensure a decent living after exiting employment. It received a positive response from the society since most of the residents started focusing on the matter. Young residents came to terms with the reality at hand and started planning in preparation for retreat. Super Bowl creates a forum for people to access such information regardless of their location (Watch 2012 Super Bowl Commercials, 2012).

Online marketers ensure prudence in service delivery because they enjoy financial benefits derived from service delivery. They clearly report on behalf of companies that offer such services. The British American Insurance program uses Super Bowl services for marketing itself and creating awareness for its products. Banks mortgage their products through the same means to reach out to the wider clientele.

Additionally, Super Bowl fares cars to potentials purchasers especially the working generation. Such individuals exhibit characteristics of self-actualization and adorable social status. Before they show interest in politics, they look for situations that make them comfortable.

Super Bowl exhibited the likes of Chevrolet and Cadillac from the General Motors on their pages to grab the attention of the audience (Calkins, 2012). Persons changed their attitudes and developed the desire for these machines and this generated income for this company alongside giving it a competitive advantage over other car dealers.

Generally, Super Bowl offers stiff competition to other investment outlets. Advertising offer companies’ opportunities to generate awareness for their products and in return increase productivity. Super Bowl brand positions these commercial bodies by maximizing on promotion, place of marketing, product and pricing. The four elements bring out the aspect of the marketing mix that helps Super Bowl adverts achieve their purpose. Most of these adverts result in positive outcomes and success stories.

Anderson, E. (2010). Social Media Marketing: Game Theory and the Emergence of Collaboration . Heidelberg: Springer.

Calkins, T. (2012, March 24). Kellogg Super Bowl Advertising Review. Kellogg Super Bowl Advertising Review . Web.

Grewal, D., & Levy, M. (2012). Marketing (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Watch 2012 Super Bowl Commercials – Super Bowl 2012 Ads / Commercials. (2012.). Watch 2012 Super Bowl Commercials – Super Bowl 2012 Ads / Commercials . Web.

Wenner, L. A., & Jackson, S. J. (2009). Sport, Beer, and Gender: Promotional Culture and Contemporary Social Life . New York Peter Lang.

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IvyPanda. (2018, November 6). Super Bowl Commercial Analysis. https://ivypanda.com/essays/super-bowl-commercial-analysis/

"Super Bowl Commercial Analysis." IvyPanda , 6 Nov. 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/super-bowl-commercial-analysis/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'Super Bowl Commercial Analysis'. 6 November.

IvyPanda . 2018. "Super Bowl Commercial Analysis." November 6, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/super-bowl-commercial-analysis/.

1. IvyPanda . "Super Bowl Commercial Analysis." November 6, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/super-bowl-commercial-analysis/.

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IvyPanda . "Super Bowl Commercial Analysis." November 6, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/super-bowl-commercial-analysis/.

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The transformation of the Super Bowl ad experience

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In an era of increasing media fragmentation , you could describe the Super Bowl as the only annual media event where a substantial portion of the U.S. population gathers at the same time to watch the same thing: Over 100 million people tune in, and a good portion say the ads are the main reason they’re watching in the first place.

For these reasons, the Super Bowl is the granddaddy of all ad buys.

But in recent years, the tradition of millions of people simultaneously sharing the same commercial experience has become more complicated.

As I discuss in my new book , advertisers are leveraging new technologies to track our personal habits and target us with individualized advertising. In other words, they want to make sure the ads we see are aligned with our existing tastes and preferences. It’s based on research showing that a “personalized” ad is more likely to stick in our heads and trigger a sale .

This sort of thing happens when we receive direct mail based on the type of car we own. It happens in the supermarket checkout lane when our shopper’s loyalty card tells advertisers our purchase histories.

It’s happening during the Super Bowl, too. And it may even change the way we see Super Bowl ads in the future.

Companies build personal digital profiles

Journalists tend to make a sport out of Super Bowl advertising. Like the stock market, the prices of ads get analyzed. Like movie previews, teasers of ads for the big game are distributed and discussed before they air. And just like the game’s biggest plays, the ads get dissected afterward, with advertising experts breaking down which ones worked and which ones didn’t.

Others recognize the collective nature of this event by characterizing Super Bowl ads as important reflections of the national spirit. Apple’s famous “ 1984 ” ad channeled the Cold War. Other ads notoriously captured the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s. Last year, various commercials were praised and critiqued for their implicit rebukes of the nascent Trump administration.

But a Super Bowl ad doesn’t just end when its 30 seconds on TV are up; it creeps into our lives in ways you might not realize.

By one estimate, 78 percent of Super Bowl viewers will engage with social media while watching the game. When they do so, they will supply valuable data for hungry marketers. When individual audience members share an ad or make a comment about one on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram – either during the game or after – those posts are tracked and cataloged. They become part of our digital profiles, auctioned off to the highest advertising bidder.

Those who are more interested in the party or the game – but are nonetheless using social media – are still providing information that’s valuable to advertisers.

Even an innocuous Super Bowl party selfie can be mined for advertising gold. For example, Coca-Cola recently used an image recognition engine to identify people who posted pictures in which they appeared happy or excited with cans or bottles of their competitors. Coca-Cola then targeted these people with ads for their products on 40 mobile sites and apps.

So if you’re holding a can of Miller Lite or a bag of Doritos, Budweiser and Pringles might take note.

Mining our brains to tailor the ad experience

Perhaps the most startling form of market research going on is the commercial surveillance taking place inside our heads.

