Almost Champions Ring of Comfort - M&M's, Mars | Clapboard Ad Archive

M&M'S 2024 Super Bowl campaign Almost Champions Ring of Comfort, created by BBDO New York and Team Omnicom for Mars and the confectionery snacks category, deploys a distinctive blend of humor, celebrity charisma, and product innovation to underscore the brand’s enduring purpose of using fun to foster inclusivity and comfort. This integrated campaign centers on a 30-second Super Bowl LVIII spot that unites acclaimed actress Scarlett Johansson with NFL legends Dan Marino, Terrell Owens, and Bruce Smith alongside M&M’S iconic characters in a playful laboratory setting where they admire the first-of-its-kind M&M’S Almost Champions Ring of Comfort. The ring itself, crafted from real lab-made diamonds formed using M&M’S Peanut Butter—a product closely associated with emotional comfort—serves as a clever subversion of the traditional Super Bowl ring awarded solely to victors, celebrating the runner-up experience with self-effacing humor and warmth. By aligning the celebrities’ own near-miss narratives—ranging from Oscar® nominations to Super Bowl appearances—with the everyday experience of falling just short, the campaign humanizes these high-profile figures while amplifying the product’s role as a comforting indulgence. Scarlett Johansson’s remarks highlight the campaign’s lighthearted tone and its alignment with the comforting qualities of Peanut Butter M&M’S, reinforcing the brand’s message that enjoyment and belonging transcend winning. The campaign’s strategic media placement during the highly viewed first commercial break of the first quarter of Super Bowl LVIII on CBS ensures maximum visibility within a sports-centric audience that understands the nuances of victory and defeat, making the humor and emotional resonance especially impactful. What Clapboard’s taxonomy would classify as FORMAT#8—Ongoing Characters or Celebrities—anchors this campaign’s creative approach by leveraging star power not just for recognition but as a vehicle for delivering humor and product benefit through interaction rather than straightforward storytelling or demonstration. The campaign’s multiple media assets support a cohesive narrative that elevates M&M’S as a brand that innovates both in product and emotional storytelling, blending confectionery indulgence with a message that celebrates imperfection and shared human experience. Clapboard rates this campaign 71/100. This campaign matters to the industry because it demonstrates how a legacy brand can leverage humor and celebrity authenticity to redefine traditional symbols of success in ways that deepen emotional connection without sacrificing mass appeal.