Beers, jousting, fire, and dragons—sounds like the perfect recipe for a Super Bowl ad, right? It’s 2019 and Bud Light has just launched their highly anticipated ad Joust, created in partnership with HBO and Game of Thrones. The 60-second spot unveils a brutal jousting match and features the Bud Knight and a fire-breathing dragon. All of this drama and spectacle is designed to sell more beers (of course) and promote the final season of Game of Thrones, set to air 2 months later.
The ad had everything viewers could want: a gripping new chapter from Bud Light’s most successful campaign Dilly Dilly and the Bud Knight, incredible visual effects, and an iconic crossover with one of the biggest TV shows of all time. In the days after, it amassed over 183 million social media impressions and ranked high on everyone’s list, including USA Today’s Ad Meter.
With an estimated cost of over $9.4 million, this ad had some serious expectations riding on it. But here’s where things take a turn. Over the following year, Bud Light—once America’s favorite beer—saw its market share slip. Business Insider is quick to point out that the sentiment is bleak in some measurement spheres: “The ad (and its dragons) may have set social media ablaze, but it didn’t do much for Bud Light as a brand.” Meanwhile, Game of Thrones‘ final season shattered records, drawing over 17 million viewers to the premiere, making it one of the most-watched television events of 2019.
Despite the immediate praise in the media, the high ratings, the grand scale, and the association with one of the greatest shows of all time, something about the creative didn’t hit the mark for Bud Light. So, what went wrong?
A Look into the Subconscious
Before we dig into the answers, here’s a quick explanation of how we approach anomalies like these.
At Neuro-Insight, we explore the subconscious to understand how effectively brands communicate their messages and demonstrate creative impact. Using our patented technology, Steady State Topography (SST), we measure second-by-second brain responses to uncover the emotions and decision-making processes that occur beneath the surface. This allows us to pinpoint exactly which moments in an ad are encoded into long-term memory… and which are not.
Now that you’re and expert, let’s dive into the data.
Over the course of the 60-second spot, there are many dramatic moments. The Bud Knight is brutally knocked off his horse by a masked opponent. There are screams from the crowd. A malicious dragon soars overhead and sets the full arena aflame. These intense, gripping story moments—which are synonymous to typical Game of Thrones promo material—are actively encoded into memory. But notice that there are no mentions of memorable Bud Light moments here.
What is more telling is that at the very end, as the eruption of action comes to a close, there is a strong peak in memory encoding. However, this moment doesn’t trigger any lasting associations with Bud Light. Instead, viewers are actively encoding Game of Thrones, the April 14th premiere date, and HBO into their long-term memory—leaving the beer brand out of the equation entirely.
So, What’s the Takeaway?
At its core, this ad is a masterclass in authenticity and audacity—two of its most powerful qualities. If you believe the key to winning over the Super Bowl audience lies in influencers, celebrities, flashy effects, and pricey soundtracks, Oatly is a testament that all it takes is the guts to be different.
Despite the outward negativity, Oatly’s ad stuck. So, as the Super Bowl approaches, ask yourself:
- Are you relying on historical advertising formulas, or do you really have a unique style and point of view for 2025?
- Are you defaulting to the lowest common denominator based on survey results, or are you tapping into the subconscious, which is always hungry for something new?
- Have you truly unlocked the full potential of your idea, or could a small tweak at just the right moment in your story make all the difference?
If these are the questions you need answered before the Super Bowl, it’s time to dig deeper—into the subconscious.
Contact us today to uncover the true power of your creative.
