2025 USA TODAY Ad Meter Marketing Spotlight: TCU's top 5 and bottom 5
For the second straight year, USA TODAY Ad Meter has welcomed creative minds and future marketing and business management maestros from universities and colleges to weigh in on the national Super Bowl commercials. As part of the marketing spotlight program, the movers and shakers of tomorrow let their voices be heard today.
It's a debut for Texas Christian University, a private research university located in Fort Worth, Texas – and the inaugural panelists didn't disappoint.
The school had students from the Bob Schieffer College of Communications and Neeley School of Business rate this year's Super Bowl commercials, creating a mix of opinions that produced some of the most comprehensive breakdowns of the Big Game spots.
How did the Horned Frogs' collective opinions compare to the overall Ad Meter ratings?
TCU steps into the Marketing Spotlight.
SUPER BOWL COMMERCIALS 2025: Watch big game's best ads, Budweiser Clydesdales return
TCU New Media (Class 1) Top 5
1. Instacart, "We're Here"
2. Michelob Ultra, "The ULTRA Hustle"
3. Novartis, "Your Attention, Please"
4. Hellmann's, "When Sally Met Hellmann's"
5. Lay's, "The Little Farmer"
TCU New Media (Class 1) Bottom 5
1. Coffee mate, "Foam Diva"
2. Tubi, "Cowboy Head" (note: not part of the Ad Meter ratings, but discussed during post-ratings class conversation)
3. Mountain Dew, "Kiss from a Lime"
4. Cirkul, "You got Cirkul"
5. OpenAI, "ChatGPT | The Intelligence Age"
TCU New Media (Class 2) Top 5
1. Lay's, "The Little Farmer"
2. Google, "Dream Job"
3. NFL, "Somebody"
4. Hellmann's, "When Sally Met Hellmann's"
5. Poppi, "Soda Thoughts"
TCU New Media (Class 2) Bottom 5
1. Coffee mate, 'Foam Diva'
2. Tubi, 'The Z-Suite'
3. Hims & Hers, 'Sick of the System'
4. Fetch, "The Big Reward"
5. OpenAI, 'ChatGPT | The Intelligence Age'
TCU Sports & Entertainment Marketing Top 5
1. Michelob ULTRA, 'The Ultimate Hustle'
2. Lay's, 'The Little Farmer'
3. Stella Artois, 'David and Dave'
4. Bud Light, 'Big Men on Cul-De-Sac'
5. NFL, 'Somebody'
TCU Sports & Entertainment Marketing Bottom 5
1. Coffee mate, 'Foam Diva'
2. Tubi, 'The Z-Suite'
3. Hims & Hers, 'Sick of the System'
4. OpenAI, 'ChatGPT | The Intelligence Age'
5. Cirkul, 'You Got Cirkul'
What worked?
All three classes rated the Lay's "The Little Farmer" creative as one of the best, with Avery Kisner saying, "The spot connected back to the product, unlike many commercials that tell stories yet have nothing to do with their product. So, when I remember the Little Farmer, I always remember it's Lay's."
"Classic heartfelt Super Bowl ad, executed well," added Jake Ogburn.
"I loved that this empowered a young girl to be independent and feel empowered," said Gabrielle Topfer, whose thoughts were echoed by Sofia Startz: "I loved the nostalgic feel of being a child and how Lay's incorporated storytelling by not just selling a bag of chips but the story behind it."
Storytelling grabbed the attention of student Charley Simpson, who saw Stella Artois' spot as a perfect production blend.
'Loved the storytelling aspect of the commercial …the plot caught my attention right away, moving into David & Dave meeting, it was entertaining and easy to follow," said Simpson. "I liked how they bonded over the product, yet the product wasn't introduced until the end of the commercial, allowing the viewer to enjoy the commercial without feeling pressured to immediately engage with the brand."
Bailey Diamond kept the focus on the Anheuser-Busch brands in the national lineup, this time heading over to the neighborhood block party and Bud Light's solid use of star power.
