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Super Bowl 2018 Commercials: The Definite Guide To The Music

We collected data on every commercial, it's the usage of its music and the overall effectiveness and compiled it into a single report you can download for free below. BY RYAN ALLEN   During the gridiron battle happening between...

Ryan Allen

Stockmusic.net team

Featured image for Super Bowl 2018 Commercials: The Definite Guide To The Music

We collected data on every commercial, it’s the usage of its music and the overall effectiveness and compiled it into a single report you can download for free below.

BY RYAN ALLEN

 

During the gridiron battle happening between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles, America remained tuned in to see the world’s biggest advertisers fight it out for the best commercial of Super Bowl LII.A year of falling ratings seemed to have no effect on the wallet of advertisers for Super Bowl LII. With costs starting at $5M for a 30 second spot, you saw many brands spending upwards of $20M ( Amazon) to reach the 114 million viewers glued to the TV set this afternoon.

Political trends, new technologies, and limited attention spans were just some of the challenges agencies faced this year. While spending half a million dollars on an A-list celebrity endorsement sounds like an easy solution to many of those, another route was through the nostalgic melodies of and trending sounds of Journey and Big Sean.

For some brands, spending the six figures on a song for the Super Bowl is something that comes with the territory. For others, it’s a risky gamble with returns that may never be quantified. Regardless how you feel, over the music has been a growing asset for advertisers and a common identifier in an effective and well received Super Bowl commercial.

This year we carefully watched the commercials through a music lens to learn more about its current role in popular media. Both big name artists and stock music can dramatically improve the effectiveness of the most expensive ads of the year.

We collected critical data on every commercial, it’s usage of music and the overall effectiveness and compiled it into a single report you can download your copy of our .
>> DOWNLOAD NOW

Now onto our musical report of every commercial during Superbowl 2018!

Video has been removed 🙁

Vikings – Built for the Unexpected

DODGE

Automobile • 60 seconds • The Richards Group

It’s smug, smart, and creative….all of the things you want in a water cooler advertisement. Wrapped up with Queen to hammer that last nail in the coffin and you have yourself one heck of a powerful commercial…..Sorry Minnesota Vikings.

M&M’s “Human”

M&Ms

Food and Beverage • 30 seconds • BBDO

Fed up with people wanting to eat him all the time, the red M&M wishes to be human after he finds a lucky penny. Little does he know his wish would turn him into Danny DeVito in the flesh. He excitedly polls people on the streets, including Todrick Hall, and nobody wants to eat him anymore, which is great… until he drops his lucky penny and gets hit by a truck. But even a hit like that can’t take away this newfound joy. As he admires his good looks in a storefront window, the brown M&M can’t help but remind him that he’s still short and bald.

  • Music License: Stock background music
  • Actors and Performers: Billy West, Danny DeVito, Todrick Hall
  • Similar StockMusic.net: wholesome & light

Solo: A Star Wars Story Movie Trailer

Lucasfilm

Moves and TV •  30 seconds • Disney

John Williams score brings another fantastic Star Wars story, SOLO. As he joins the Rebellion, a young Han Solo meets Chewbacca and crosses paths with Lando Calrissian while taking on some of the great adventures of the Star Wars series. “Solo: A Star Wars Story” hits theaters May 25, 2018. Tell me you aren’t a little bit excited for this.

Video has been removed 🙁

Doritos Blaze vs. Mountain Dew Ice ‘Battle’

PepsiCo

Food and Beverage • 60 seconds • Goodby, Silverstein & Partners (Creative Agency)

There is not much to say about this. It’s over the top, celebrity-filled, and on point in terms of what people love to see. Throw some of the great rappers of our time with true thespians and you have a fun thing going.

Sketchers, First Class for your feet

Sketchers

Retail • 15 seconds • Unknown Agency

NFL Hall of Fame member Howie Long is a big man, so it comes as no surprise that his feet feel similar to his middle seating assignment on the plane in this Super Bowl LII spot. Cramped and uncomfortable between another big guy and a sleeper, Long learns that he’s been upgraded to first class. Howie Long’s Wide Fit SKECHERS provide him the comfort and space for his feet, similar to his new roomier, spacious airplane seat.

  • Music License: Stock Music
  • Actors/Performers: Howie Long, Kelly Brock
  • Related music on Stockmusic.net: Drums, Relaxed

Unfortunately, this video has been removed from the internet 🙁

Bud Knight  – Here’s To The Friends You Can Always Count On

Bud Light

Food and Beverage • 60 seconds • Wieden + Kennedy

A battle commences and the king’s people rejoice at the arrival of the Bud Knight. They believe they’re saved, chanting “dilly dilly” as he rides his steed through the field. However, he rides right past them and enters a convenience store for a 12-pack of Bud Light. He apparently can’t fight with them because his buddy is having a “30th birthday thing,” but he adds that if the crowd survives the battle, they’re welcome to join the gathering. The soldiers are let down, but soon the knight changes his mind and proclaims he will help them out after all as he thrusts his sword into the air, conjuring a forceful lightning bolt that sends the enemy running. Watching the events unravel from a safe distance, the king grumbles that somebody likes attention. Bud Light pours a glass of frothy beer in honor of the friends you can always count on in its Super Bowl LII ad.

