Nick Fuller’s Top 3 Super Bowl Ads of All Time

Nick Fuller is an executive producer at Pulse Films in Los Angeles. Part of the Vice Media Group, Pulse Films produces projects in the scripted, non-fiction, commercial and music video spaces and has a global roster of filmmakers. With a reputation for undertaking huge productions, Pulse has worked with brands like Apple, Nike, Playstation, Audi, John Lewis, and IKEA, earning awards such as the ‘Best Commercial’ Emmy, Cannes Lions Grand Prix and the ‘Commercial of the Year’ at the British Arrows. In TV and film, the company has produced Emmy and BAFTA-nominated series like ‘Gangs of London’, as well as features such as ‘Pig’, starring Academy Award-winner Nicholas Cage. Pulse Films is also behind documentaries and music videos for artists such as Beyoncé, Beastie Boys, Radiohead, A$AP Rocky and The Rolling Stones to name a few. 

Speaking to LBB, Nick shares three Super Bowl ads that have stuck in his mind ever since first watching them. He discusses what he believes are the keys to a strong showing at the game of games, and dispels the rumour that you need an immense production budget and thousands of celebrities to stand out from the crowd.

As we all know, the Super Bowl is the one moment in advertising (excluding John Lewis holiday ads, of course) where we have our water cooler moment across the US and beyond. And personally speaking, since I was a kid, I can say it’s likely the only time when my entire household wouldn’t walk out of the room during a commercial break - but rather, hush everyone to catch the ads. 

Every year, we anticipate which brand will raise the bar by tossing reason and testing out of the window and blindsiding us with something bold and entertaining. So, as each year comes and the scripts roll in, I think to myself, will we be a part of something that captures audiences the way my favourite spots did growing up? The ones that caught us completely by surprise with a genius idea.

As I started thinking about my favourite Super Bowl ads of all time, I didn’t want to dig deep into online archives to jog my memory. That wouldn’t be the way, because for me, an amazing ad is just like a great series or film, where you simply carry it in your memory forever.  As I culled down my list, I soon realised that they all had the same ingredients in common: an incredible idea executed with perfect comedic timing, creativity in stealing a moment in culture, and not reliant on a massive budget or thousands of celebrity cameos to lure in the audience. And finally, they all cleverly held the product reveal until the very end. In doing so, they showed full confidence in the creative idea behind the ad. This is why the following spots will always go down in history … for me at least. 

#3) Budweiser - 'Budweiser Frogs' (Super Bowl 1995)

This one speaks for itself. And coming from my family who, at the time, may have had a few relatives rolling into BBQs with a six-pack or two of Bud – there was no other way for us to pronounce it for a solid year at least. Next to Corona’s simple Christmas lights palm tree, this one, to me, is one of the most effective beer ads of all time. 

#2) Snickers - ‘You're Not You When You're Hungry’ (Super Bowl 2010)

The party I was at for this one must have stopped and re-watched it at least five times. And for me, if you’re going to use a celebrity in an ad, this is where the bar is set. As we know, the end result is not always the client’s first celebrity choice, but I can’t imagine this being written for anyone else. People talked about it for weeks. Betty White was a cultural icon at the time, and of course, who didn’t love the button of Abe Vigoda at the end? 

#1) Volkswagen - ‘The Force’ (Super Bowl 2011)

To me advertising doesn’t get much better than Volkswagen’s ‘The Force’. As we all know, the world stopped, watched, re-watched, and shared the spot with everyone they knew. It was such a strong idea, with perfect timing and execution. You had no idea what you were watching and couldn’t turn away. After 12 years, I’m still waiting for something stronger to drop. 

Agree or disagree, we all have our favourites and I’m excited to see what’s to come this year.