Super Bowl ads showcase VCU Brandcenter talent once again

By Leila Ugincius

Super Bowl ads are bellwethers for American sentiment.

“What we’re beginning to see are signs that people are exhausted by the vocal left/right divisions that have separated friends and family members,” said Virginia Commonwealth University Brandcenter professor Kelly O’Keefe. “The astute Super Bowl marketer will take advantage of the opportunity to reflect a coming back together of Americans with messages that are powerful, but not divisive.”

In recent years, Super Bowl ads have been divided into two broad directions: humor and social significance. Whichever path they took, last night’s commercials had one thing in common — they were, for the most part, immensely entertaining. And, as in past years, several VCU Brandcenter graduates helped bring some of those ads to the screen:

Tourism Australia - Kevin Weir (art direction, 2012) and Chris Colliton (copywriting, 2012), Droga5

Bud Light - Alex Ledford (copywriting, 2012) and NJ Placentra (art direction, 2012), Wieden + Kennedy NY

Pringles - David Canavan (copywriting, 2010), Grey NY

E*TRADE - Adam Calvert (copywriting, 2006), MullenLowe Boston 

Jack Links jerky - Allison Hayes (art direction, 2005), Carmichael Lynch Minneapolis

Plus:

T-Mobile - Husayn Raza (art direction, 2009), VML Seattle

Hyundai - Tim Anderson (strategy, 1999), Innocean

BRAVO network - Stasean Ridley (creative brand management, 2016), Zambezi

Toyota - Richard Beahm (copywriting, 2015) and Marc d'Avignon (copywriting, 2005), Saatchi LA

Starbucks (pre-game ad) - Matt Meszaros (copy writing, 2013) and Lauren Albee (art direction, 2014), 72andSunny