Not Everything is Fun and Games: Super Bowl Ads Should Embrace Emotional Realism

Right now, everyone is gearing up for the big game. Whether you’re a football fan or not, you know the drill: when the Super Bowl airs, brands will be out in full force with over-the-top humor, celebrity cameos, and punchlines. Sure, it’s entertaining. But let’s be honest—funny ads aren’t the only ones that can live rent-free in your mind, right?

Here’s the truth: Joy and humor are easier to pull off because they tap into the lightness of life and our universal desire to have fun. But if you want to create something that doesn’t just entertain but truly resonates, you need to dig deeper. Nostalgia, empathy, even struggle—these are universal emotions too, and they’re as real as it gets. That raw reality is what builds authentic, lasting connections.

Think about the best stories you’ve ever heard. A well-told story doesn’t just make you laugh; it makes you feel. It lingers. It stays with you in the best way possible. That’s the power of emotional realism—it mirrors how people actually experience life, not just how we wish it were. And here’s the kicker: brands that do this well don’t guess. They use consumer insights to understand the “why” behind it all.

• What truly moves their audience?
• What are they struggling with?
• What motivates them?
• What emotional triggers will actually resonate?

Nike nails this, and their latest “Have a Hard Year” (Kobe) ad is a perfect example of tapping into emotional realism. Instead of selling inspiration through relentless positivity, Nike leans into the real experience of struggle, resilience, and relentless improvement. The ad doesn’t promise an easy road—it challenges you to embrace hardship. It speaks to an audience that doesn’t just want to win but wants to earn it.

Nike’s Have a Hard Year ad 

This works because Nike understands its core consumer insight: Athletes (and those who aspire to an athlete’s mindset) don’t just crave success; they crave the struggle that makes success meaningful. That insight drives the emotional realism of the campaign. It’s not sugar-coated. It’s not trying to be funny (though it’s still somewhat fun). It’s raw, challenging, and deeply motivating. And because of that, it sticks.

That’s why some brands miss the mark. I came across a great take on this by Carol Irgang, who shed light on the confusion between emotion and purpose.

• Emotion is how a brand makes people feel—joy, nostalgia, motivation, pride, even sadness. Every brand should understand the emotional connection they create.
• Purpose, on the other hand, is a brand’s higher reason for existing beyond selling products. Some brands, like Patagonia, build their entire identity around purpose. Others don’t need to—and that’s okay.

Nike strikes this balance perfectly. Their purpose is to inspire and empower athletes, but they don’t force it into every ad. Sometimes, they focus on raw emotion. Other times, they lean into social issues or empowerment. The key? Every emotional angle they take aligns with their brand’s core insight.

Feel it, don’t fake it. If your brand is all about fun, lean into humor. But if you want to build a lasting emotional connection, don’t be afraid to explore the full spectrum of human emotion. The key is to ensure it feels real—not performative, not forced, but grounded in the emotions your audience actually experiences.

Because at the end of the day, the brands that win aren’t the ones that make us laugh the loudest. They’re the ones that make us feel the most.