AI won the Super Bowl (ads)

Plus: Disney's new advertising tool

February 14, 2024

Hey there! This week, small talk was overtaken by in-depth discourse on Super Bowl ads. And—apart from countless Temu features and unlikely celebrity appearances—the theme of the year was AI, as both the subject and creator of multiple Super Bowl spots.

We want to know: What did you think of the AI ads? Is AI generation the future, or just a hype wave?

Bodyarmor’s Super Bowl Ad Plays with AI

Bodyarmor

Bodyarmor’s Super Bowl ad, “Field of Fake,” emphasizes the brand’s focus on “realness” using AI.

  • The 30-second spot opens with uncanny, AI-generated images of football players in bizarre scenes with robotic AI audio narration.

  • Halfway through the ad, the narration is swapped for a human voice and the off-putting AI illustrations are traded for real camera footage of athletes drinking Bodyarmor.

  • AI is cleverly used to communicate artificiality as a foil for Bodyarmor’s “real hydration.”

Disney Introduces “Magic Words” AI Ads

Last week, Disney announced its new AI-powered advertising tool for brands and consumers called “magic words.”

  • The AI behind “magic words” will detect and analyze moods, images, content, and brands being mentioned across Disney’s media library (including Disney+ and Hulu).

  • Brands can then use this data to adjust the tone and message of their ad to match particular scenes from media.

  • Omnicom Media Group is one of the first major advertising companies to test this new tool.

Coke Zero Sugar “Speaks for Itself” With AI

Coca-Cola

In Coca Cola’s latest expansion of the global “Best Coke Ever?” campaign, the company uses AI to highlight Coke Zero Sugar’s unique taste.

  • In partnership with AKQA and Ogilvy, Coca Cola used AI to “let the flavor speak for itself” by identifying letters within the bubbles, condensation, and fizz of a Coke Zero.

  • These letters formed a font type called “Coke Sans Sugar,” which the company will use across Coke Zero ads.

  • The company also introduced a TikTok filter that turns users into a bottle of Coke Zero—another way to let the flavor “speak for itself.”

Microsoft’s Super Bowl Ad Goes All-In on AI

Microsoft hasn’t aired an ad during the Super Bowl in four years. But this year, the company returned to the Big Game with an ad for its AI assistant, Copilot.

  • The 60-second spot opens with a series of people facing various challenges—from starting a business to finishing a degree.

  • Copilot is then introduced as a solution to these challenges with footage of users prompting the tool for everything from writing code to generating images.

  • This ad brings AI down to earth, framing it as a simple solution for anyone.

Around the Web

  • Meta adds labels to AI-generated images on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.

  • Advertisers can now use Google’s generative AI to automatically create ad campaign assets.

  • Here’s how AI can improve client offerings—without replacing marketers.

  • Check out the other Super Bowl ads that featured AI.

Thanks for joining us!