Super Bowl ads aren’t just about selling products—they’re a cultural moment, and this year, 32 alumni from the Virginia Commonwealth University Brandcenter left their mark on the biggest stage in advertising.
- This year’s Super Bowl featured ads crafted by 32 graduates of the Virginia Commonwealth University Brandcenter.
- Brands like T-Mobile, Michelob ULTRA, and Rocket/Redfin tapped into cultural moments, from music nostalgia to neighborly kindness.
- The ads showcased a range of creative approaches, from humorous party scenes to emotionally resonant messages about community.
- Several ads leveraged celebrity power, including appearances by Scarlett Johansson, Lewis Pullman, Kurt Russell, and Lady Gaga.
The Super Bowl consistently draws massive television viewership—over 120 million people—making it a uniquely impactful event for advertisers. As Jodi Shelley, who has worked on more than six Super Bowl spots for T-Mobile, put it, the Super Bowl “hits different” for those in the advertising industry. Companies invest heavily to reach this vast audience, seeking the most talented creatives to produce memorable work.
T-Mobile Reaches for Nostalgia with the Backstreet Boys
Shelley, a 2000 Brandcenter graduate, spearheaded T-Mobile’s latest Super Bowl ad, bringing in the Backstreet Boys. “T-Mobile is a long-standing Super Bowl advertiser and what we have learned over time is the best success comes from being loose,” Shelley said. “T-Mobile has a reputation for leaning into music and big talent, so this just made sense.”
Michelob ULTRA Enlists Hollywood Stars for a Skiing Lesson
Lindsey Evans, a 2023 Brandcenter grad and art director at Wieden + Kennedy in New York, contributed to her first Super Bowl ad for Michelob ULTRA. “Getting put on a project this large was an extreme honor,” Evans said. “It was incredible to work with such a talented team to pull off a production of this caliber.” The ad features Kurt Russell instructing actor Lewis Pullman on the slopes.
“‘The Instructor’ combines two of the biggest cultural moments of the year in America – the Super Bowl and the Olympic Winter Games,” Evans explained. Joseph Kosinski, known for directing “Top Gun: Maverick” and “F1,” helmed the spot, aiming for a cinematic feel.
Hancock Lumber Highlights Customer Experience
Meranne and Luke Behrends, co-founders of the agency Words from the Woods and both Brandcenter alumni, transported viewers to Maine in their ad for Hancock Lumber. The spot, titled “Morning Calm,” follows a contractor enjoying a serene drive, confident in the reliability of their lumber order.
“When products and pricing are near identical to your competitors, it comes down to customer experience. We wanted to tap into a moment that expressed that feeling,” Meranne said. “We knew that what matters most to contractors is reliability, transparency and ease.”
RITZ Crackers Throw a Party—and Invite Everyone
Elizabeth Daniel and four fellow Brandcenter alumni worked on the Martin Agency’s ad for RITZ crackers, starring Scarlett Johansson and Bowen Yang. The ad depicts a lively party on “RITZ Island,” where two initially excluded guests are eventually welcomed in, despite their “saltiness.”
Rocket/Redfin Champions Neighborly Kindness
Sam Dolphin, a freelance creative director for Mirimar, was part of the team behind Rocket and Redfin’s ad, which offered a modern take on the song “Won’t You be My Neighbor.” The ad highlights the fact that only 25% of neighbors actually know one another.
“This Super Bowl, we created an ad that’s asking Americans to be kind to their neighbors,” Dolphin said. “We wanted to create work that might actually get people to think differently.” He added that the message resonated with the current spirit of community, particularly in cities like Minneapolis, where residents are actively supporting their immigrant neighbors. Lady Gaga performs the iconic song in the ad.
“Nobody has cared for our well-being as much as Fred Rogers did … and we can deliver that timely message again,” Dolphin said. “We live in an era where kindness and neighborliness are in short supply. So it was great to make something that asks people to show up and look out for our neighbors.”
Apple Music
Chris Trumbull (copywriting, 2010)
Apple
Bosch
Chris Colliton (experiential design, 2012)
Andrew Quay (experiential design, 2012)
Droga5
Witness the ultimate transformation. From Justaguy into none other than Guy Fieri himself. With some extra Boschalicious bonus footage mixed in.
Cadillac Formula One
Zach Brown (creative brand management, 2019)
Translation LLC
The mission has officially begun. Introducing the first Cadillac Formula 1® Team Livery.
Discover Puerto Rico
Adam Aceino (copywriting, 2011)
R&R
Fan Duel
Craig Gerringer (copywriting, 2012)
Andy Grayson (strategy, 2004)
Jon Hirsch (art direction, 2016)
Charles Hodges (copywriting, 2009)
Zak Milner (copywriting, 2013)
Cody Pate (art direction, 2013)
Arts & Letters Creative Co.
FanDuel, “Last Call for Football: Super Bowl LX” ft. Luis Guzmán (2026)
Google Gemini
Tristan Smith (copywriting, 2009)
Josh Rosen (art direction, 2002)
Google Creative Lab
With Google Gemini, it’s easy to imagine a new room, a new project, or even a whole new chapter. Gemini is your personalized AI assistant for learning, planning, creating, and getting things done.
Hancock Lumber
Meranne Behrends (strategy, 2007)
Luke Behrends (copywriting, 2007)
Words From The Woods
Life360
Tom Naughton (strategy, 2006)
Alto NYC
Liquid IV
Hannah Barr (strategy, 2019)
LA anomaly
Liquid I.V. dropped its teaser for Super Bowl Commercial 2026.
Michelob ULTRA
Lindsey Evans (art direction, 2023)
Wieden + Kennedy NY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGkhZ5fToOk
Race you for an ULTRA?
Oakley Meta Glasses
Dinma Onyekwere (creative brand management, 2021)
Alex Ward (art direction, 2025)
Boyan Zlatarski (art direction, 2025)
Mother LA
Athletic Intelligence is here. With a combination of Meta AI, hands-free camera, open-ear audio, next-level performance optimization and more, Oakley Meta Performance AI glasses are changing the game.
Ritz crackers – TV
Morgan Aceino (creative brand management, 2011)
Elizabeth Daniel (copywriting, 2015)
Troy Fultz (creative brand management, 2024)
Ed Keithly (strategy, 2024)
Blair Seward (art direction, 2015)
The Martin Agency
Ritz crackers – social
Celeste Chance (copywriting, 2024)
Zey Masunu (art direction, 2022)
The Martin Agency
Rocket/ Redfin
Sam Dolphin (copywriting, 2011)
MIRIMAR THE
America could use a neighbor just like you.
Starbucks
Cat Clark (art direction, 2024)
LA anomaly
Starbucks’s Super Bowl commercial, with its Olympic and Italian influences, is like a love letter to those who come to drink coffee.
T-Mobile
Jodi Shelley (strategy, 2000)
T-Mobile Marketing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_3eB7omJO4
Let Backstreet tell you why it’s better over here
United Airlines
Amy Matheu (art direction, 2012)
72andSunny LA
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