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As the most-watched sporting event in the United States, the Super Bowl has evolved into a cultural phenomenon where commercial breaks command as much attention as the game itself. The Super Bowl is a prime opportunity for advertisers to captivate viewers, display creativity, and showcase their brand.  Advertisers vie for coveted advertisement slots and spend millions of dollars annually, knowing that the large pool of engaged Super Bowl viewers presents a unique opportunity to captivate consumers and leave a lasting impression. Brands hope to drive consumer action long after the advertisement premieres. 

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Some advertisements leave a lasting impression, while others falter and are unmemorable. What common elements are in Super Bowl advertisements? What makes a Super Bowl advertisement successful? What is important in the creative execution of Super Bowl advertisements? 

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These are very important questions when analyzing Super Bowl Ads, and this Media Studies Capstone Final Project looks to answer these questions. Therefore, this Super Bowl Advertisements project aims to explore a form of media: television advertisements that run during the Super Bowl. Media shapes our world significantly, and brands need to learn to craft focused and compelling ads that cut through the noise and reach their intended audience to be successful. Therefore, analyzing advertisements is relevant because mass communication plays a significant role in our lives and society. Current trends in television advertisements and social media are also essential to explore. 

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This Media Studies Capstone project contains four different parts. The parts include: 

 

1) Super Bowl Ads Research Report—The Canva report features research that examines the history of Super Bowl advertisements, their common elements, and the different components of creative execution.  

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2) Analysis of 2024 Super Bowl Ads— Fifty-nine Super Bowl advertisements aired during Super Bowl 58 this year. Many advertisements were applauded and loved, while others faltered or were unmemorable. This analysis looks at advertisements aired during the 2024 Super Bowl. Each advertisement analysis includes the advertisement video and a common elements checklist, including humor, celebrity endorsements, brand recognition, emotional appeals, American images, use of animals, and creative tactics and technology. Each analysis also includes a written description and analysis of the advertisement and rating. 

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3) Super Bowl Ad Creation—Three mock ads (scripts) are created using the established checklist for three different brands: Celsius, Olipop, and Abercrombie and Fitch.  

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4) Final Reflection Super Bowl Advertising Report - This written reflection provides a conclusion and reflection on my Super Bowl analysis and the connection to this Media Studies Capstone course. It reflects on the significance of this research project and what skills and experience I have learned.