Technological advances typically leave viewers in awe; however, during Super Bowl LX, the latest tech strides left mixed reactions among viewers, prompting questions about whether the biggest stage in marketing is the right place for it.
When Innovation Steals the Spotlight
Beyond watching the action on the field and dancing to the halftime entertainment, the commercials tend to have a lasting impact. For years, they’ve been deemed the cultural centerpiece of storytelling, originality, and emotional resonance. This year, the formula was disrupted. Early into the program, viewers quickly caught onto a trend within the first quarter. The innovation began to feel repetitive. “It felt as if every commercial break featured some kind of advertisement for AI,” Karl Rasmussen of Sports Illustrated writes.
According to iSpot data, 15 out of 66 commercials, approximately 23%, were AI-related. It soon became no secret that the big corporations turned to using generative AI this year since it provides a cheaper and quicker production timeline. With 30-second Super Bowl ad placements ranging from $8 to $10 million, the pressure to streamline creative development is understandable.
From Behind the Scenes to Center Stage
What was once used for improving efficiency and optimization behind the scenes has now broken the fourth wall by coming to the center of the largest advertising stage. With mixed responses from viewers, it suggests that AI does have a powerful role in modern marketing, but its placement and execution matter and need to be considered by the marketer. Ironing out those finer details showcases AI’s positive impact.
So, is there a time and a place for AI in advertising?
Time and Place: Where AI Makes the Most Impact
Just like any new tool and resource, it appears that AI-generated content may not inherently be the problem. Instead, it’s about time and place. While the Super Bowl remains a stage that is still undergoing as an AI testing ground, social media and interactive media channels are built for this type of iteration.
In the different social environments, we’ve seen speed, testing, and optimization being rewarded. As of late, AI content has become a strategic advantage because it has the ability to generate creative variations at large. In social media, this type of efficiency is valuable in a performance-driven channel, where experimentation fuels results.
Perception Matters: Big Brands vs. Small Businesses
Placement and perspective both play an important role in how AI-generated content is perceived. While it can be difficult to sympathize with large corporations using AI primarily as a cost-cutting measure, the conversation often feels different when it comes from small and mid-sized businesses.
For many smaller brands, AI is not about replacing creativity. It is about maximizing limited resources. These business owners typically operate with tighter budgets, leaner teams, and less bandwidth. They are looking for ways to work smarter, move faster, and compete in increasingly crowded digital spaces.
When viewed through that lens, AI feels less like a shortcut and more like a strategic advantage. For smaller businesses trying to break through the noise and reach new audiences, using AI as a resourceful tool can be practical, necessary, and even empowering.
The Creative Bottleneck in Social Advertising
We see firsthand that one of the biggest challenges clients face is consistently producing high-quality creative for social advertising. Whether it is static imagery or platform-optimized video assets, developing strong creative requires time, strategy, and the right talent. Many brands simply do not have the internal bandwidth to produce the volume of assets needed to test, iterate, and scale effectively. Creative is not just a deliverable. It is a core driver of performance and a major factor in justifying ad spend. Without a steady pipeline of thoughtful, well-developed assets, even the most strategic media plan can struggle to perform.
A Human-First, AI-Supported Approach
That is why our approach is human-first, supported by machine learning and AI.
When we talk with clients about what will most directly impact their growth trajectory, creative is always at the top of the list. In a recent blog outlining the five areas that deserve the most budget attention this year, creative is ranked number one. Strong creative fuels testing. Testing drives performance. And performance drives sustainable growth.
For example, one of our e-commerce clients enrolled in our Creative Package, where we develop paid social assets using AI platforms like Veo and Nano Banana alongside design tools such as Canva and other creative software. This combination allows us to produce platform-specific content efficiently while maintaining brand integrity. The goal was to create a performance-driven creative built for testing and iteration. The assets increased engagement and contributed to revenue growth, and the client’s organic social team even requested to repurpose them for their own channels.
The Takeaway: Strategy Over Tools
The takeaway is simple. When creative is strategic and data-informed, the tools used to create it matter less than the results it delivers.
When you consider the team behind the AI-generated content, it becomes clear that the technology does not remove the soul of advertising. Instead, it expands what is possible. AI helps open doors by making the creative process more efficient and more informed by data, while allowing teams to focus on the high-impact human elements that technology cannot replicate, such as strategy, storytelling, and emotional connection.