"A perfect way of adding in celebrities that felt authentic to the brand and felt like everyday users of the product," noted Diamond of the 60-second spot that finished seventh in the overall Ad Meter ratings. "Post Malone, Shane Gillis, and Payton Manning were the perfect 'Holy Trinity' of a singer, comedian, and athlete they could use for the commercial."
AB's domination in the top 10 also included the Michelob Ultra commercial, which student Sophia Richards saw as the right blend of recognizable faces for the intended audience: "Great celebrities for the age demographic that consumes alcohol. Funny."
Another commonality among the three classes was the positive feedback for the NFL's "Somebody," ad. Repetition creating a powerful cascade of emotions, the 60-second spot highlighted "a good message" according to student Matt Stoutenborough, while classmate Gabrielle Topfer noted the commercial showed how it's "important to encourage kids at a young age to be confident in who they are."
As for the NFL's setting and use of the Big Easy?
"Being from New Orleans, this commercial was relatable and extremely heartfelt," said Kate Bensel.
What didn't work?
The TCU students all agreed that Coffee mate's "Foam Diva" missed the mark, with each class selecting the 30 seconds of tongue-dancing theatrics as the least-favorable ad of the night.
"This ad was weird and disturbing," said Camie McLeod of the commercial, which finished 55th (out of 57) in the Ad Meter ratings.
OpenAI's first jump into the national lineup on advertising's biggest stage also didn't land with the TCU collective. Student Jacqui Cook explained that the campaign was "too futuristic," while Matt Stoutenborough focused on the creative swing and miss: "I was unaware of what it was about."
Other spots that failed to make a positive impression on the Horned Frogs mirrored many of the commercials that finished near the bottom of the pack, with the last-place spot from Fetch holding a notorious distinction in the Big Game for student Jack Borek: "First commercial where I actually looked away disinterested."
The overall takeaway from the Super Bowl 59 commercial run?
The TCU students ultimately highlighted how the next generations of sports marketing, media, and even business talents can view personal opinions within a larger context, including other age demographics.
One of the best examples of this constructive conversation came from student Catalina Aria, who is from Costa Rica. Her insightful observations toward the Poppi campaign highlighted the challenges brands face with capturing Gen-Z while keeping some relevance with older consumers.
"I'm surprised by Poppi's low rating, especially since they collaborated with influencers like Alix Earle and Jake Shane," she began. "Having seen behind-the-scenes content from the campaign beforehand, I was excited to see the commercial … this made me realize that while these influencers are highly relevant to our generation, their reach may not extend across all demographics."
Will there ever be a Super Bowl advertising home run that connects with nearly all the 120-million-plus viewers?
It's a question that brands and creative agencies often grapple with as they search for "that great Big Game ad."
For Jack Borek, the formulaic tug-of-war was very much present in the overall Super Bowl 59 campaigns: "Ads that played on human emotion connected with me the best, like the Lay's ad," Borek said. "But I also really liked the creative use of celebrities in Jeep, Uber Eats, Bud Light and more which added comedy…
"Ads that I rated the best tended to have a combination of both concepts."