Because there’s so much money riding on each Super Bowl ad – more than $5 million for each 30-second spot – advertisers want to make sure they resonate. It’s difficult to measure advertising effectiveness, so marketers have turned to brain science for an answer.

For over a decade , neuroscientists have been scanning the brains of select Super Bowl viewers to see how they react to the commercials that air. Their studies purport to reveal the narratives and images that best capture the public’s attention in a way that postgame surveys of Super Bowl audiences cannot. This information can then be leveraged to develop more effective Super Bowl ads in the future.

Now, however, neuroscience is being used in the service of ad customization. A test conducted during last year’s Super Bowl scanned subjects’ brain activity and tested their responses to different kinds of ads. Researchers adjusted the order of the ads shown during the game to fit each person’s revealed preferences. (The test required viewers to see the game on a 40-minute delay.)

Just as the neuroscientists had hoped, strategically altering the ordering of the ads to fit these preferences increased audience attention.

The ultimate goal of studies like this is to target viewers with personalized television commercials. Cable providers and television networks are bullish on using new technologies to deliver something called “ addressable television ,” the process of sending specific TV commercials to individual households.

Personalized TV has already been used to target married women with children with ads for an amusement park and international fliers with ads for online travel. But addressable television need not be limited to showcasing particular products. Commercials could be customized to feature either a happy ending or a sad one, depending on who’s watching.

If television becomes yet another site of individual targeting – like social media and online browsing – something will be lost. The Super Bowl, the event that seemingly brings the country together once a year, may become yet another media experience that cloisters us in our own digital bubbles.

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Super Bowl 2022: Rams vs. Bengals

The best (and worst) super bowl commercials: lizzo, cranky zeus and more.

Eric Deggans

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Salma Hayek play the Greek gods Zeus and Hera in a Super Bowl ad for BMW. BMW hide caption

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Salma Hayek play the Greek gods Zeus and Hera in a Super Bowl ad for BMW.

As the country's biggest celebration rolls out on TV's most-watched platform, this year's Super Bowl had to overcome an awful lot of bitter realities to focus on entertaining America.

Super Bowl's commercials are overshadowed by the big game and halftime show

There are recent allegations that the NFL has shortchanged Black candidates for head coaching jobs. Ongoing concerns about the long-term effects of head trauma on football players. And the general, disruptive state of the pandemic amid worries about inflation.

What's obvious when looking at the commercials that ran during the Big Game: Most advertisers decided to punt on just about all this, using celebrity, humor, special effects and nostalgia to rush past the issues as if they didn't exist.

The Super Bowl's biggest moments, beyond the touchdowns

The Los Angeles Rams win Super Bowl 2022

That may be a little disappointing — but not surprising — given that NBC racked up a high of more than $6.5 million for 30 seconds of advertising time. Sports betting, cryptocurrency exchanges, new electric car models and travel sites made big new appearances; with companies spending hundreds of thousands of dollars per second, it's a small surprise there's no ads with downer elements like facemasks or pandemic talk.

The result was a batch of mostly-middling commercials that didn't really feel tethered to much. They didn't offer unbridled partying or celebration, but weren't often serious or poignant enough to speak to the modern moment, either. Strategies for releasing ads also differed. Sam's Club posted its ad online with Kevin Hart back in January; E-Trade saved the reveal of its ad's special guest star for Super Bowl Sunday — yes, it was the financial advice-spewing E-trade baby — and Miller Lite stuck a virtual, Super Bowl "adjacent" commercial inside an area of the metaverse for online consumers.

Eminem takes a knee during the Super Bowl halftime show

There's not enough space to take apart all the notable Super Bowl ads — Jim Carrey reprising The Cable Guy for Verizon and Mike Myers playing Dr. Evil in an electric car for GM were great spots that didn't make my list.

But here's a sample of the hippest, most entertaining, most telling ads of the Big Game.

Best use of a celebrity power couple: Amazon Alexa's "Mind Reader"

Jost and Johansson may sound like a Swedish law firm. But they're also a puzzlement for some fans who can't help but wonder what superstar actress Scarlett Johansson and Saturday Night Live star Colin Jost's marriage must be like behind closed doors. So props to the couple for scoring a Super Bowl-sized platform to joke about what it would be like if their Alexa digital assistant could read their minds (for example, Alexa, ever the tattletale, reminds Jost to fake his own death on the debut date of a horrible stage project Johansson is rehearsing around their house). Funny and full of fan service, this spot works well, even if it does commit one of my pet peeves about some Super Bowl ads; making the product they're advertising look not that great to buy.

The "C'mon Guys" award for straining credulity: Sam's Club's VIP with Kevin Hart

Sure, it's funny to see Hart cluelessly asserting that Sam's Club's new Scan & Go app was developed just for a VIP like him. But it's tough to imagine a VIP like Hart spending any time shopping inside a Sam's Club – even if he thinks the patio display at the center of the store is a lounge area made just for him.

Best rehabilitation of a celebrity's image: Planet Fitness' "What's Gotten Into Lindsay?"

For someone who has watched Lindsay Lohan struggle with fame over many years, it was kind of cool to see her starring in an ad – narrated by William Shatner, no less – featuring Lohan living a healthy life. She's making paparazzi cry by sleeping in instead of partying late, outscoring Dennis Rodman on Jeopardy questions about his own life and bejeweling an ankle bracelet for Danny Trejo while her life is narrated by Captain Kirk. Great message for the benefits of exercise and personal change.

