ADWEEK TV Advantage: The Playbook for Making a Successful NFL Ad

A National Football League ad is the most coveted inventory in today's market. But if brands are fortunate enough to lock down an NFL commercial, how can they ensure they don't fumble the ball? ADWEEK already reported how NFL advertising was the prize of the TV upfront this year, and now we know just how much demand there actually was. According to ad data company Guideline, ad revenue for the NFL is expected to hit $6.3 billion this season, an 8% increase year over year. This comes after NFL ad revenue was up 7% last year, hitting $5.9 billion. With this year's increase, rights holders are capitalizing. For instance, data provider Guideline projects Netflix's Thanksgiving Eve game, a first this year for the NFL, will earn the streamer $48 million in ad revenue alone. Plus, ADWEEK previously noted that Disney was looking for $10 million for a 30-second Super Bowl spot, as well as a match across its other inventory, using the Big Game as leverage for its ad portfolio. The demand makes sense. After all, the NFL continues to deliver massive ratings in an age of viewership fragmentation. But with that price tag, brand messages mustn't miss. With that in mind, ADWEEK connected with measurement company iSpot and Guideline to learn what goes into making a successful NFL ad. In the short term: What's worked for NFL commercials in the past According to iSpot, which recently looked back at the 2025-2026 NFL season to analyze the ads, the top NFL spots in terms of audience likeability combined value propositions with situational humor. Additionally, iSpot noted that the majority of NFL creative appears in 15-second ads (50% of all airings) and 30-second ads (39% of all airings), so brands can find success with succinct messages rather than drawn-out, expensive productions. Last season, the top NFL ads for likeability included: 1. Dunkin's "Biggest Deal in Breakfast" 2. Taco Bell's "Lavish Adventures" 3. Burger King's "You Rule #10: Mix and Match" 4. Royal Caribbean's "A Believer" 5. Target's "Holidays: Game Day" Dunkin' topped the list with a likeability score that was 20.82% higher than the norm compared to all new ads tested during last season, according to iSpot. Meanwhile, quick-service restaurants were at the top of the list overall, grabbing five of the top seven spots, with iSpot noting that these ads included "appetizing food visual cues tied directly to accessible price points." Meanwhile, situational humor also helped brand recognition, with high performers including Liberty Mutual's "Streaker" and Bud Light's "Officegate." A recognizable and affable spokesperson also is a plus, with former NFL QB Peyton Manning being the top talent appearing in spots last season, with 476 airings, according to iSpot. Those airings were led by a high rotation of spots for Bud Light and Nationwide. Meanwhile, frequency also plays a role in memorability. According to iSpot, the most-seen advertisers during last season were: 1. Geico 2. Progressive 3. Verizon 4. McDonald's 5. State Farm Overall, Geico had 2.33% of all live NFL game impressions and ad reach on TV. However, QSRs McDonald's, Burger King, and Taco Bell were all within the top 10 most seen. In the long term: How brands should adjust their NFL playbooks Based on what's worked in the past, Tyler Bobin, director, brand solutions at iSpot, told ADWEEK there is a formula for what connects with audiences. "Funny, nostalgic, and light-hearted creatives tend to dominate performance during NFL games, with viewers opting for feel-good messaging with recognizable talent," Bobin said. So successful ads in the new season will look to have a combination of recognizable talent, branding, or product placement. Plus, iSpot suggested more current and past NFL athletes will likely show up in brand campaigns. "Increasingly, the NFL and Super Bowl have become havens for fans to escape via humor and familiarity within ads. This year should feature more of the same, especially as political ads are also poised to hit the airwaves," Bobin said. And brands should continue to ride the NFL advertising wave, as long as it lasts, anyway. No, there's nothing imminent spelling the end of the booming sports marketplace. Still, the rocket ship of growth around the NFL likely won't last forever, especially as more and more sports continue to dominate the airwaves, according to Sean Wright, chief insights and analytics officer, Guideline. "All broadcasters can't just be sports networks. It doesn't carry," Wright said. According to Wright, if the NFL's healthy growth starts declining in the upcoming years, and the growth that remains is mainly price increases, that'll be a good indicator. "The NFL, to me, is the good canary in the coal mine, given how much of a footprint they have versus every other sport," Wright said. "If the NFL can't sustain that growth, then no one can." 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ADWEEK TV Advantage: The Playbook for Making a Successful NFL Ad

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