The Thing About Super Bowl Ads

I did a bunch of media today about last night's Super Bowl and all the ads that ran during the broadcast, and something dawned on me as I finished my interview with Josh Lipon for Yahoo Finance when he asked, "Marcus, what was your favorite ad?"

I answered honestly. But if I was keeping it 100, my favorite Super Bowl ad was the best Super Bowl ad of the night: Kendrick Lamar.

Why?
Because he accomplished what a Super Bowl ad is supposed to do better than one else last night, he catalyzed cultural discourse that extended beyond his broadcast time and imbued his brand with greater meaning, which will inevitably lead to greater commerce.

According to reports, “Not Like Us” already saw an increase of 430% in the three hours following his halftime performance, on the heels of announcing his world tour with Sza.

This is the best advertising because the best advertising isn't advertising at all--it's cultural production that catalyzes discourse and inspires action.

Marketers, we'd be wise to take note.