Most horrifying ad that isn't meant to be: Pringles' "Stuck In"

We've all had that moment where your hand gets stuck in the Pringles can and you wonder if you can ever get it off. But this ad, featuring a guy who leaves the can on his right hand through dating, marriage, the birth of his child and death, feels more like a snack-centered Twilight Zone episode. Especially when it ends with another young man getting another can stuck on his hand at the first guy's funeral. I half expected a voice over from the Crypt Keeper. Ugh.

Best use of a celebrity, Part 1: BMW USA's "Zeus & Hera"

The only thing better than Arnold Schwarzenegger as a retired Zeus in a midlife crisis — bummed that everyone is asking him to charge their portable hedge clippers and golf carts — is Salma Hayek as his foxy wife, who knows a cool new car will recharge his batteries. Having them sing along to Eddy Grant's Electric Avenue while they tool down the road in their new all electric BMW was a bit much. But it was also a stylish way to pitch a cool new electric car to the demographic most likely to buy it.

Best nod to Black folks: Google's "Lizzo in Real Tone"

This ad aired not long after the most Black-centered Super Bowl halftime show in history — a deft move which made its message of inclusion even more powerful. As the commercial notes, Black folks have often struggled with cameras and photography technology aligned to work better with white faces, making it tougher to capture dark skin. Google's Real Tone software, included on its Pixel 6 phones, promises to capture Black skin tones better. As Lizzo sings a poignant new song ("If you love me, you love all of me / Or none of me at all,") the commercial's final line of text says, "everyone deserves to be seen as they truly are." A really touching ad that stands out in a sea of performative, less than relevant nods to diversity.

Best low key shade without talking specifics: Salesforce's "The New Frontier" and Planters' "Feed the Debate"

I am all here for commercials offering low-key shade to others without naming them outright. Which is why I liked Salesforce's ad, featuring Matthew McConaughey in a hot air balloon sticking it to Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk by telling viewers, "while the others look to the metaverse and Mars, lets stay here and restore ours...Cause the new frontier? It ain't rocket science. It's right here." It's also a commentary shading public support of rich technocrats' space ambitions — which also warms my heart coming from a company that can afford millions to air a Super Bowl commercial.

Planters' ad centers on an argument between Ken Jeong and Joel McHale, former co-stars on the NBC sitcom Community , clashing over the best way to eat mixed nuts. When they take their argument to social media, it sparks worldwide rioting. "Who knew America would tear itself apart over a relatively minor difference of opinion?" cracks McHale, conjuring images of crazy school board meetings and pandemic protest blockades without directly referencing anything. Well played, sir.

Best nod to classic quality TV that still might not work: Chevrolet's "New Generation"

I just finished a rewatch of HBO's mob drama hit The Sopranos , so it was a kick to see co-star Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who played daughter Meadow Soprano, driving around one of Chevrolet's all-electric Silverado trucks until she met up with the guy who played her brother A.J., Robert Iler. (Guess they didn't get whacked in the finale after all?) But this feels like an odd generational play; consumers old enough to know who they are – and buy the trucks – aren't part of the "new generation." Consumers young enough to be part of the new generation might not know who these actors are. Unless they read a piece like this, I guess.

Worst commercial that insults its own product: Cutwater Spirit's "Here to the Lazy Ones"

As I noted earlier, my biggest pet peeve is commercials that insult the product — or its customers — for the sake of a clever idea. This ad lionizes folks who cut corners like using lawn sprinklers to wash their car or grab icicles off their house to cool a drink rather than use ice from a cooler. The visuals are funny, but I'm not sure it makes sense to compare knuckleheads like this to customers for the product, which promises bar-quality cocktails in a can.

Best use of a celebrity, Part II: Nissan's "Thrill Driver"

Yeah, it's kinda goofy Nissan thinks we should find it awesome that driving the Nissan Z sportscar would turn Eugene Levy from an exemplar of urbane cool into an action star with hair like a graying Fabio. But it was kinda fun to see him blow by Catherine O'Hara, drive off a roof Fast and Furious -style and open the passenger door for a tumbling Dave Bautista in midair. Nissan definitely crafted a commercial cooler than the car it's selling, which may be the greatest Super Bowl TV triumph of all.

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Best Advertising Essay Examples

Super bowl ads analysis.

939 words | 4 page(s)

There were many ads run in the Super Bowl, and while each was expensive, not all were effective. Companies take a major risk when they try to advertise during the Super Bowl, as they have to accurately gauge their audience, put together the right message, and compete with a large number of other companies looking to get attention during the event. One ad that was successful during this Super Bowl was from Budweiser, as it took a stand on a major social issue and communicated the company’s values well. One of the ads that did not resonate as well as the company must have hoped came from Squarespace, a company that sells templates and designs websites for creative types. By looking at these two websites, one can get a good sense of why advertising sometimes works and why it sometimes struggles to work.

The persuasive argument in Budweiser’s ad has everything to do with the company’s values. It was a political ad in nature, even though it did not touch on the politics of the day. The company was highlighting the fact that its founder, Adolphus Busch, was actually an immigrant himself. The implication in this is that Budweiser continues to support immigrants, which has for some reason become a controversial thing to say in light of the current political climate, which itself revolves around walls and immigration bans. Budweiser is unique because the company is not looking for people to understand its produce. Budweiser is massive and well-known. The ad was designed, instead, to introduce a new side of Budweiser, showing that the company is socially conscious. This was persuasive. The ad was done in such a way that it was non-threatening. It stood for real values that could be universal, and it encouraged people to buy the beer because the company supports what may be right. Of course, with an ad like this, whether one was persuaded may be dependent upon where one stands from a political perspective.

