Super Bowl ads aren’t just commercials—they’re a cultural moment, a case study in brand impact, and a $7 million gamble for 30 seconds of airtime. In this episode, Ralph and Lauren break down the best, the worst, and the most effective ads from this year’s game. From Wanda Sykes flipping the script on shock marketing to Tom Brady’s Duracell-powered longevity, they chat about what worked, what flopped, and what brands should do after the big game to keep the momentum going. Whether you’re here for the ads, the strategy, or just to hear Ralph admit that Lauren might be funnier than him, this one’s for you. Stay tuned for part two coming soon!

Chapters:

• 00:00:00 – Perpetual Traffic Enters the Chat
• 00:00:47 – Football? Or Just an Ad Delivery System?
• 00:03:42 – Why Super Bowl Ads Are Basically the Oscars for Marketers
• 00:04:08 – Kendrick Lamar, X’s & O’s, and a Halftime Show Divided
• 00:06:19 – Shock, Awe, and Millions of Ad Dollars at Play
• 00:08:56 – The Most Talked-About Commercial (Hint: Boobs & Wanda Sykes)
• 00:12:33 – Did Novartis Just Win the Super Bowl? Or…?
• 00:17:18 – Post Malone, Shane Gillis & Bud Light’s Redemption Arc
• 00:20:43 – NASCAR's Big Swing & The Demographic They’re Betting On
• 00:26:29 – Tom Brady, Duracell, and the Most Unexpectedly Brilliant Ad
• 00:28:57 – Wrapping It Up: The Ads That Worked, The Ones That Flopped

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

• Best Super Bowl 2025 Commercials Ad Meter Ranking
• Breast Cancer Super Bowl Commercial with Wanda Sykes
• Leslie Jones Stops Your Annoying Relatives from Ruining Thanksgiving | The Daily Show
• Watch All the Ads of Super Bowl 2025
• The 10 Most Viewed Super Bowls of All Time
• Ontario Commercial Highlighting Contributions to the USA
• Charted: The Rising Cost of Super Bowl Ads 1965-2025
• Tier 11
• Mongoose Media
• Tier 11 Jobs
• Perpetual Traffic
• Marketing Performance Indicators™ Checklist
• Perpetual Traffic on YouTube
• Tier 11 on YouTube
• Connect with Lauren on Instagram
• Connect with Ralph on LinkedIn
• Follow Perpetual Traffic on Twitter

Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Perpetual Traffic? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on iTunes and leave us a review!

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