Announcing! Brandweek is set to take place in Phoenix, Arizona from September 23 to 26. Join us during this time to discover innovative marketing strategies, connect with industry leaders, and delve into the future of advertising.
During the recent Super Bowl, discussions revolving around artificial intelligence, including the emergence of AI-driven products and advertisements created with the assistance of general AI, along with light-hearted jabs at the technology, were prevalent.
Prior to the Super Bowl, major tech players such as Microsoft showcased their Copilot AI commercial, while Google introduced “Javier in Frame” to showcase its AI-powered Guided Frame feature in Pixel 8, highlighting the smartphone’s user-friendly attributes.
Elsewhere, established brands like Avocados From Mexico leveraged the bidirectional AI tool GuacAI-mole to generate salsa recipes through text and image recognition technology.
Despite the buzz surrounding AI, experts noted a shortfall in actual AI-led ads during this Super Bowl compared to the surge in bitcoin commercials during the 2022 World Championship, which earned the moniker “Crypto Bowl.” While the Super Bowl remains a prime advertising platform, brands were cautious about investing $7 million for 30-second ads produced by advanced AI tools like ChatGPT, opting to maintain control over their messaging. The portrayal of AI varied throughout the event, with some brands using AI positively to drive initial engagement while enticing users to interact with AI tools.
Graham Page, global managing director of media analytics at Affectiva, pointed out the limited presence of AI-led ads this year despite the growing interest in AI within marketing and advertising circles. He emphasized that due to potential unforeseen challenges, many marketers, despite their experimentation with AI, may not consider the Super Bowl as the ideal testing ground, highlighting the discrepancy between the perceived and actual use of AI during the event.
AI as a Catalyst for Innovation
Several brands positioned AI as a driver of innovation during the Super Bowl, departing from traditional celebrity-focused or humorous commercials.
For example, Etsy’s brief advertising spot showcased its new AI feature, Gift Mode powered by OpenAI GPT-4, which combined AI capabilities with human curation to aid customers in gift selection.
Brad Minor, Etsy’s director of brand marketing and communications, expressed the brand’s intent to shift consumer perceptions from viewing Etsy as solely a holiday-centric platform to positioning it as the go-to destination for year-round shopping, elevating its brand awareness.
Similarly, tech giants like Microsoft highlighted Copilot as a groundbreaking tool pushing boundaries and empowering individuals, while Google’s Pixel 8 ad demonstrated how AI assists visually impaired individuals in photography.
Page suggested that there is an opportunity to redefine AI as a positive force for creativity and engagement in Super Bowl content, focusing on its potential to enhance storytelling and enrich viewer experiences rather than its perceived omnipresence. This approach emphasizes AI as a valuable tool for marketers, fostering forward-thinking and creativity.
Enhancing Brand Recognition
During the Super Bowl, security firm CrowdStrike aired a 30-second commercial titled “The Future,” showcasing its use of AI for security purposes, featuring Charlotte AI, its general AI security analyst.
Jennifer Johnson, CrowdStrike’s chief marketing officer, highlighted the significance of bringing the discourse on security to a wider audience during the Super Bowl, underscoring the importance of prioritizing awareness and recognition.
Other brands, like BodyArmor, incorporated AI-generated artwork in their local Super Bowl commercial to play on the eerie and imperfect aspects of AI. By showcasing athletes with distorted body proportions and unconventional sports scenarios, the advertisement aimed to convey that artificial intelligence is a complement rather than a replacement for human creativity.
Overall, marketers are increasingly leveraging general AI to predict audience reactions to ads or craft emotionally resonant campaigns, signaling AI’s growing influence across various sectors, enriching the overall Super Bowl experience.
