Marketing Happy Hour The "Appeal to Everyone" Trap: Why Segmented Ads Win the Super Bowl | Nataly Kelly of Zappi
In this bonus episode, we’re joined by Nataly Kelly, CMO of Zappi, to dissect the data behind the biggest advertising night of the year: Super Bowl LX. While the rest of the world is talking about celebrity cameos and "Free Bird" soundtracks, Zappi is looking at the numbers that actually move the needle. Nataly shares exclusive insights from their testing of Budweiser’s "American Icons" ad, revealing a fascinating disconnect between Gen Z’s emotional response and their brand recall. We also tackle a glaring missed opportunity in the industry: why women influence 85% of household spending but are still underrepresented in Big Game creative. If you’ve ever wondered why trying to appeal to "everyone" is a recipe for a marketing flop, this data-heavy deep dive is for you.
Key Takeaways:
// Entertainment vs. Sales Impact: Why an ad that "wins" the social media conversation often fails to drive short-term purchase behavior—and how to measure the difference.
// The Gen Z Brand Recall Gap: An analysis of why younger audiences (under 36) loved Budweiser’s 2026 ad but struggled to remember the brand, and what that means for your creative strategy.
// The Power of Icons: Why the Clydesdales and the American Bald Eagle drove Budweiser into the 88th percentile for sales impact among older demographics.
// The "Female Influence" Arbitrage: Women make up nearly half the NFL audience and control $31 trillion in spending; Nataly explains why giving them only 1/3 of the "speaking time" in ads is a massive strategic error.
// The Failure of "Universal" Appeal: Why the most successful ads are those that speak clearly to a defined segment rather than diluting the message to please everyone.
// Emotional Peaks and Troughs: How using recognizable music and "timeless" storytelling creates the engagement necessary to keep viewers from tuning out.
Connect with Nataly: LinkedIn
Zappi Super Bowl Study, Live Beginning 02/09: The Study
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