I had ChatGPT guess what the Super Bowl Ads would look like
How close were they (…and whose was better)?
I’ve come across many nervous LinkedIn posts from fellow advertising professionals about the job stealing capabilities of AI. Even though AdWeek promises that ChatGPT Is Not Going to Replace Your Creative Team, for giggles, I wanted to see, hehe, what if it did?
And what if it did for the biggest ad event of the year? The audacity.
I told ChatGPT it was a Creative Director making a :60 for the Super Bowl — which meant the spot had to be big, high-production value, iconic, something people would talk about. Then I asked it to come up with a spot for five different brands, using what it knew of past Super Bowl ads these guys had ran (specifically tone, tropes, storylines). I provided my ChatECD direction alluded to in early press releases, and did this exercise the first week of January to prevent accidentally tipping it off. This is the result.
I didn’t make any creative choices for the AI, but I redirected if it was off-brand, and probed if it didn't address the prompt. I’ve summarized and edited its for clarity, but it took many tries to get here. Many.
Now, time to see who won the real Big Game, Humans or Robots? The most successfully executed ad in my subjective opinion receive honors via the Seven Layer dip trophy.
M&Ms
“[An] ad meant to foster connection and a sense of belonging…The spot will lean into the M&M’S purpose, to use the power of [colorful] fun to include everyone. In a continued effort to create a world where all fans feel they belong, the brand will build on iconic Super Bowl moments from Mars that have delivered fan-favorite spots for more than a decade. [Mars is] using the moment to kick off a new focus on product for M&M’S in 2024."”- Mars Press Release, December
The Real Spot:
The AI Spot:
The famous spokescandies are at a celebration in a whimsical laboratory, filled with people of all ages and backgrounds. They announce everyone belongs — even new, out of this world flavors. Intro the Flavor Fusion Machine! It pumps out exotic, fruity, savory flavors of M&Ms that revolutionize the snacking experience. Narrator: (Voiceover) “In the M&M’S universe, everyone is invited to create their own colorful moments." Cut to a vibrant street festival where M&M’S Flavor Fusion are enjoyed by all — in various unique and creative ways — as the spokescandies lead the parade. Cameo by Danny Trejo and Betty White. Viewers are invited to visit the website to join the flavor celebration. End: “M&M’S invites you to taste the sweetness of connection.”
I didn’t have the heart to tell the AI we lost Betty, so one pity point. I know they’re trying to make comfort to M&Ms as satisfying is to Snickers, but it’s not nearly as natural of an existing brand or product truth, which makes it a bit clunky conceptually. Also humans and robots alike, can we abandon the food + labs trope? I want for forget my candy is totally synthetic, thanks.
Dove
“The prevalence of negative body talk in sports and focus on appearance over ability harms girls’ body confidence. As the biggest champion of self-esteem for girls globally since 2004, we are thrilled to return to the Big Game and use this massive stage to drive meaningful awareness for this important issue and help girls stay in sports.” — Brand Innovators, December
The Real Spot:
The AI Spot:
Emily ties her sports shoes and looks nervous. Soft emotional music as a narrator voiceover says, “In moments like these, when doubt lingers and fear whispers, we witness the strength it takes to face our insecurities.” Cut to a series of diverse young girls in various sports, celebrating, playing, and then, doubting how they look. Narrator Voiceover: “Every time a girl laces up, she battles not just opponents but also the inner critic that questions her worth.” Cut to Emily at a stadium; suddenly, from the crowd emerges Simone Biles. Sensing Emily’s struggle with her body, Biles says: “I’ve been there, Emily. Your journey is your strength, even when it feels like a climb. Believe in yourself.” The girl nods, her resolve growing. We witness her playing spectacularly, seeing the skill of her body, she begins to overcome the negative feelings about it. Emily scores a goal, not just on the field but in her own journey of self-acceptance. The stadium erupts, and Simone smiles. Dove logo, the tagline “Confidence Unleashes Potential.” CTA to join Dove’s mission in supporting girls’ self-esteem and body confidence.
Honestly not bad effort AI. Biles is a solid choice for the demographic, and the copy is surpsingly pretty good? But with actual footage, the tone of the real ad felt more youthful and honest, so it was more spot on for the subject matter, the audience, and for the Dove brand.
