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This post was created in partnership with Zappi
At ADWEEK’s most recent Group Chat, industry leaders from brands like Zappi, Spotify, Uber, MSC Cruises, and PepsiCo gathered to discuss the many creative and strategic elements that make Super Bowl commercials memorable and effective—in the moment and for the long haul.
Shaping the creative: Data, testing, and risks
Nataly Kelly, co-moderator and CMO at Zappi, started the group chat with strategic campaign planning in mind, focusing on how brands can assess ad effectiveness before launch.
“Instead of one concept test, brands need iterative development—testing early and often, isolating key elements, and optimizing before launch,” Kelly said. She emphasized that understanding consumer reactions in real time helps brands refine their approach long before game day.
Megan Ramm, head of Americas at Uber Advertising, added to this idea by highlighting the role of data in creative decision-making. “Data points fuel our advertising decisions. For example, you’ll see Martha Stewart in our spot because we know—based on data—what’s trending.”
But data shouldn’t always be the end-all-be-all driving creative decisions, according to Laura Petruccelli, co-founder and CCO of nice&frank. Petruccelli shared how testing can be both a safety net and a creative enabler. “Ad testing can be terrifying because creatives fear they’re just being told what to do. But if testing provides clear guidance, it actually allows us to take bolder risks.”
She expanded, “The best testing frameworks don’t dictate—they inform. The key is using data as a tool to validate innovative ideas rather than replace them with the safest option.”
Consumer expectations and the role of humor
