It’s Super Bowl 2021, and Oatly’s ad Wow, No Cow has just hit the screen. Audacious, authentic, and downright intriguing, it has all the makings of either the greatest ad—or the worst—depending on who you ask. Oatly’s CEO, Toni Petersson, stands alone in an open field, armed with nothing but a piano, a glass of Oatly milk, and a voice that’s… uniquely his.
When the commercial aired for the Big Game, many of the greatest marketing minds scoffed at Petersson’s vocals. The ad was ranked dead last on USA Today’s Ad Meter. And internet trolls were quick to proclaim that he should probably stick to his day job. Words like “awkward,” “cringe-worthy,” and “confusing” echoed across social media and headlines.
But here’s the twist: despite the obvious backlash, Oatly’s brand searches spiked to record levels. Brand awareness doubled. And Oatly saw better-than-ever performance in the market. Interestingly, the ad wasn’t created specifically for the Super Bowl; it was actually a 2016 production that had been sitting in the archives. Oatly revived it only because they were offered a COVID-related discount to air it during the Big Game.
So, how did this afterthought of a creative, which was heavily criticized by both marketing professionals and viewers, manage to achieve positive results in-market? To answer that, we need to explore how and why we make decisions and how memory formation ultimately influences consumer behavior.
A Look into the Subconscious
At Neuro-Insight, we look to the subconscious to see how effectively brands communicate their messaging and demonstrate their creative prowess. Our patented technology, Steady State Topography (SST), allows us to measure second-by-second brain responses that breach consciousness and get to the root of human emotion and decision-making. This allows us to pinpoint exactly which moments in an ad are encoded into long-term memory.
Now that you’re up to speed, let’s take a closer look.
Oatly’s ad opens with a close-up of Toni Petersson singing an oddly captivating jingle, setting the stage for something strange and unfamiliar. But this oddity breeds intrigue; just watch as we see rhythmic peaks in memory encoding as viewers are actively engaged in the unfolding story:
Here’s where things get really interesting. By the end of the ad, as Oatly’s logo appears on screen, viewers aren’t just passively watching—they’re actively encoding the brand into their memory. In our analysis, this is a key indicator of a successful creative.
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.