Pringles
“The spot…will showcase a “playful, new direction,” according to a spokesperson. — MarketingDive
…the brand declined to share details about the creative, but hinted that the ad will be “uncanny.”- AdAge
The Real Spot:
The AI Spot:
At a bustling Super Bowl party everyone is indulging in snacks, when suddenly, a larger than life Pringles can descends from the sky like a space ship. Out of it emerges Jack Black. He declares: “Hold on to your taste buds, folks! We’re diving into the uncanny world of Pringles!” Everyone shrinks down and enters the can, finding a different flavor dimension. Black: “Ever had an uncanny craving? Well, buckle up! Pringles takes you beyond the ordinary.” Move Your Feet by Junior Senior plays as people surf on Sour Cream & Onion waves and swing from original crisps. Everyone emerges back to real life with Black holding the can like a trophy. “Pringles — where every crunch is an uncanny flavor journey! Get ready for the crunch of a lifetime!”
Humans, why not pick someone famously non-mustachioed? Or, if I have to see Chris Pratt in roles he’s totally wrong for — again — can we at least playfully tap into his over-saturation as a reason for the incognito ‘stache? This isn’t a triumphant victory…Overall, craving uncannier from both.
Intuit
“TurboTax will be back in the Super Bowl for the 11th year in a row with new work from R/GA called “Make Your Moves Count,” which is anchored by seven films” — Brand Innovators, December
“Intuit declined to share details …except to say that it is the “culmination of a new brand campaign TurboTax is launching this week,” which is “inspired by real stories but starring actors.” SBJ, January
The Real Spot:
The AI Spot:
It’s Taxville! the musical, set to “Happy” by Pharrell Williams. In this fictional small town, actors like Billy Eicher, Awkwafina and Constance Wu step in to portray real-life people in real financial situations like buying a house together or joining finances. A TurboTax expert played by Jason Sudekis happily guides them through their tax journeys. At the end they gather and sing in a digital space, celebrating their financial victories, and resilience and determination. The tagline “Make Your Moves Count with TurboTax” softly appears.
Taxville! the musical may not be the most novel concept, but the Our Town version is more memorable and than this straight approach to announcing a sweepstakes (which I wouldn’t call a grand culmination of their campaign, but hey). Crazily, ChatGPT’s last data is from January 2022, a month before Sudekis actually did appear in W+K’s TurboTax’s Super Bowl ad. Spooky.
Coors Light
“Coors Light will star in a Super Bowl ad, hoping to position the products as “the beer of choice for millions of pro football fans…Coors Light is the perfect brand to bring more chill when the heat is on at the biggest stage in sports,” said Sofia Colucci, Molson Coors’ chief marketing officer- Brand Innovators, December
The Real Spot:
The AI Spot:
We see what appears to be a high-stakes moment in the Super Bowl — the tension is palpable in close up shots of fan’s faces in the stadium. The tense atmosphere is broken by Matthew McConaughey. Perched on a ledge with a Coors he serenely says, “Folks, this game is a real showdown. But you know what this moment needs? A little cool breeze.” He cracks a Coors and the stadium undergoes a cinematic transformation, covered in shimmering frost. “Smooth” by Santana plays, as celebrities and cameos from iconic figures like George Clooney, Jeff Goldblum and Keanu Reeves romp in the snow, contributing to the laid-back, cool ambiance amidst the competitive fervor. McConaughey: “In the heat of the showdown, Coors Light keeps it cool. Because when the stakes are high, the chill should be higher.” The spot concludes with the game resuming in the transformed, cool stadium and the Coors Light logo shining in the winter spectacle.
The AI’s ‘wait is the game back on?’ gimmick may have been accidental, but a nice touch reminiscent of Tubi’s faux-interruption spot last year, and would have played great in this year’s game. But c’mon the frozen tear? Busting through a Corona ad? LL Cool J? Delightful, humans, delightful.
THE FINAL SCORE: What a match-up — but this year, the Humans have it. With a score of 3 to Humans and 2 to AI, it was almost as close as the actual 49s and Chiefs game, but I never doubted the creativity of our carbon-based forms for a second.
Agree or disagree with the winners? Made your own AI spots for one of the other Big Game contenders I didn’t feature? Comment below.
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Disclaimer: The goal of this experiment is purely fun and not meant to deride the teams or agencies behind them. An insane amount of blood, sweat and tears goes into making these ads every year, and you should all be very proud to have stepped up to the challenge and global scrutiny that comes with. The AI didn’t write that. Or did it.
