Guest Post: 3 Cause-Related Superbowl Ads that Made My Spine Tingle

On Sunday night I was busy pinning cause-related Superbowl ads on this Pinterest board.

There were three cause-related ads in particular that got my attention and sent shivers down my spine (like a good commercial should!).

The best ad of Superbowl night was Whole Again in support of our troops. While the ad didn’t specifically mention the USO, a nonprofit organization that provides programs, services and live entertainment to the troops and their families, its logo appeared next to Jeep’s at the end. The ad is part of Jeep’s Operation SAFE Return program, which is a four point effort to support the troops.

Watch the video here: Jeep & USO Team Up for “Whole Again”

Why it made my spine tingle: This ad had me at hello. And it wasn’t Oprah’s voice that got my attention. It was the music, which is from one of my favorite shows, HBO’s Band of Brothers. If you recognized the music, I bet it stirred up all sorts of thoughts of bravery, dedication and sacrifice for you too. This ad didn’t have a transactional component to it (e. g. Jeep will donate a dollar for every time this video is viewed on Youtube), but it didn’t need it. The feeling and emotion the ad conveyed was priceless.

Watch the video here: Ram Trucks Supports FFA with Paul Harvey, “Farmer”

Why it made my spine tingle: I had never cared for the sound of Paul Harvey’s voice before I heard this ad. But it had just the right rhythm and tone for the gripping pictures and story in this ad. As a kid who grew up in the city, Ram Trucks and Paul Harvey told me a great story about the America’s farmers.

Watch the video here: NFL Players & Coaches stand together to cure ALS

Why it made my spine tingle: For me, this 68 second PSA, which wasn’t shown on TV but rather on the jumbotron at the Superbowl before the start of the game (Hat tip to Nonprofit Quarterly for catching this one), got interesting at the 48 second mark. Check it out and let me know if you agree!

Which cause-related ad made your spine tingle?

Joe Waters shows nonprofits and businesses how to use cause marketing and social media to establish, grow and deepen relationships with stakeholders.

This post originally appeared on the Selfish Giving blog. Posted with permission of the author.