Ad Agency Ogilvy Proposes Captivating Strategies to Secure Three High-Profile Super Bowl Commercials (Including Beyoncé)
Winning the Super Bowl isn't just about having Beyoncé as the face of your ad. It's also about having a global agency like Ogilvy behind you, one that's been named ADWEEK's Global Agency of the Year in 2023.
Ogilvy pulled off a stunning performance at the Super Bowl, not only with Beyoncé's Verizon campaign but also with two other national ads from CeraVe and Dove, and spots in both the Canadian broadcast and the Spanish-language broadcast on Univision. They even managed a social media hit referencing another pop star.
According to Devika Bulchandani, the global CEO at Ogilvy, it's all about being culturally relevant. "Today, we're not living in a world of paid; we're really living in a world where brands need to associate themselves with culture," she told ADWEEK.
This global marketing dominance doesn't happen overnight. It takes an entire network, and Ogilvy has one with creative talent in every corner of the globe. Liz Taylor, global chief creative officer at Ogilvy, praised everyone in the Ogilvy network for their role in the Super Bowl success.
The Beyoncé-fronted Verizon ad was a coup, with the star attempting to break the network but ultimately impressing everyone but never managing to bring it down. The CeraVe ad, meanwhile, was a humorous take on the brand, created in collaboration with actor Michael Cera, comedy duo Tim & Eric, and social listening from Ogilvy's internal team.
Dove took a different approach with their "Hard Knocks" spot, continuing their body positivity messaging and exposing the issue of low self-esteem associated with bodies as a reason girls drop out of sports.
In the Spanish-language broadcast on Univision, Ogilvy created ads for Audi and Total by Verizon, with the latter utilizing Elvis Crespo's classic dance song "Suavamente," reworked for Total by Verizon's plan.
Ogilvy also showed their Canadian pride with dry humor in spots for TD Bank and quirky scenarios about taxes for H&R Block in the Canadian broadcast.
But it wasn't just the ads that made headlines. When it was revealed that Taylor Swift might miss the Super Bowl due to a tour in Japan, Ogilvy's Washington, D.C., office worked with the Embassy of Japan to quell the concerns of Swifties everywhere. Within 12 hours, an "official statement" was issued on Twitter, using Swift's songs and album titles in a cleverly worded few paragraphs.
Ogilvy is proud of their diverse client base and the creative output for the Super Bowl. After celebrating 75 years in business, the agency now has a new chief creative officer in its New York headquarters, Samira Ansari. With her leadership, Ogilvy is looking to continue making its mark. As Taylor said, "We're not just a one-hit wonder. We can do a range. There's no one style, and I'm really proud of that."
- In 2023, Ogilvy was named ADWEEK's Global Agency of the Year, a testament to their global marketing dominance.
- During the Super Bowl, Ogilvy managed to create advertising positions for CeraVe, Dove, and Verizon, as well as spots in both the Canadian and Spanish-language broadcasts.
- Devika Bulchandani, the global CEO at Ogilvy, emphasized the importance of cultural relevance in their defi, stating that brands need to associate themselves with culture.
- The Verizon ad, fronted by Beyoncé, was a risk that ultimately paid off, even though it failed to break the network.
- Ogilvy's CeraVe ad was humorous, featuring actor Michael Cera and comedy duo Tim & Eric, with social listening from Ogilvy's internal team.
- Dove's "Hard Knocks" ad continued their body positivity messaging and highlighted the issue of low self-esteem associated with bodies, a reason girls drop out of sports.
- Beyond their advertising expertise, Ogilvy made headlines when they addressed concerns about Taylor Swift's potential absence from the Super Bowl, using quirky scenarios and Swift's songs to issue an "official statement" on social-media, showing their versatility in entertainment and pop-culture.
