Thoughts on the Super Bowl Ads (More Deep Fakes)

I know…it’s ubiquitous at this point, but I suppose we should weigh in with some thoughts on the Super Bowl ads.

Just because it’s kind of crazy, let’s start with the costs. A 30 second commercial during the first Super Bowl would have cost the brand about $37,500. This year, that figure was up to $5.6 million for a 30 second slot. 

And that’s just to air a produced commercial. That cost doesn’t include any money for the producing agency, crew, talent, music licensing, etc. 

Clearly, if you’re going to spend that kind of money, you want to find a way to really stand out amongst the rest.

So, what brands found a way to stand out this year?

Well, to me the most interesting spots presented fun and interesting versions of what’s becoming known as Deep Fake technology.

If you’re unfamiliar, Deep Fake refers to video images where an existing image is replaced with someone else’s likeness. Check out this link for some great examples and a more thorough example of that technology.

Most of the time, the uses of this type of technology are creepy and raise difficult questions about the future of video technology. However, the examples on this year’s Super Bowl used this technology to just have fun.

Whether it’s Jason Momoa revealing his true physique, or an unlikely dance contest between Lil Nas X and Sam Elliott, these spots did an admirable job of showing a lighter side of a potentially troubling new trend.