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Squarespace’s ad was designed to persuade people to build websites with the company. It did not work as well because it focused on something else. Squarespace is not a broker for domain names. However, the advertisement was all about wrestling over a domain name between a celebrity and a non-celebrity. The Squarespace brand is built around the idea that the company can help provide a creative element for consumers, to create something beautiful. By focusing on domain names, Squarespace did not persuade viewers that it is the best company to choose when putting together a creative website.

In the Budweiser ad, there was an emotional appeal made to potential customers through the rags to riches story presented. Budweiser knows that especially in America, the idea of coming in and making it is very strong rhetorically. With the strict, the advertisement focused heavily on this. In addition, it used certain imagery, including Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, which are both heavily emotional for people who associate with American values. In the Squarespace ad, there is an attempted celebrity appeal. The use of John Malkovich suggests that he supports the product. Beyond that, there is an aggression to the ad. It suggests that the company will act aggressively on behalf of clients.

Using Aristotle’s theory of rhetoric, one can see that Budweiser was focused heavily on ethos. The dramatic renderings of things that are highly emotionally charged for Americans was a means of showing that Budweiser supports those basic human values. The ad worked because the visuals and sound worked together to produce an Old World feeling about the way Budweiser operates in the modern world. The company was taking on a modern social issue, but it did not want to wade into the political waters with a direct ad like Lumber 84 did. Rather, it wanted to create an Old World vibe with its ad while still touching on a topical issue. It did this with the effective use of pathos. Squarespace’s ad attempts to use ethos to motivate its viewers, but it does not really work. In this, the use of John Malkovich was an attempted appeal to authority. Viewers are supposed to trust him to make their decision on a proper website creation service. Part of the reason this fails to work is because Malkovich is not a particularly likeable character in the ad or in the movies in which he stars. He has long been the evil character in movies, so he does not inspire trust, and the sound used in this ad—which is loud and bombastic—helps to hammer home the idea that Malkovich cannot be trusted to make this decision.

Budweiser was looking to reach the average American who likes beer and takes a middle line on the recent political issues. Budweiser knows that it has deep market penetration in a number of different segments in the US, so it was trying to reach people who may be drinking craft beer or otherwise not liking Budweiser because it is often associated with things like NASCAR or other things that are not seen as positive in upper class circles. The advertisement hit the mark from that perspective. Squarespace’s ad was directed at young people. The people who are apt to create websites are young people and tech savvy individuals. The issue with this ad is that Malkovich is the kind of actor who is much more likely to be recognized by an older demographic, which may not understand what Squarespace is in the first place. For this reason, the company’s ad had trouble hitting the mark.

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Good Essay On Super Bowl Ads

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Device , Sports , Amazon , Audience , Public Relations , Technology , American Football , Bowl

Published: 01/18/2022

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Super Bowl Sunday has long been well known not just for the big football game of the year, but also for the advertisements. It is no secret that advertisers spend a lot of money for each spot too due to the large audience that watches the Super Bowl. Each year, advertisers spend a lot of money just to have their spot seen by a huge audience and to outdo other companies to make their ad the most memorable commercial. One of these commercials was the advertisement for Amazon’s voice-operated virtual assistant. The Echo, features actor Alec Baldwin throughout the commercial who appears to be at a Super Bowl party. He enters in to see Missy Elliott, a famous female rapper, and Dan Marino, a football legend, dancing at the party. Baldwin orders, “Alexa, Stop!” and the music stops. Baldwin then explains to Elliott what all he can do with his Echo technological device such as order items, stream digital music, and even ask it to turn on the lights. Baldwin is even able to ask Alexa, his Echo device, questions which is much like the capabilities of Siri on Apple products, where Alexa was able to reply with artificial intelligence and answer Baldwin’s questions. Amazon is a company that is notorious for being an online retail shop where numerous products of different varieties can be found. However, Amazon also dabbles in its own technological products, having released Kindle for digital reading and other devices for mobile streaming. The length of the advertisement was approximately a minute in length and the households that were part of the targeted audience were those who utilize mobile devices and may also be interested in the utmost in technological advances. Though the price was not given in the ad which would help to determine the type of household that would be able to afford this device, it could be assumed that since it is new technology, it could be pricy. One thing that it did accomplish was that it notify the audience that this new technological device is available and for sale. It was utilized as more of an introduction to the product and for those who are interested in this type of device, subconsciously helped it to stick in the minds of those potential consumers in the hopes that people would visit Amazon’s website to check out the new Echo.

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Superbowl Ads

We explore the effects of television advertising in the setting of the NFL’s Super Bowl telecast. The Super Bowl is the largest advertising event of the year and is well suited for measurement. The event has the potential to create significant increases in “brand capital” because ratings average over 40 percent of households and ads are a focal point of the broadcast. Furthermore, variation in exposures is exogenous because a brand cannot choose how many impressions it receives in each market. Viewership is determined based on local preferences for watching the two competing teams. With this significant and exogenous variation in Super Bowl advertising exposures we test whether advertisers’ sales are affected accordingly. We run our analysis using Nielsen ratings and store level sales data in the beer and soda categories. We find that Super Bowl ads can generate significant increases in revenue per household. However, when two major soda brands both advertise, much of this gain is lost. Exploring the mechanism behind the ad effects, we find that Super Bowl ads build an association between the brand and viewership of sports more broadly.

