Is The Super Bowl Still The Peak of Advertising?
As a new member of The Ad Club, I’ve been thinking about where advertising still has true cultural power—and where it doesn’t. Few moments expose that tension more clearly than the Super Bowl. In an era of streaming, TikTok, and ad-free subscriptions, does the game still represent advertising’s peak, or has its role fundamentally changed?
I spoke with my colleague Gabe McDonough at Music and Strategy (MAS) to get his perspective. Gabe has been in the Super Bowl advertising game for a minute and always has a succinct clear eyed view of the media landscape.
Dylan Hundley (MAS):
In a media landscape dominated by streaming and short-form platforms, does the Super Bowl still represent the peak of advertising?
Gabe McDonough (MAS):
Yes, it is still the ‘peak’ of advertising. For the simple reason that it is the only time consumers really look forward to watching commercials and what brands have to say.
Hundley:
That’s a strong distinction. Why do you think that’s still true?
McDonough:
Because for the Superbowl, brands make them extra entertaining.
Hundley:
How does that idea of entertainment connect to modern media behavior?
McDonough:
Entertaining, short-form content rules the game.
Hundley:
There’s often criticism that Super Bowl ads feel overproduced or outdated. How do you see the role of the traditional 30-second spot today?
McDonough:
The great thing about ads is they’re not 5–7 minute-long SNL skits that need to be cut down. They’re naturally short form, which just happens to be the most preferred format of entertainment in the modern world.
Hundley:
So what does that mean for how brands should approach advertising beyond the Super Bowl?
McDonough:
Seems obvious. Make your ads entertaining and people will look forward to the content you put out!
Hundley:
Do you think brands are actually learning that lesson?
McDonough:
A brand that does this again and again is Liquid Death.
Hundley:
From a music and sound perspective, what trends stand out to you around the Super Bowl?
McDonough:
From a music perspective, as a general trend, I think we’re seeing that because this is a singular, huge moment brands need eyes to instantly snap to the TV. That often means bigger, more recognizable songs.
Hundley:
So is the Super Bowl still just about scale, or something more?
McDonough:
Attention that is willingly given is the most powerful force in advertising. For brands, it proves that the most valuable advertising functions as entertainment, and if your work does that it can earn attention in the loudest room possible.
Music & Strategy, MAS, has been providing music supervision, original composition, sync licensing plus much more for fifteen years for brands of all kinds. In celebration of this, they have created a reel to celebrate this body of work. Have a watch and listen here. It’s a fun one.
Author
Dylan Hundley
Head of Growth
Music and Strategy