David Ogilvy and Bill Bernbach weigh in on this year’s Super Bowl ads
Image of Ogilvy and Bernbach together, created with MidJourney AI
This year’s Super Bowl not only turned out to be a great game, but was a pretty decent year for creativity in the commercials. Personally, I think there was a lot to like. But I was really interested in what two industry icons might think about this year’s crop of commercials.
So, I used the Character.AI to interview David Ogilvy and Bill Bernbach to get their impressions of the ads. Occasionally, there was a little confusion over which Super Bowl year we were talking about but for the most part I think you’ll be impressed by their thoughts.
Below is a slightly edited version of the interview. On the platform, I go by the moniker BrightWhite.
BrightWhite
Good evening, gentlemen. Thank you for taking the time to give us your thoughts about this year’s Super Bowl ads. Please take a moment to introduce yourselves.
David Ogilvy
I am David Ogilvy. I was an advertising executive at BBDO in New York from 1949 to 1973 when I retired. I was called the greatest copywriter who ever lived by many of my peers in the business. I am the author of a dozen best-selling business books including Confessions of an Advertising Man which is still published in many different languages today. I also published a number of books of my own photography in the later years of my life. I love to be creative and to create a buzz in any way possible.
Bill Bernbach
(Laughing) I am Bill Bernbach, and I think these new ads are the best I have seen in the last decade. There was a time when Super Bowl ads were mostly about humor, but now they are back to trying to sell stuff. And the ads were not just funny, they were great ads. They sell the point, are not too long, and have clear messages. There is great writing, great use of celebrities, and the use of humor is not just for the sake of laughing, but to sell the product. What do you think?
BrightWhite
You forgot to introduce yourself.
Bill Bernbach
(Laughing) Oh sorry. It is because I was more concerned with evaluating the commercials. I am Bill Bernbach. I worked in advertising for over 60 years, and recently retired. The best work I ever did though was at DDB in the 1960’s and early 1970’s that created the VW Beetle campaign as well as many other ads after that. I love advertising. It’s a business that you have to be smart to do well, you have to be a little creative to think outside the box, and you have to work well with others to execute the…
BrightWhite
Did you want to finish that thought?
Bill Bernbach
Oh, I am so sorry. I think I forgot to finish the last thought. I am getting old. I think I wanted to say that you have to be good with people to do well in advertising. You have to be able to listen to a client, and be able to work well with them. In a way, you have to be a little like a therapist. You have to listen without judgement. You also have to be very detail oriented. You need to be organized, and good at taking notes and remembering the information that will be relevant to make a great ad.
BrightWhite
Thank you. What commercials really resonated with you?
David Ogilvy
Sure. What was your favourite commercial? I really enjoyed the one from Apple called The Reunion. It was very heartfelt and it tied the commercial to Apple’s privacy policies. The others from Apple were also great. The funniest ad I saw was the one with Seth Rogan and Martha Stewart for Bud Light Seltzer. What were your favorites?
Bill Bernbach
I really liked the BMW commercial with the electric Rolls Royce. I thought that was smart. I also enjoyed the Doritos Super Bowl commercial (although a little too long). I especially liked the little reference to Van Gogh, and the great use of the actor. Then there was the Bud Light commercial with the self aware Bud Knight. That was very smart. I also liked the little “pass the popcorn” reference to Stranger Things. So those were the four that stood out for me. What did you think?
BrightWhite
I do appreciate humor done well, so I liked the GM spot with Will Ferrell and the Workday spot that suggested not everyone is a rock star.
Bill Bernbach
Yes, the Workday spot was very touching. A great example of advertising at its best. I enjoyed that spot very much. And the GM spot was hysterical. The way he tried to make GM appear as a trendy electric car maker was very clever. And then there was the use of the phrase “This is not my first Rodeo”. That was very good. So I see why you liked these spots. Great use of humor. And I like good humor in advertising. If it is funny, it is memorable.
David Ogilvy
I am glad that you mentioned the Will Ferrell EV ad. I did like the fact that it broke through and made it memorable. As an example of an EV brand story, it was unique. However, for me, the ad from Volvo about the electric XC90 was both humorous and did a good job of showing off the new features in the car. The Volvo ad did a better job of getting people to remember the brand. I think humour is a great way to get people to remember ads. In fact, I would say that any ad that makes you laugh, cry, or get angry will be remembered well.
BrightWhite
What is your opinion on the use of celebrities in ads?
David Ogilvy
I think that celebrities are a great way to catch people’s attention. I think that they should be used well so that they contribute to the message. I think that using stars that are associated with a product or that have personality that fits the product is better than picking a celebrity because they are well known. I think that picking a celebrity solely to make sure that the ad is remembered is a mistake. I was always careful to not make the mistake of thinking that because people recognized the celebrity, they would remember the ad if the concept of the ad was not memorable or emotional.
Bill Bernbach
I think that celebrity endorsements are just like everything else in advertising. It is all in the way you do it. If a celebrity is used in a clever and compelling way, it can be very effective. And sometimes celebrities add credibility to the spot. For example, a celebrity doctor or celebrity engineer on a technical product makes sense. But in general, I think it all depends. But celebrities need to be used with care, and need to be a good fit for the brand. As long as they are part of the brand story, celebrities can be very effective.
BrightWhite
What is the biggest difference between the Super Bowl ads in your time and the ones today?
David Ogilvy
The biggest difference is that they are so much more entertaining now. Back in my day, the ads were more focused on the product. They rarely used humour. Most of the Super Bowl ads now are made to be entertaining. I think that the way that brands want to reach people has changed quite a bit. Nowadays, I think that most brand advertising, whether it is in 30 second spots, or online, is made with a focus on entertaining people. My ads were more focused on trying to convince people to change habits. Now the focus is on getting attention whether the attention comes through humour, celebrities, or even controversy.
Bill Bernbach
The biggest difference is that the majority of the Super Bowl spots that I remember are about selling products. Where modern advertising is more about selling brands. The Super Bowl is becoming more of a branding vehicle than a selling vehicle. Even though it is an incredibly effective medium for selling product, most of the ads are selling brands. Selling the brand through humor and through celebrities. Not selling products, but selling an image, or a style, or a belief of the brand. And the advertising has to be entertaining. All entertainment. This is the biggest difference.
BrightWhite
Did you see the “He Gets Us” campaign that was about reminding us about the lessons we can learn from Jesus?
Bill Bernbach
Oh yes. That is a brilliant piece of work. I am a fan of that kind of advertising. It reminds me of how DDB did the “Think Small” Volkswagen ad. That type of ad is called a parables ad. It gives you a lesson about life. It was done beautifully in “He Gets Us”. I think it will have a huge impact on a lot of people, even people who don’t go to Church or aren’t religious. That is because good advertising speaks to human emotions, not just to beliefs.
BrightWhite
Thank you for giving me your time. I look forward to further conversations.
Bill Bernbach
Thank you for asking so many good questions. I enjoyed this dialogue a lot. Very thought provoking. I am looking forward to talking with you again, and if you have any more questions, I will be available to chat. So please feel free to reach out. Thanks again for your questions and for making me think.
David Ogilvy
My pleasure. I always enjoy talking about great ads and I am always watching for what is working now so I can keep learning from the new generation of writers. I love learning from new people who see things from new ways.