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Best 2024 Super Bowl commercials: Ranking the ads | Dunkings, Walken, Beyonce, Schwarzenegger and more

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Super Bowl commercials seem to be on the rebound the past few years. From that 2017-2020-ish period, we had a few too many way-too-serious, overly long, safe and boring ones to remind us of things we don’t need help remembering, etc. But, nothing beats a great Super Bowl commercial, and these commercials — and I’m not being dramatic here — might be the best group yet.

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Jump in the comments below to talk about your favorite, most-hated or where Jake is way wrong .

A couple quick notes on the criteria:

• I skipped most of the same ol’ (non-funny) car commercials, banking, and such… it was pointless and they weren’t coming anywhere close to the Top 10… or  20.
• This story will be updated throughout Sunday night, as more commercials are aired.
• Movie trailers don’t count. That’s a different category entirely and they’d dominate.

As for the rankings…

Best Super Bowl commercials 2024

1. paramount+: mountain of entertainment.

Patrick Stewart saying, “Throw the child,” and “Shut your face!” was as good as the Creed appearance and Knuckles chiming in. But this was all capped by Stewart singing, “I just threw him higher!”

2. State Farm: Like a Good Neighbaaa

Aaarnold Schwarzenegger in his best role since True Lies.

3. BetMGM: Tom has Won Enough

Gotta be honest. Vince Vaughn makes this for me… well, and the babysitter. I’ve seen a lot of people really dislike these. I’m a fan (and no, not because, full disclosure, they’re our partners here. Jakey DGAF. It’s a funny comercial.)

4. Dunkin’ Donuts: Dunkings, Ben Affleck

The wait was worth it! Amazing. I want the jacket! “How do you like them donuts?”

“Who is TikTok?” Self-deprecating celebrities will always score humor points with me.

5. Skechers: No, Mr. T

Mr. T insisting “T” is in Skechers was fun, and funny, especially because I, too, would spell Skechers with a T.

6. NERDS Gummy Clusters

What a feeeeeeellllllling! The Flashdance spot. Plus, the fact that this is the best candy ever invented , and it’s finally getting its due with a commercial. It all overcomes the random, not-needed, sigh-inducing spot from Addison Rae.

7. CeraVe: I am Cera… Ve

Maybe I just find him funny, but this commercial made me chuckle out loud.

8. T-Mobile: Home Internet Feeling

Just when I was getting a bit tired of the T-Mobile commercials, they pulled me back in with Jason Mamoa singing. Two Flashdance references?!

9. Popeyes: The Wait is Over

The, “What the $%@#?!” at the self-driving car got me, I’ll admit.

10. M&M’s: Almost Champions

Sorry runner-ups, but I got a kick out of this one — and hey, this 12-time runner-up in FSWA awards ( I’m not bitter !) is going to want one of those rings!

11. Frito-Lay: Taste the Victory

Marshawn Lynch is an automatic win.

12. BMW: Talkin Like Walken

This one has a special place for me, as I always wished I could do a Walken impression… but never could ( Kevin Pollak, though …).

13. Stok Coffee: Wrex

I’m a big Anthony Hopkins fan, and to see him play — well, lend his voice to — Wrex; it was great.

14. Pluto TV: Couch Potato

More amusing than our streaming services cost these days.

15. Hellmann’s: Mayo Cat

I find this one pretty amusing, mainly on the fact that so many people think a random “meow” is their cat talking — Pete Davidson getting dumped again gets bonus points.

16. Michelob ULTRA: Superior Beach

Messi and Ted Lasso together! Oh yea, Dan Marino too.

17. Budweiser: Old School Delivery

The Clydesdales and THE DOG are back! Here just for the classicness of it.

18. Uber Eats: Don’t Forget

“Friends” callback, Usher, Jelly Roll, “Did someone doodle on my face?!” and even the Beckhams make this a fun commercial. I have a feeling this will be ranked higher by most people just because of the huge amount of celebrity here.

19. Bud Light: Genie

I mean, who hasn’t ever… wished… they could find a genie to grant wishes?

20. Mountain Dew: Having a Blast

I chuckled, but this would have been rather low on the list if not for Nick Offerman. “Parks and Rec” reunion!!

21. Doritos: Dina & Mita

My friends laughed harder at my lame joke that this would be a future “Fast and Furious” movie. And as you can see, my joke wasn’t that great.

22. Kawasaki: Mullets

Stone Cold and a turtle with a mullet FTW! (… or F2P — For 21st Place)

23. Drumstick: Doctor on the Plane

I laughed — and yet, I’m not completely sure why I did. But hey, funny?

24. Oikos: Hold My Oikos

Martin Lawrence is still pretty funny… maybe even better than he was in the “Bad Boys” sequel/reboot.

25. Silk: I Feel Good

Enjoyed seeing Jeremy Renner back — and with the reference to his injury… and Hawkeye.

E*TRADE: Picklebabies

Feels just like me… late to the pickleball craze.

DraftKings: Kevin Hart

All depends on if you still are amused by Kevin Hart.

BIC: EZ Reach Lighter

Not sure if you know, but Willie Nelson smokes weed…

Etsy: Gift Mode

What do the French like? Cheese!!

Verizon: Beyonce Breaks the Internet

I mean, I guess she technically did because everyone wondered if she is really dropping new music.

Booking.com: Tina Fey whoever she wants to be

Bigfoot part a tad amusing. That’s all.

BodyArmor: Field of Fake

Look out for those future BodyArmor color Super Bowl bets… probably not.

Miller Lite: Running of the Beer Ads

Wait, so you can be an ad? Or, Rob Riggle has a QR code for us to scan? Or?