Unfortunately, this video has been removed from the internet 🙁

Avocados From Mexico

Avocados From Mexico Avocado

Food and Beverage • 30 seconds • GSD&M (Creative Agency)

An idyllic, futuristic group of people creates the perfect eco-bubble, full of chirping birds, lush greenery and plenty of Avocados From Mexico. They even get actor Chris Elliott to come inside and set up an autograph booth. Everything seems just so, until their utopia is shattered — the chips for the avocados were accidentally left outside of the hermetically sealed bubble. Panic and anger set in as people rebel by the thought of letting so many avocados go to waste. Just when it seems that anarchy has won, the group’s leader shows everyone that avocado goes great with a lot of other foods, like toast, burgers and salads. With that cleared up, the only thing left to rebel about during this Super Bowl LII ad is the lack of decent Wi-Fi.
  • Music License: Stock music
  • Actors/Performers:  Chris Elliot
  • Related music on Stockmusic.net: Underscores

Unfortunately, this video has been removed from the internet 🙁

Michelob Ultra – Live Fit, Live Fun, Live Utra

Michelob Utra

Food and Beverage • 30 seconds • Euro RSCG

Live fit, live fun, live ultra with Chris Pratt.  A great commercial, one of our favorites.
  • Music License: Stock
  • Actors/Performers:  Chris Pratt
  • Related music on Stockmusic.net: Silly, Funny, Inspirational

“Make it with Keanue. Make It Squarespace”

Squarespace

Online Brands • 30 seconds • Made In House

Smart, sexy, action packed commercial that understands the curiosity that viewers have with Keanue Reeves

“There’s Nothing Like Australia”

Australia.com

Travel • 60 seconds • Unknown Agency

Great concept and execution. Even though we were all familiar with it being a commercial for Australia, we appreciated the tease and the finished product.

Unfortunately, this video has been removed from the internet 🙁

It’s a Tide Ad

 

Tide

Consumer Goods • 60 seconds • Saatchi and Saatchi Very funny. We loved the play on the Budweiser & Mr. Clean ads within this Tide ad. Since the ending of season two of Stranger Things, we missed Hopper and it was great to see him out there again, this time with a smile on his face.

  • Music License: Stock music
  • Actors/Performers: David Harbour
  • Related music on Stockmusic.net: Lucky Man  Quirky

How Do You Like It Now, My Friend?

 

Jeep

Automobile • 60 seconds • DDB Chicago (Agency), SapientNitro (Digital Agency)

Really action packed fun commercial to get back into the Jurassic Park vibe! If you love Jurassic Park, love Jeff Goldblum, or just love dinosaurs you will love this commercial. Jeep did a great job takings the rugged brand, and bringing a sort of sexy vibe back to it…..not to mention a Trex. Rwarr!

Be Celebrated

BlacTure

Online Brand • 30 seconds • McKinney

Fugees member Pras stands in front of a mic stand and an empty auditorium with a blindfold and his lips taped shut. With a tuba and a drum playing a simple tune, the American rapper removes his blindfold and the tape from his lips to signal that he will no longer be blinded or silenced. Powerful use of drums and horn, and that stage presence in the theater. This is the one commercial of the night that really moved and intrigued us to google the website.

Touchdown Celebrations To Come

NFL

Sports • 60 seconds • TBD

The best of the night entertainment-wise, for “super bowl traditional commercial appeal”. We couldn’t stop laughing. The song is, of course, the key to this well-loved scenario and silliness. Those guys doing the lift finale at the end! No one puts “baby” in the corner.

You Deserve Better

Monster Headphones

Consumer Goods • 60 seconds • Content Innovation Agency

Monster hired YouTube star RiceGum to portray the founder of Monster as a young child. He is riding the subway when he makes eye contact with Iggy Azalea and gets inspired to rush home to build a better set of headphones. It was an excellent blend of modern, inspirational beats, with an inspirational storyline. The music and the video create a modern, edgy and clean feeling that expertly say “Monster is back”.

Unfortunately, this video has been removed from the internet 🙁

Alexa Looses her Voice

Amazon Echo

Consumer Goods / Tech • 90 seconds •  Lucky Generals

A clever, humorous spot showing what would happen if Alexa lost her voice and was replaced by celebrities. The commercial featured Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, as well as celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey, musician Cardi B, and actor Anthony Hopkins.  The commercial used a few other stock music bits to fill out the various scenes where Alexa malfunctions.

Hope Detector

Hyundai

Automobile • 30 seconds • Innocean USA creative agency and Steam / Anonymous Content

A touching commercial where people who drive Hyundai cars get tagged in a metal detector while entering the Super Bowl.  They were then taken to a room to watch a video about a cancer survivor.  The commercial worked.  I wanted to immediately run out and purchase a new car.  But wait, what is the connection? How is purchasing a new car helping cure cancer?  This one had a great start but after thinking about it for a few seconds, it left a strange taste in my mouth.

In Partnership with Water.org

Stella Artois

Food & Beverage • 30 seconds •  Agency Not Available

Matt Damon stars and narrates in the simple and effective ad. Most people in America take clean drinking water for granted, while millions of people around the world don’t have this luxury. Stella and water.org are partnering to help address this issue and give the viewer a simple thing they can do to help. The use of simple, motivational stock piano music perfectly pairs with this message.

  • Music License: Stock background music
  • Actors/Performers: Matt Damon
  • Related Music on Stockmusic.net: Desire , A Great Light

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