Super Bowl Ads That Won Hearts—and Why They Worked

In "Which Brands Won This Year's Super Bowl?" Ian Baer evaluates 56 Super Bowl 2025 commercials using the ESP (Emotion, Second-Screen Engagement, Promotional Relevance) scoring system. Top performers included Stella Artois (52/60), with a humorous ad featuring David Beckham and Matt Damon; GoDaddy (50/60), highlighting small business challenges with Walton Goggins; and Nerds (47/60), showcasing a product launch with Shaboozey's rendition of "What a Wonderful World." These ads excelled by connecting emotionally, encouraging online engagement, and offering relevant promotions. Conversely, brands like Bosch, Doritos, and Lays scored poorly due to confusing messaging and lack of digital integration. The article emphasizes that successful Super Bowl ads must extend beyond the broadcast to deliver meaningful, measurable brand impact.