Starry: It’s Time to See Other Sodas

Are there people who choose Starry over Sprite? Are there people who saw this and said, “Yes! I was hoping to see Ice Spice in a commercial!”? Maybe I’m just old, and this isn’t for me (I prefer Coke Zero to anything anyway). But points for cool cartoon mascots! Oh, and wouldn’t the Starry mascot be tasting Sprite from the guy’s head??

Coors Light: Chill Train

The shot at Corona was kinda funny, but even LL Cool J at the end couldn’t make this Top 10. Or 20. Orrrrr 25?

Please stop this now.

Squarespace: Hello Down There

Stop looking at our phones/devices? Or, alien want to be friends? Or, we should use our devices to communicate on Squarespace? Even with a Martin Scorsese length for a commercial, this one didn’t land for me.

OREO: Twist

Lindt lindor: life is a ball.

Chocolate. Whatever. Also, Baci and Ferrero Rocher are also balls — LINDOR is doing their work for them!

Assorted Fun Miscellany 

Normally, I don’t include movies or TV shows, but The Office callback. The time and quality investment is terrific!

Dawn: Wash Party

Did you enter yet? I’ll take a watch party with JJ Watt even without the million dollars!

Pringles: Mr. P

I mean, Chris Pratt has played nearly everything to this point anyway.

Kinda funny.

e.l.f. Cosmetics: You’ve been Summoned

Even the Suits cast couldn’t save this one… though, it seems they’re saving more for later with the “summoned.” And, unless Harvey and Mike show up, I’m still meh on it.

And meh. Suits characters did not save this one.

Inspirational/Feel Good/Warm and Fuzzy — some really good ones this year! —

Kia: perfect 10.

Heart strings… tugged!

Cetaphil: #GameTimeGlow

We joke about the insane attention Kelce+Swift get, but let’s be honest, Taylor Swift is good for the viewership and especially #GirlDads. Kia and this are Top 10 quality.

Also, there seem to allegations flung at Cetaphil — between when this came out on YouTube and the Super Bowl — aaannd they seem to hold some weight via this tweet/link .

Dove: Hard Knocks

Great message.

HeGetsUs.com

Care for others. Simple.

Google Pixel: Javier in Frame

That’s some pretty cool technology.

Volkswagen: An American Love Story

They missed a huge chance to have Herbie fall in love!

(Top photo via State Farm)

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Jake Ciely is rankings: Fantasy Football, Fantasy Baseball, candy, movies, video games, cereal... anything! Truly, Jake is a ranking prodigy. Oh, he's also the senior fantasy writer for The Athletic, an award-winning analyst and loves DuckTales. Make sure you #CheckTheLink and #BanKickers ... woo-oo! Follow Jake on Twitter @ allinkid

We don't know if Taylor Swift will appear in Super Bowl ads, but here are 13 of her best

Super Bowl LVIII is approaching, and the Chiefs are still in the running with the AFC championship game set for Sunday.

But when it comes to the Super Bowl, there's more than football - there are the commercials, of course.

It's not clear whether Taylor Swift or her boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, will appear in any Super Bowl ads. But they've both appeared in plenty of commercials.

Swift has starred in ads as part of her partnerships with Diet Coke, Capital One, Apple Music, DirecTV and AT&T. She hid Easter eggs in her recent spots and usually tied the commercials to her tours or album releases. Below are 13 of her best commercials (in no particular order), starting with a throwback from February 2009.

As for the Super Bowl, weigh in on the evening's commercials through USA TODAY's Ad Meter . Register to rate the ads and see which brand made the best sales pitch.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

1) Nashville Predators, 2009: Cue the cat shriek

In one of her first commercials, a 20-year-old Taylor Swift promoted the Nashville Predators hockey team. Over breakfast, a girl recounts the last night's game to her mom: "I mean the place was packed. Everyone was there. I even saw Taylor Swift!”

Skeptical, the mom says, “Oh come on! Taylor Swift at a Predators game? You’re crazy.”

The camera pans out to show Swift eating cereal. “I was there,” she says before making a fun cat noise and claw motion.

2) Apple Music, 2016: Swift vs. treadmill

This Apple Music commercial resurfaced because Swift said in her 2023 Time magazine Person of the Year article that she prepared for the Eras Tour by singing the three-plus-hour set list while running and walking on a treadmill. In the ad, Swift stretches her neck and puts in an earbud. “Man I hate cardio,” she says while scrolling Apple Music for a #GYMFLOW playlist. “Jumpman” by Drake and Future plays as Swift sings along while the belt whirs. Then Swift belly flops onto the machine and is thrust backwards, but she keeps grooving to the song from the ground. Apple Music: “Distractingly good.”

3) Target, 2010: 'Naming names'

Target released a commercial with a grayscale Taylor talking about her new album: “So I suppose it all started with my first crush in fourth grade,” she says. “Cory Robertson. Yeah, he liked the cool girl. She had straight hair.”

Swift sits in a giant desk with a humongous pencil to illustrate elementary school. Crinkled papers shower down from the ceiling. “Little did he know I was writing songs about him after school, dreaming of one day becoming a country singer,” she says as the shot cuts to her in a purple jumpsuit in a barn, reminiscent of a young Dolly Parton. She continues: “or maybe a poet, or a professional basketball player.” Swift has always had a soft spot for squirrel jokes. Her jersey in the commercial features her favorite number, 13, and she plays for a team that, at the time, Travis Kelce couldn’t spell ... "squirle." “‘Speak Now’ is the next chapter in my story, and I’m naming names,” she says.

