The Big Game isn’t just the biggest night in football — it’s the biggest night in advertising. In a world where capturing attention is harder than ever, brands lucky enough to claim a :30 part of it all know they need to seriously bring it. As always, some brands brought it in ways that worked better than others; here's what worked and what didn't.
TLDR: This year’s Big Game was a powerful reminder that advertising is constantly changing. While the matchup drew a massive audience (a 41.7 household rating with 3.2% viewership growth year-over-year), the ads that resonated—and those that didn't—proved that success requires more than just a big budget.
Trend #1: Funny’s comeback continues.
As we continue to move away from a pandemic zeitgeist that was understandably earnest, humor continues to be a trend. If you think about your favorite spots, there’s a great chance they made you laugh.
Trend #2: Keeping it real.
Influencer marketing continues to be an MVP of Big Game ads, especially for reaching audiences like Gen Z and Millennials. But authenticity is key here, as social fans can turn sour when something hits wrong.
Trend #3: Think outside the bowl.
The best ads don’t just live on game night—they go beyond. Smart brands used teasers, behind-the-scenes content and digital extensions to maximize reach across social channels. With platforms like TikTok, Reels and YouTube Shorts changing how people consumed content, these brands also leveraged :06 spots to connect with their target audience in a quick, engaging way.
Ammunition’s take on the ads of The Big Game. 🏈
We asked our Chief Creative Officer, Alex Russell, to referee some of the work…
Who got it right:
- Best use of music: Come Near (He Gets Us), What is Greatness?
- Great twist on an old campaign: Budweiser, First Delivery
- Killer reboot of iconic movie: Hellmann’s, When Sally Met Hellmann’s
- Best brand comeback: Bud Light, Big Men on Cul de Sac
- Best use of new comedy stars: Totino’s Pizza Rolls, Chazmo Finally Goes Home
Who missed the mark:
- Most forced: WeatherTech: Whatever Comes Your Way
- Most generic: Rocket: Own the Dream
- Most celebrity for celebrity sake: Nerds: Wonderful World of Nerds
Striking stats
$8M was the average price of a 2025 ad. This has increased from $7M last year (Statista).
Did you know: The average human attention span has dropped to just 8.25 seconds, making it harder for ads to break through (Samba Recovery).
Despite being two of the target audiences of this year’s ads, only 16% (ages 18-29) and 19% (ages 30-44) of younger viewers selected that commercials were their favorite part of the broadcast in a 2024 survey (YouGov).
Lightning round
Ammunition was recognized as one of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Atlanta's Largest Advertising and Marketing Agencies for the third year in a row.
Ammunition's holiday album, "Out of Office, In the Spirit," earned three Addy Awards: Gold for Direct Marketing & Specialty Advertising and two Silvers for Advertising Industry Self-Promotion on both Film, Video & Sound and Music With/Without Lyrics.
Chief Operating Officer Stephanie Van Meter was featured on The HRKyle Podcast in a segment on Parents at Work: How Employers Can Make or Break Their Success.
VP of Client Partnerships Neale Abshire celebrated her 6-year Ammoversary and Senior Developer Brandon Trecki celebrated his 1-year Ammoversary.
