The Sandwich Anthem

Happy Friday,

How was your week?

This week, Peter Hand is taking over, fresh off a week of analyzing the ads that actually captured fans attention during Super Bowl LX. As the Head of Video Strategy at YouTube Canada, Peter has a unique perspective on what made this year's ads stand out. Go for it, Peter!

—-

Happy Friday,

While Seahawks fans spent last week celebrating their first Super Bowl win in over a decade, I was most excited for the halftime show—shoutout to Duolingo for the 'Bad Bunny 101' refresher—and the ads! This year’s breakout ads offered fascinating insights into what it takes to cut through the noise during the most competitive marketing event of the year.

Here is everything that Super Bowl LX has me reflecting on:

The Cinematic Universe Shift

We’re officially moving past the rigidity of the 30s. This year, advertisers treated the game like a series premiere. e.l.f. Cosmetics didn’t just give us a snippet; they gave us a full-blown, two-minute Melissa McCarthy telenovela. Meanwhile, Expedia turned their "Ken Math" spot into a cross-platform conversation, with Ken actually doing travel Q&A’s.

The Strategy: If your creative doesn't have a digital "tail," it’s just a very expensive vanity project. Marketers are shifting to creating longform story arcs for deeper engagement that are more natural for platforms like YouTube.

Problem-Solving Nostalgia

Brands are leaning into our favorite memories, but they’re adding a clever, practical twist.

• Xfinity brought back the 1993 Jurassic Park crew to prove that reliable network speeds would have kept the fences up and the dinosaurs in check.

• Hellmann’s turned Andy Samberg into "Meal Diamond" to sing "Sweet Sandwich Time".

• Even Raisin Bran used William Shatner (the legendary "Will Shat") to solve our fiber deficiency in a way that’s impossible to forget.

The Strategy: "Familiar" is a shortcut to attention & trust. But the real win is using that nostalgia to solve a modern friction point—whether that's digital connectivity or, well, staying "regular". 

The Cultural Nexus

The most exciting shift is seeing brands move toward where the conversation actually lives. Whether it’s Google Gemini pulling at the heartstrings with a family’s "New Home" or Creator’s like Mr. Beast and iShowSpeed rubbing shoulders with more traditional “celebrities” 

YouTube has become the undisputed epicentre of this cultural shift. It’s the primary furnace where culture is forged; it’s where these ads start as teasers and scale into global trends. In 2026, if you aren't winning on YouTube, you aren't winning the cultural conversation, or moving at the speed of culture.

What I’m Sipping: A Michelob Ultra It’s light, it’s classy - and I’m a sucker for an 80’s style montage.

What I’m Branding:  Genuine Sillines. Cheers to the brands that embrace their funny bone - and aren’t shy to play with a pun or two (I see you Bueno)! Humour is a powerful and often overlooked strategy. 

Julie will be back next week. I’m off to see if I can find a "Meal Diamond" sandwich and pretend I’m as cool as Andy Samberg.

Peter