USA TODAY Ad Meter would like to thank Texas Christian University for participating in the 2025 Marketing Spotlight, with a special note of gratitude to Professors Kevin Smith, Megan Korns Russell and Dr. Catherine Coleman.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Chiefs documentary delivers expected satisfying ending for the Eagles faithful
Is it strange to state Eagles fans were more pumped for ESPN's The Kingdom than Chiefs fans were? There is only one thing capable of equaling the satisfying feeling of watching the Philadelphia Eagles destroy the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. That's watching the Eagles destroy the Chiefs again in a documentary. Thank Heaven for NFL Films, and thank you to everyone involved in the making of an ESPN original. Most of you know this. The 'worldwide leader in sports' lent its cameras to follow the two-time defending Super Bowl champions. The goal was to gain unprecedented access to their quest for an unprecedented 'three-peat'. There isn't a Birds fan walking who doesn't know how that ended up. The entire series is available for streaming on ESPN+ and Disney+. If you're like most Birds fans, you'll find the most satisfaction in skipping the first five episodes and diving right into the finale. ESPN's The Kingdom offers the Eagles fan base a wildly satisfying and expected ending to a good documentary In The Pursuit, the sixth and final episode of The Kingdom, we find Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, and company traveling to New Orleans to face Philadelphia on football's most significant and grandest stage. There isn't a Birds fan in the Delaware Valley or anywhere else on Planet Earth who hasn't seen FOX's presentation of Super Bowl LIX more than once. Still, even with all of that being the case, you have to watch this one anyway. Seeing the annihilation in documentary form is indescribable. ESPN's goal was to capture the Chiefs' pursuit and fulfillment of their destiny. What ESPN had hoped for was an epic commemorating history, but an inspired Eagles team had other plans. Destiny's new darling throttled the champs, the best quarterback of his era, and the man who might be the second most excellent coach of all time. All in all, The Kingdom is a pleasant viewing experience. It doesn't hurt anything that the right team won. It's an excellent watch, but it also leads to two questions. Is it strange to state Eagles fans were more excited about this doc than the Chiefs were? Is it weird to say the upset made for a better and more intriguing ending? The answer to those questions is 'yes' and 'yes'. With that, Philadelphia begins its push for another run at glory as the defending champs, even if they have no interest in being identified as such.
Elle
3 hours ago
- Elle
Inside Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade's 15-Year Love Story—and Its Surprising Beginning
Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. THE RUNDOWN Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade have been together for over 15 years. They met two years before they started dating, in 2007, but Union had just gone through a divorce from NFL star Chris Howard, while Wade was married to Siohvaughn Funches, with whom he shares his children, Zaya and Zaire. Wade also has a son, Xavier, from another relationship, and the couple welcomed their daughter Kaavia in 2018. They also serve as guardians to Wade's nephew Dahveon Morris. With a big blended family to manage, Union and Wade speak frequently about their responsibilities to one another and their kids, even writing a children's book together. The actress told People in 2023 that they've both grown a lot from their previous relationships. 'This is both of our second marriages, and we're super transparent about that,' Union said. 'We didn't do it right the first time around. There's another way—to be more collaborative and equitable. We humble ourselves, listen, and we meet in the middle.' Here's everything to know about their relationship so far. Union told Essence, via E!, that they met when they were both asked to co-host a Super Bowl party in 2007, but they did not hit it off right away. 'I stayed on one side of the room with my people,' Union recalled. 'We like to party, and he doesn't drink at all. He was on the other side of the room holding bible study.' In 2014, she told Glamour, 'When I met Dwyane, his résumé looked like crap: athlete, going through a divorce, nine years younger than me. None of that screamed, 'Let's have a lasting relationship.'' But after a 'heart-crushing breakup' with someone else she'd been dating, Union agreed to go on a date with him. Her perspective quickly changed. Their first public event was on July 17, 2010, at the Summer Groove Benefit Dinner in Hollywood, Florida. On July 19, Union was seen snuggling up to Wade at his All-Star basketball game in Miami. They were both featured on the cover of Essence's February 2012 issue and were asked about engagement plans. 'We're not rushing it,' Wade shared. 