4) Capital One, 2019: Swift serves to promote 'Lover'

This Capital One commercial starts with a shot of a classic juke box. Swift's song “ME!” plays, and the singer appears as a 1950s diner waitress. She gives a couple a check that says “4 Burgers w/fries: $13.13, 4 Sodas: $13.13.” The total is $19.89 (generous of Swift to cover the remaining $6.87). Swift signed the check “Lover, Taylor” and drew a cat. The commercial then cuts to Swift as a bartender feverishly shaking a cocktail before spilling it. She mouths “sorry” to an alarmed couple. Next, Swift is in an ice cream parlor being very generous with whipped cream. The topping falls and two girls look up, speechless. Swift winks at them. The check is $19.89, but this time the tab adds up. “Pre-order 'Lover 'at taylorswift.com/capitalone .”

5) Diet Coke, 2013: 'Feeling 22'

This is arguably Swift’s best commercial because it captures the journey of writing a song and watching it become a hit. The ad starts with Swift sitting on a bedroom floor and taking a swig of Diet Coke. “It feels like the perfect night,” she says softly. In the next scene, a man driving sings, “It feels like the perfect night to dress up like hipsters.” Swift smiles as she writes the next line, “And make fun of our exes.” A karaoke party shouts, “It feels like one of those nights.” Then Swift heads onstage in a black fedora and the caption reads “Stay Extraordinary.”

6) Capital One, 2020: 'I think I'll go with a cardigan'

Swift's Capital One commercials are riddled with Easter eggs. The company is one of her main sponsors on the Eras Tour. In this “Folklore” commercial, a host walks through the credit card company's office saying, “Banking with Capital One is like the easiest decision in the history of decisions. Kind of like….” The scene cuts to Swift looking out a window. She says, “It’s looking kind of chilly today. What am I going to wear?” She opens barn doors in a wide shot that Swifties will pause to check out because the shelves are filled with Easter egg mementos and tchotchkes. A mirrorball, an ax, a peace sign, dice that read 8, a gold TS, a gold 13 and a key-lime green dog are just some of the references from her eighth album. The panels on the doors create the letters, “E-X-I-L-E.” When she opens the doors to reveal a fleet of buttoned sweaters, Swift answers her question, “I think I’ll go with a cardigan.”

7) DirecTV Now, 2018: Unicorn Olivia

A dust-coated cable box starts this DirecTV Now ad. “Why get the same old cable plan,” the host says in front of a bleak, white background before stepping into a forest. “When you can get something tailored to you?”

Swift sits on a giant version of her cat Olivia. The white feline has a rainbow unicorn horn that matches Taylor’s sequined top. Swift waves her hand spreading blue glitter. “Good question,” she says. “Come on.” Olivia, a Scottish Fold cat, prances into the woods.

8) Band Hero, 2009: Her supergroup era

Swift fronts quite the supergroup in this commercial. In a callout to the iconic “Risky Business” scene, Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy, Travis Barker of Blink-182 and Rivers Cuomo of Weezer appear in boxers and button downs. Then Swift enters in a sequined silver dress. They perform a rock version of her “Fearless” song “Love Story” as the walls from the living room set are wheeled away to reveal a crowd with hands in the air. Behind the crowd is a three-player screen of Band Hero. Swift says, “Who wants to play next?” and the fans go wild.

9) AT&T, 2017: Fighting with Andy Samberg

One of Swift's longest commercials is this AT&T spot featuring Andy Samberg. It's one long narration: “Get Taylor Swift Now only from AT&T and see what Taylor’s doing now. Like now she’s entering the studio." He continues, describing everything Swift does as they show her going about her day.

He ends with: "Now she’s back in the studio. Now she’s ready to play. Now here’s a new song. She says, “1… 2… 3…” and takes a breath into the microphone. And now we’re out of time.

10) Target, 2012: 'Loving him was red'

Target has sold exclusive versions of Swift's CDs with bonus tracks through Swift's career. There is a Target in Nashville where Swift would famously go to buy her CDs and sign copies for fans. In this “Red” commercial, Taylor opens double doors as her song starts, “Losing him was blue like I’d never known.” She grabs a red cloth hanging from the ceiling and jumps over a banister. As she effortlessly glides to the floor in an robin's egg blue dress, the red cloth drapes down around her. “But loving him was red,” she sings.

“Taylor’s new album with six exclusive songs,” says the narrator. “Get it Monday only at Target.”

11) DirecTV Now, 2018: 'This fluff is on your hands'

DirecTV Now becomes DirecTV Meow in this ad. Taylor finishes a show on her Reputation Stadium Tour and walks to her green room where she finds her sassy felines, Meredith and Olivia, waiting to chastise her for not giving them enough attention. “Hey ladies I’m back,” Swift says. “Oh hurrah!” Meredith mocks. “She’s back. Taylor, you’ve been a bad human.”

“Yeah, very bad," Olivia chimes in and dramatically falls off the couch, "So bad that you, look what you made me do.”

Meredith gestures to a mutilated stuffed rat.

“This fluff is on your hands,” she says.

“Guys, come on. Again? I put on DirecTV Now so you wouldn’t be bored.” Not amused, Olivia knocks chips, cheese puffs and a remote off the coffee table while telling Swift the two Scottish Fold felines are “highly… sophisticated… creatures.” Swift flips the channel to a bird and the sass melts into curiosity. The cats are hooked.

