News Summary
Coastal Carolina University students participated in USA Today’s Ad Meter during the Super Bowl 2025 festivities, rating advertisements aired during the game. This unique opportunity allowed students from various classes to engage with the advertisements, providing valuable feedback with a focus on what resonates with the younger audience. Their top picks included commercials from brands like Bud Light and Dunkin’, showcasing a trend towards digital interactivity and preferences that differ from traditional advertising methods.
Coastal Carolina University Students Join in the Super Bowl Advertising Fun!
In the lively and sun-soaked town of Conway, South Carolina, a select group of students at Coastal Carolina University (CCU) took on a unique project during the Super Bowl 2025 festivities. They participated in the exciting Ad Meter ratings organized by USA Today, where they viewed and rated a slew of advertisements that aired during that much-anticipated game.
A Unique Opportunity for CCU Students
Being chosen to participate in the Ad Meter program was an honor for CCU, as they were one of only a handful of universities chosen for this incredible opportunity. Students from more than five different classes got to dive into the world of advertising, focusing on their top five favorite and five least favorite ads out of an impressive lineup of 58 to 62 commercials that graced the Super Bowl screen this year.
The process was accessible to anyone who wanted to watch the ads and rate them, but CCU students uniquely had their opinions captured through their student email addresses, helping to keep track of their ratings while also participating in a nationwide ranking event.
Big Dollars, Big Decisions
It’s no secret that these commercials are big bucks. With ad spots costing between a staggering $7-10 million each, companies are investing heavily for that coveted attention during one of the most-watched events in American television. This pressure made the students’ engagement all the more significant, as they provided valuable feedback on how these ads performed with a younger audience.
Budding marketer and student Kendall Bowman emphasized the importance of engagement and outcomes for the brands involved. What resonates with viewers could make or break a company’s hard-earned investment.
CCU’s Top Picks
Now, let’s get to the juicy part! After extensive ranking and vigorous debate, the students at CCU declared their top five favorite ads, which were:
- Poppi – “Soda Thoughts”
- Bud Light – “Big Men on Cul-De-Sac”
- Coors Light – “Slow Monday”
- Dunkin’ – “DunKings 2”
- NERDS – “Wonderful World of NERDS”
Interestingly, some ads that were less favorable included:
- Coffee mate – “Foam Diva”
- Angel Soft – “The Big Game Potty-tunity”
- Little Caesars – “Whoa!”
- Hellmann’s – “When Sally Met Hellmann’s”
- OpenAI – “ChatGPT | The Intelligence Age”
A lot of students showed a clear preference for the big names like Bud Light who consistently wooed audiences across both CCU’s ratings and the overall Ad Meter rankings. Poppi’s ad, which cleverly featured influencers and humorous content, particularly struck a chord with the younger audience.
The Generational Gap in Advertising
Highlighting a trend among this particular generation, CCU students expressed a clear inclination towards advertisements exhibiting digital interactivity. This is a significant shift in how younger viewers perceive marketing, compared to traditional methods that may not resonate as well.
For instance, while Jeep’s ad captivated a group of students for its themes of freedom, adventure and ruggedness, other brands missed the mark entirely. Dunkin’s advertisement was notably panned this year compared to its previous performances.
On the topic of least favorites, many students criticized the Coffee mate ad, arguing it created an uncomfortable tone that some viewers found off-putting.
Looking Ahead
As USA Today prepares to release further details about these ratings, there’s excitement in the air about what fresh insights may arise from CCU’s student perspective. In what has become a budding tradition, this is the second year for USA Today to include university student input, and CCU’s debut participation in the program certainly added a fresh perspective to the mix.
As Super Bowl advertising continues to evolve, it’s clear that the voices of younger audiences like those at CCU will play an increasingly important role in shaping marketing strategies for the future.
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Additional Resources
- USA Today: Super Bowl Commercial Marketing Spotlight – Coastal Carolina University
- WPDE: CCU Students Help Rate Gameday Ads for USA Today’s Ad Meter
- USA Today: Myrtle Beach Bowl Stakes – UTSA vs Coastal Carolina
- Myrtle Beach Online: Coastal Carolina University Sports News
- The State: South Carolina News
- Wikipedia: Super Bowl
- Google Search: Super Bowl advertising
- Google Scholar: Advertising
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Super Bowl ads
- Google News: Super Bowl advertisements
