Why Amazon and Walmart Played It Safe at the Super Bowl

Social conversation was largely positive, but analysts say the brands likely didn't make a lasting impression

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For the first time ever, retail rivals Amazon and Walmart both aired ads in the Super Bowl. And while Big Game postmortems say Amazon’s ad resonated more with viewers, analysts say it’s possible neither brand made much of a lasting impression, in part because they both played it safe.

The retailers even used similar tactics: Amazon, for the third consecutive year, leaned on a familiar combination of celebrities interacting with its digital assistant Alexa, while Walmart picked up a theme from a 2019 pre-kickoff ad full of nods to pop culture.

Amazon’s

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