In the Super Bowl, often referred to as the "American Spring Festival Gala," the charm of artificial intelligence (AI) seems to have failed to impress the audience. OpenAI, as an advertiser for this grand event, showcased its brand advertisement for the first time, but received a lukewarm response from viewers. The cost of this advertisement exceeded ten million dollars, but the outcome was disappointing.
The Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL) and is often seen as the "Spring Festival Gala" for Americans due to its proximity to the Chinese Lunar New Year. This event is not only a major sporting occasion but also the best opportunity for various brands to launch their advertisements. During this year's Super Bowl, OpenAI aired its first advertisement since its establishment in 2015, hoping to showcase its leading position in the AI field.
Image Source Note: Image generated by AI, image authorized by service provider Midjourney
However, according to ad evaluations by USA Today, OpenAI's advertisement ranked only 53rd out of 57 competing ads. Notably, as many as 32% of viewers gave it the lowest score of 1 out of 5. In contrast, a heartwarming story about the Clydesdale foal from Budweiser topped the ad rankings, showcasing the powerful appeal of emotional marketing.
The theme of OpenAI's advertisement revolved around the progress of human history, showcasing significant moments such as the discovery of fire, the invention of the wheel and the light bulb, and DNA sequencing, ultimately culminating in the application of modern artificial intelligence. Although the creative part was conceived using the video generation tool Sora, the overall production failed to meet the audience's expectations.
The failure of this advertisement also reflects a trend: on platforms like the Super Bowl, viewers tend to prefer emotional and warm stories over cold technological innovations. In stark contrast, the top-ranked ads largely focused on emotional themes, effectively resonating with the audience. Advertising experts point out that emotional connections and the influence of celebrities far outweigh mere technical promotion, and brands should pay more attention to emotional ties.
Although OpenAI's ambitious advertising efforts did not yield the desired results, this incident provides valuable insights for future advertising strategies. Finding a balance between technology and emotion will be a critical consideration for brands in their communications.