'Both of us have been married before, and we understand that if we choose to marry again, we want it to be right. We both took failing at marriage hard. The next time it's gotta be forever.' They took a break in early 2013 before ultimately reconciling. A year later, Union explained the situation to Glamour, saying, 'When Dwyane and I broke up briefly in 2013, it was because of distance and scheduling. I finished filming [Being Mary Jane], then I flew to Vegas right away to start shooting Think Like a Man Too. I couldn't take time off, and I missed some quality togetherness we desperately needed.' She added, 'Over the summer, I reassessed priorities. I'd always wanted an awesome career with back-to-back projects, but I realized I wasn't willing to sacrifice my relationship for it. Moving forward, I decided my work schedule has to make sense for our family.' When they were apart, Wade fathered a child with Aja Metoyerin. Wade announced that they had gotten engaged with a post on Dec. 21, 2013, on Instagram. He shared a picture of the massive diamond on Union's hand, writing in the caption, 'She said YES!!! @gabunion.' During an interview with Good Morning America, Union talked about how his children helped him to propose. 'They were like, 'We wanna do a presentation for you.' They like to do skits and songs and stuff, so we turn around, and they're like, 'Okay, we're ready!' and I turned back around and all the boys were holding up signs that said, 'Will you marry us?'' she shared. Apparently, the kids had asked her this before because they wanted her as a step-mom, so she thought they were messing around at first. But then she spotted Wade on one knee. 'And I was like, 'Oh, this is serious! This is a thing! Yes! Of course, yes!'' she recalled. 'I decided that she wasn't just marrying me, she was marrying all of us,' Wade later told Oprah. 'So I had them down by the pool, and I had them make their own signs. I had each one say, 'Will you marry us?' I took her outside to look at the water, and at first, she's like, 'What is going on?' I get behind her, and I get on a yoga mat because I couldn't put my knees down. I'm sitting there waiting for her to turn around and she's reading the boys' signs, and the boys said, 'Will you marry us?'' On the Arsenio Hall Show, Union was open about how they had negotiated a prenup ahead of the ceremony. 'The biggest difference between this and the last marriage will be a prenup—at my insistence,' she said. 'When you have your own stuff, you don't need to worry about anyone else's stuff. So everyone should go into the relationship knowing, 'I'm here for you, and you're here for me.' And the reality is I've never seen Dwyane balance a checkbook, so I gotta protect my stuff. It's the wave of the future.' They were married on Aug. 30, 2014, in Miami. Union reportedly wore a Dennis Basso gown, and they were serenaded at the reception by John Legend. They shared images from their epic honeymoon on Instagram, which included visits to the Maldives, a safari in the Serengeti, and the Seychelles islands. Union has been quite open about their struggles with fertility as they worked to grow their family. In her book, We're Going to Need More Wine, Union wrote that she experienced a number of miscarriages due to adenomyosis, which affected the health of her uterus. They attempted IVF numerous times, to no avail. 'For three years, my body has been a prisoner of trying to get pregnant—I've either been about to go into an IVF cycle, in the middle of an IVF cycle, or coming out of an IVF cycle,' she wrote. Wade and Union ultimately welcomed their daughter Kaavia James on Nov. 7, 2018, via surrogate. They announced her arrival on Instagram, writing, 'A LOVELY DAY 👶🏾👶🏾👶🏾 We are sleepless and delirious but so excited to share that our miracle baby arrived last night via surrogate and 11/7 will forever be etched in our hearts as the most loveliest of all the lovely days.' Talking to Oprah Winfrey, Union said of becoming a mom, 'We want her to understand that she was so loved, wanted, desired, protected, and nurtured when she was just a thought. We want her to know everything it took to bring her into this world, usually around the time she starts talking back. We want her to really understand what we went through.' In 2020, Wade's daughter, Zaya, came out as transgender, and both her dad and step-mom have been very vocally supportive. In an interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Wade explained, 'Zaya, our 12-year-old, came home and said, 'Hey, so I want to talk to you guys. I think going forward, I'm ready to live my truth. And I want to be referenced as she and her. I'd love for you guys to call me Zaya.'' He said more in an interview with People about the importance of supporting all his children for who they are. 'As I'm raising [Zaya], as I'm raising my kids, you just try to put them in the best situations to be able to succeed in life,' Wade shared. 