12) Macy’s, 2012: 'Another Miracle on 34th Street'

Macy’s released a holiday commercial playing off the Christmas classic "Miracle on 34th Street." Kris Kringle, from the movie, interacts with Martha Stewart, Justin Bieber, Donald Trump, Carlos Santana and Taylor Swift.

13) Capital One, 2022: All 10 eras in an elevator

This Capital One commercial is brimming with Easter eggs and features all 10 versions of Swift — one for each era. The first two Swifts to appear represent “Speak Now” and “1989," the two albums she rereleased in 2023. “You’re being too loud,” her "Speak Now" self says to the "1989" self jamming to noise canceling headphones.

In a packed coffee shop, five Swifts stand in line behind a man who clicks on “13A.” The chalk board reads “Miss Americano,” a nod to the singer’s Netflix documentary. "Good choice," says "Speak Now" Swift who points to the 13 on her hand in black marker.

The third scene is a hotel where a guest gets on an elevator with all 10 personas. “Going up?” asks “Red” Swift. In the final scene, Taylor orders white wine from the Capital One lounge (there’s a “Midnights” clock on the wall).

Follow Bryan West, the USA TODAY Network's Taylor Swift reporter, on  Instagram ,  TikTok  and  X as @BryanWestTV .

Hawai’i-Based ‘Rescue Hi-Surf’ Drama Set to Premiere on Fox After Super Bowl 59

Post Super Bowl 59 Premiere: Fox to Unveil ‘Rescue Hi-Surf’ Drama Series on February 9

FAQs about the ‘Rescue Hi-Surf’ Premiere on Fox

When will ‘Rescue Hi-Surf’ air on Fox?

‘Rescue Hi-Surf’ is scheduled to air on Fox right after the telecast of Super Bowl 59, on February 9.

What is the premise of ‘Rescue Hi-Surf’?

The series follows the lives of heavy-water lifeguards who patrol the North Shore of O’ahu, dealing with the perilous and often life-threatening conditions of Hawaii’s Seven Mile Miracle.

Who stars in ‘Rescue Hi-Surf’?

The drama features Robbie Magasiva, Arielle Kebbel, Adam Demos, Kekoa Kekumano, Alex Aiono, and Zoe Cipres in leading roles, with recurring appearances by Sea Shimooka, Shawn Hatosy, and Ian Anthony Dale.

Has ‘Rescue Hi-Surf’ received a full season order?

Yes, after its premiere, ‘Rescue Hi-Surf’ received a six-episode back order.

Why did Fox decide to set ‘Rescue Hi-Surf’ in Hawaii?

Fox network president Michael Thorn explained that working with producer John Wells and filming on location contributed to capturing the authenticity and excitement needed for a show about the challenging lives of Hawaiian lifeguards.

‘Rescue Hi-Surf’ is poised to capture audiences with its thrilling depiction of the challenges faced by Hawaiian first-responders. The strategic move by Fox to air the series after the highly-watched Super Bowl 59 exemplifies the network’s confidence in the show’s high-stakes drama and character-driven storytelling, bringing viewers a unique and visceral viewing experience. With its talented cast and accomplished production team, ‘Rescue Hi-Surf’ is expected to be another valuable addition to Fox’s lineup of compelling dramas.

N.J. launches ad campaign for gambling problem prevention

• Updated: May. 14, 2024, 9:44 a.m. |
• Published: May. 12, 2024, 2:30 p.m.

• Jeff Goldman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

New Jersey officials are two months into a nearly year-long campaign to promote responsible betting as the number of people gambling continues to climb.

Online advertisements began appearing during the NCAA basketball tournament in March and will run through Super Bowl LIX in February, the state Attorney General’s Office said. Ads are being timed to run around the ongoing NBA and Stanley Cup playoffs as well as the two major upcoming horse races, the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.

About 5.6% of people who wager in New Jersey are considered to be at high-risk of problem gambling, far above the national average of 1% to 2%, officials said, citing a 2023 Rutgers University study. About 19% of high-risk gamblers are between the ages of 18 and 24.

In addition, the proportion of gamblers who gambled both online and in-person has nearly doubled from 19% to 36% since 2017.

Online betting in New Jersey became legal in 2013, with online sports betting being launched in the state 2018 .

“Legalization has moved gambling out of the shadows, and for most people, legalized gaming does not create a health issue,” state Attorney General Matthew Platkin said in a statement. “However, it is incumbent upon us to provide stronger solutions for those who do struggle with gambling, whether that means through comprehensive prevention and support strategies, such as our responsible gaming initiatives, or stronger treatment and recovery services for problem gamblers.”

New Jersey has taken several steps to address problem gambling, including making it easier for people to self-exclude themselves from betting; naming a statewide coordinator in charge of all responsible gambling efforts; setting advertising standards for casinos and sports betting companies; and working with companies to use technology to monitor online betting and to offer assistance to at-risk patrons.

The Rutgers study found that 61% of New Jerseyans took part in at least one gambling activity in the previous 12 months, down from 70% in the previous 2017 report.

It also found that participation in sports betting increased from 15% in 2017 to over 19% in 2021, and that the percentage of people doing all their gambling online tripled over that period, from 5% to 15%.

The state is spending $300,000 on the campaign. Anyone needing assistance is encouraged to call the Division of Gaming Enforcement’s self-exclusion toll-free hotline 833-788-4343.

Among the strategies suggested for gamblers by the DGE are becoming more self-aware of their behavior, taking more breaks from gaming or deciding to stay away from a game for a longer period.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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Jeff Goldman may be reached at [email protected] .

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