For example, DAIVID used its AI-powered platform to analyze 65 Super Bowl ads aired Sunday night, predicting their emotional impact and effectiveness.
Their AI models combine facial coding, eye tracking, survey data, computer vision, and even listening APIs.
“Somebody | It Takes All of Us SB LIX” was not only the most emotionally engaging ad of the 40+ spots released before the Big Game, but it also generated the most intense positive emotions of the 65 ads shown during Sunday’s Super Bowl broadcast.
The ad attracted the highest attention levels of any spot shown.
In second place was “Jeep | Big Game | Harrison Ford x Jeep | Owner’s Manual.”
As the video’s description acknowledges:
“Life doesn’t come with an owner’s manual – you have to write your own. And no one knows this better than Harrison Ford.”
The ad attracted an intense positive emotional response from 54.2% of viewers, according to DAIVID.
In third was “What is Greatness?” from He Get Us.
The video’s description asks:
“Is being great, as our society defines it, really that great? Or is greatness quite the opposite of what we think it is? In this video, we explore how Jesus redefined true greatness and what it might mean for us. All of us.”
And 53.3% of people had intense positive emotional responses.
“Own the Dream | Rocket” ranked fourth. The video’s description clearly states:
“Everyone deserves their shot at the American Dream.”
This generated intense positive emotional responses with 52.6% of people.
In fifth place was “Pfizer | Big Game Commercial 2025 | Knock Out.”
As the video’s description explains, “Pfizer is fighting for 8 cancer breakthroughs by 2030.” This triggered intense positive emotional responses from 52.3% of people.
It’s also worth noting that “LAY’S | The Little Farmer | :60” ranked no. 8 and “Budweiser | Super Bowl LIX ‘First Delivery’” ranked no. 10 in DAIVID’s list of Top 10 Most Emotionally Engaging Super Bowl 2025 ads.
Different methodologies can still yield similar results.
However, DAIVID’s post-game analysis yielded significantly different insights than USA Today’s.
Super Bowl 2025 ads were the least effective in five years, per DAIVID’s Creative Effectiveness Score.
The average ad scored 6.2 out of 10, the lowest since 2020, generating less attention and positive emotion than previous years.
While many advertisers aimed for humor, serious and purpose-driven ads dominated the top 10, with the NFL’s “Somebody” ad being the most emotionally engaging.
Ian Forrester, DAIVID’s CEO and founder, observed:
“With the vast majority of Super Bowl advertisers trying to make us laugh this year, it’s interesting that brands that stepped away from the usual Super Bowl celebrity/humor trope have attracted the most positivity. It shows just how hard it is to cut-through when so many are trying the same approach. With overall effectiveness also down, maybe it’s time brands tried something different to get people’s attention on game day.”
What’s next: Insights beyond the Big Game
In the coming days, digital marketers can expect more rankings from Kantar, System1, and other organizations analyzing the impact of Big Game ads on both performance and branding.
These insights matter because metrics like Brand Life and Engaged-View Key Events can serve as KPIs for “spike and sustain” campaigns beyond the Super Bowl – whether for back-to-school season, Thanksgiving, or a major product launch.
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