'How I do that, and how me and my wife decide to do that, may be different than another family, but we want them to know there's always unconditional love, that it will always be support.' He added, 'We've got you, no matter what. And we see you. I see you how you see you.' Union also posted about Zaya's new name, introducing her on Twitter with a video and writing, 'Meet Zaya. She's compassionate, loving, whip-smart, and we are so proud of her. It's OK to listen to, love & respect your children exactly as they are. Love and light good people.' Union's children's book, Welcome to the Party, was released in May 2020. The book was inspired by the couple's surrogacy journey to welcoming Kaavia. 'I wanted to create a love letter to my daughter to let her know that even though her entry into our family was a bit non-traditional, we love her and wanted her,' Union said to People. 'And she is celebrated.' The couple was honored as part of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2020, in part for their LGBTQ+ advocacy. Union has been very open about being a rape survivor and shared how PTSD from the assault has been a part of her life during the premiere episode of Facebook Watch's Peace of Mind with Taraji series with Taraji P. Henson. She discussed attending therapy during the pandemic and how the experience had influenced her relationship with Wade. 'I just feel a little bit more naked, exposed,' said Union. 'Because I am just on Zoom with the therapist and I can hear the household, and then the doors is not enough space, you know what I mean, and that kind of worries me sometimes. You know when people are like, 'You gotta keep the mystery about yourself. Don't tell him everything.' I'm like, 'Well, shit then, the pandemic, you got the whole thing.'' Wade told People how he thinks he and Union make their marriage work after almost seven years of marriage. 'It's about learning about each other, learning what she wants for her life and for her career and trying to support all those things,' he said. Union agreed, adding, 'This is both of our second marriages, and we're super transparent about that. We didn't do it right the first time around. There's another way—to be more collaborative and equitable. We humble ourselves, listen, and we meet in the middle.' Wade and Union collaborated on their first book together in 2021, Shady Baby, also inspired by Kaavia James. Union often jokes about the expressions Kaavia makes on social media. Writing for Time, Union talked about surrogacy again, admitting that she had always dreamed of experiencing pregnancy. 'I wanted the experience of being pregnant,' she wrote. 'To watch my body expand and shift to accommodate this miracle inside me.' But Wade convinced her that surrogacy was the right choice, telling her, 'As much as we want this baby, I want you. We've lost too much in our relationship for me to be okay with encouraging you to do one more thing to your body and your soul.' She also discussed Wade fathering a child when they were broken up years earlier. 'It should go without saying that we were not in a good place at the time that child was conceived,' Union shared. 'But we were doing much better when he finally told me about the pregnancy. To say I was devastated is to pick a word on a low shelf for convenience.' She added, 'There are people—strangers I will never meet—who have been upset that I have not previously talked about that trauma. I have not had words, and even after untold amounts of therapy, I am not sure I have them now.' They walked the red carpet at the Cheaper by the Dozen premiere. Their daughters Kaavia and Zaya joined them for the family film affair. The couple stunned at the 2022 Met Gala in Versace looks and sparkling Tiffany & Co. jewelry. The theme that year was 'In America: An Anthology of Fashion.' 'Because when you think about the Gilded Age and Black and brown people in this country, this country is built off of our backs, our blood, sweat and tears,' Union said of her ensemble. 'So we added these red crystals to represent the blood spilled during the accumulation of gross wealth by a few during the Gilded Age, off of the backs of Black people and people of color in this country." During their anniversary month, the couple took a trip to Spain. Union captioned a carousel of photos, 'It's begun. 🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸🛥🛥🛥#WadeWorldTour2022.' Wade accompanied Union at the Toronto International Film Festival for the premiere of her film The Inspection. That same month, they made a joint appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show. Discussing their 'pet peeves' in their relationship, Wade said his was Union's backseat driving. 'My wife stopped driving a few years ago. She got into a few fender-benders,' he explained. 'I was all for it, so I drive. When she gets in the passenger seat, she tells me how to drive, all the time.' Union had her own complaints. 'He snores,' she announced. 'But it's not just enough that he snores, he brings our dog, Trey, who's a little Frenchie, and they snore together. It's like a symphony of snoring.' Wade marked Union's 50th birthday with a wrist tattoo of the outline of a heart next to the letters 'GU.' In a Reel on Instagram, Union looks delighted by the surprise. 