As women learn to assert themselves, brands are realizing that they need to respect individuality and subvert tired tropes. The importance of gender equality for the public is rising. To depict the strength of women, Super Bowl ads, which have historically been criticized for being sexist, have more recently reflected the impact of broader efforts toward gender equality in marketing and advertising. Mentioned below are some brands which were successful in promoting equality in nearly every element of their Super Bowl commercials, from casting to the director and production crew, resulting in ads that are representative and promote gender equality. Mentioned below are brands that challenged gender norms harmful to both men and women. These brands reflected the impact of broader gender equality movements in the US.
Toyota
Toyota’s commercial explicitly challenged gender stereotypes. In the ad, college athlete Toni Harris talks about the barriers she has overcome in her quest to become the first woman to ever be drafted into the NFL. The spot presents a strong and courageous woman who gets her scholarship and moves forward with her football career. This example is used to feature the new Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, which will also shatter expectations
Stella Artois
The beer commercial showed actress Sarah Jessica Parker disrupting a restaurant’s waitstaff by ordering a beer instead of wine, challenging the stereotype that women don’t drink beer. Sarah Jessica Parker plays the character of Carrie from Sex and The City in the ad, trading her signature Cosmopolitan cocktail for a Stella Artois.
Bumble
For Bumble, the Super Bowl broadcast was an opportunity to reach an underserved female audience. Serena Williams appeared in the ad, which emphasizes female empowerment. She encourages female viewers to find people in work and in love, and to not wait to be given power. She is asking women to make the first move.
Michelob Ultra
The beer company’s commercial featured recognizable faces, like Serena Williams, Peyton Manning, Alex Morgan, Brooks Koepka and Jimmy Butler. The athletes are engaged in spirited competition during the ad, only to have their bowling session interrupted by a dramatic entrance from Serena williams. Michelob Ultra emphasizes an even gender split of athlete ambassadors, a move in line with its recent $100 million pledge to increase the visibility of women in sports. The brand is using the closely-watched media stage to promote its efforts around gender equality in sports.