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As Super Bowl advertisers attempt to maximize the impact of their investment, many release their Game Day ads ahead of the on-field action. According to iSpot Creative Assessment, the 2024 pre-release that has most captured the country as of this writing is Hellmann’s “Mayo Cat” – here’s how the brand got it right.
Nailing All the Super Bowl Tricks
In previous blog posts, we’ve uncovered various routes to Super Bowl triumph. These include injecting Safe “Humor,” leveraging celebrities (and animals) to boost “Attention” and engagement, and captivating audiences with clever and “Likeable” narratives.
“Mayo Cat” is currently winning on all accounts.
Humor
The humor in Hellmann’s creative lies in the cat’s well-timed ‘meows’ (cleverly delivered as ‘mayo’) each time the lead character (Kate McKinnon) seeks culinary inspiration. Through a series of leftover meal makeovers, the duo swiftly ascends to stardom while humorously showcasing the transformative power of Hellmann’s Mayonnaise. The brand spikes the comedic appeal by placing the viral cat in a doomed relationship with Pete Davidson for a closing clincher.
Just outpacing Kawaski’s Super Bowl debut spot for the funniest pre-release to date, “Mayo Cat” has also landed as the “Quirkiest” and most “Memorable” so far.
Celebrity
The brand’s casting of celebrities (and Kate McKinnon specifically) with a cuddly furbaby represents a master class in capturing broad audiences while keeping brand objectives in mind. Reigning second in “Attention” among the pre-releases to date (just trailing Kawasaki’s “Mullets”), the SNL celebs smartly bring in a younger audience key to the Unilever condiment’s growth. The brand also capitalizes on the popularity of the current cultural “Barbie” phenomenon by casting McKinnon (“Weird Barbie”) in the lead role, and the clever but natural twist to a fetching feline’s meow charms the animal lovers in the crowd.
Likeability
Hellmann’s thoughtful casting and execution led 52% of viewers to identify the characters as the standout element of the creative, surpassing the average ad in Likeability by 17%. With top-performing Super Bowl spots consistently achieving strong Likeability, “Mayo Cat” currently leads all 2024 pre-releases in an area key to entertaining the diverse audience watching on Game Day.
Out of historical Big Game advertisements, 129 creatives have been deemed even more likeable, with Budweiser’s 2014 “Puppy Love” reigning supreme with an 821 Likeability rating. Interestingly, Bud’s return to the Clydesdales and golden retrievers for 2024 tracked just behind “Mayo Cat” in Likeability.
Given that many consumers hold a love it or hate it stance on mayonnaise, moving the polarizing condiment to the height of likeability, attention, culture, and memorability through brand personality undoubtedly puts a touchdown on the Hellmann’s scoreboard. The subtle nod to the brand’s purpose (its fourth year doing so) delivers the “Make Taste, Not Waste” two-point conversion for the win.
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