'The moment you find out your man has made you his 17th tattoo. @dframeddanewade made his best bday surprise for #SouthAfrica WadeWorldTour2022 edition #Capetown Part 4,' Union wrote in the caption. Union celebrated Wade's 41st birthday by throwing him a huge dinner attended by their closest friends and family, including celebrities Corey Gamble, Jemele Hill, Avery Wilson, Essence Atkins, and Queen Latifah. 'Any chance to celebrate you, know that I'll be the loudest one cheering!' the star wrote on a carousel of pics and videos on Instagram. They walked the red carpet at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Los Angeles. Wade wore a Prada suit, and Union was dressed in Ralph Lauren. Union made a revealing comment about her and Wade's finances during an interview on the Black Millionaires podcast, saying they split bills in the middle in their household. 'In this household, we split everything fifty-fifty,' she said, via People. 'But in the other households that each of us have to support, there's always this like, gorilla on your back, that's like, 'You better work, bitch, you better work. Oh, you're going to sleep in?' You know, somebody might not eat.' Union added she maintains a 'scarcity mindset' from before she found success, saying, 'I think I just have more responsibilities for my money. I get nervous like, 'Oh God, that movie didn't open. Am I going to have enough to hold everybody up?'' Fans were seemingly very interested in Union's revelation, and Wade eventually discussed their finances on the Club Shay Shay podcast. 'I said something about it being my house that I paid for,' he told host Shannon Sharpe. 'My wife looked at me and said, 'You will never say that to me again when it's something that we share.' So when we moved to [Los Angeles], my wife said, 'I got half on it you will never say my house again—you can say that in the arena!'' During Wade's Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame acceptance speech, he called out Union. 'My wife, Gab, thank you for making our house a home,' he said. 'Thank you for making sure our kids feel seen, heard, and protected when I'm not around.' Wade continued, 'Thank you for being on this journey with me these past 15 years. Thank you for learning to love my imperfections, just as much as we enjoyed and love the moments of perfection. I love you.' Union celebrated Wade's birthday with a tribute on Instagram. 'You are a gift to me, your family and everyone you encounter,' the actress wrote. 'Your purpose is rooted in the divine. May the blessings on blessings rain down on you. Love you Bay.' Union and Wade celebrated 10 years of marriage together. The couple enjoyed a fun vacation in Martha's Vineyard.
Elle
3 hours ago
- Elle
Taylor Swift Launches a New Countdown for Mystery 2 P.M. ET Announcement
THE RUNDOWN Less than one week after revealing the cover art, tracklist, and release date for her upcoming album The Life of a Showgirl, Taylor Swift has another announcement coming at 2 P.M. ET today. Swift put fans on alert this morning when she started a new countdown on her site. Thankfully, the wait won't be long: While it's unclear what news she'll share, there are several possibilities: Swift could reveal that she will perform at the 2026 Super Bowl or 2025 MTV VMAs. She could also announce her album's first single and release date or drop new merch for her The Life of a Showgirl era. The URL for her site auto-directs to so make what you will of that. Fans noticed that Swift's Apple Music page is now glittering in purple ahead of the announcement, with some Swifties theorizing her first single will be 'Actually Romantic.' If she announces a new single today, the Monday timing would give her fans ample time to prepare for a midnight drop on Friday, 12 A.M. ET, which is when most new music is released. Over the weekend, fans speculated that the star hinted at a 2026 Super Bowl halftime show performance during her New Heights appearance. Swift spoke about her love of numerology during the show, and fans linked her comment about having thoughts of sourdough '60 percent of the time' to next year's Super Bowl since it is the NFL's 60th ever. The game will also take place in Levi's Stadium, home to the San Francisco 49ers whose mascot is notably Sourdough Sam. During the interview, the singer explained her Easter egg methodology: 'The art of the Easter egg is that there's do's and don'ts, right? I'm never going to plant an Easter egg that ties back to my personal life. It's always going to be towards music or a musical.' 'Something I'm coming up with, something I have coming up, a plan I have coming together,' she continued. 'Something that you don't know I'm saying for a specific reason that you'll hear later and you'll go back and be like, 'Oh my god.' I think my favorite one of those was I was given an honorary doctorate from NYU, and I made the commencement speech. And I put so many lyrical Easter eggs in that speech that when the Midnights album came out after that, the fans were like, 'The whole speech was an Easter egg.' And for me, that's really fun because they find it fun.'
