As America prepares to watch the big game, for advertisers, the real big game is decided by which commercials stand out against the rest. Many brands have spent millions for commercial slots and even more to produce commercials just for the big game. Year after year, some brands see great success, but some fail to see that there’s more to a winning commercial than just production value.

We’ve developed a few key considerations to focus on the strategy and science behind a winning commercial to get the most impact, whether you’re running in the big game or on any form of TV Advertising.

Brand differentiation: Does the commercial highlight a feature or features that distinguish how the brand is different from its competitive set? Some brands fail to find and focus on what makes them different from competitors and the result is an ad that another brand could swap their logo into and run as their own.

Emotional appeal: The big game’s ad breaks are full of commercials that make us feel something. Whether it’s excitement, sadness, hope, optimism, or ambition, generating the right emotion in the right audience is a key component of a memorable commercial.

Targeting: From the commercial alone, is it clear who they are trying to persuade? While Super Bowl advertising reaches the masses, each brand should still have an ultimate target customer that they’re appealing to. It should be clear who they’re trying to reach and the commercial should speak to that customer.

Memorability: Did the commercial stay in your mind after you saw it? One reason the big game is known for its commercials is that some of the most impactful have gone viral, generating buzz for weeks to come, and stayed in our memory long after their initial airing.

Keeping these insights in mind will help you gain clarity to who the real winners are each ad break and develop winning creative of your own for your next campaign. Stay tuned as we continue to share insights throughout the week to help you prepare for the real big game.