What Worked (and Didn’t) in This Year’s Super Bowl Ads

ABOUT THE EPISODE This year’s Super Bowl ads featured big budgets, nostalgia, humor, and heavy AI integration — but did they truly stand out? Americus Reed, Wharton Professor of Marketing, breaks down why the creative bar may have reached a plateau, how brands leaned on familiar characters and emotional storytelling, and what the Pepsi vs. Coke dynamic signals about competitive strategy. Reed also explores how AI is shaping advertising creativity and why brands must extend the conversation long after game night.

ABOUT THE PODCAST This Week in Business features interviews with Wharton faculty about the latest news, fascinating trends, and issues impacting both consumers and the business world. Episodes are recorded at the Wharton School and published twice per week.

#SuperBowlAds #AdvertisingStrategy #MarketingAnalysis #BrandStrategy #CreativeMarketing #AIinAdvertising ----- The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is committed to sharing its intellectual capital through Knowledge at Wharton, the school’s online business analysis journal.

Launched in 1999, Knowledge at Wharton offers free access to:

- Articles, podcasts, and videos highlighting Wharton faculty research and analysis of current business trends - Interviews with book authors from Wharton School Press - In-depth series of curated content like Wharton Executive Education’s Nano Tools for Leaders - A searchable database of more than 10,000 articles covering all aspects of business - A weekly newsletter that delivers Knowledge at Wharton insights directly to your inbox

Visit the Knowledge at Wharton homepage: https://whr.tn/3qUpSBE Subscribe to the Knowledge at Wharton YouTube channel: https://whr.tn/3DEAgAU