Back in 2015, we entered the Super Bowl scene with our ad campaign “It’s Just That Easy,” which featured NFL players building their own business websites. The following year, we collaborated with DreamWorks Animation to produce a commercial inspired by the movie Kung Fu Panda.
The Kung Fu Panda initiative brought in over 500 million views globally. Inspired by its success, we considered a similar approach for our next project. Our initial concept involved partnering with an established film franchise to create a campaign centered around an action-packed storyline that showcased the agility and strength required to adapt to a constantly shifting environment.
However, as is common in the world of marketing, our plans had to adapt to unforeseen circumstances. When we couldn’t find the perfect movie collaboration, we took matters into our own hands and decided to produce our own film. We take pride in our talented in-house creative and marketing teams, who collaborate to bring innovative ideas to life.
The initiative was named “Disruptive World.” Wix caters to small businesses globally, aiming to show that we equip our customers to thrive amidst uncertainty. Acclaimed action producer-director Louis Leterrier was brought on board to bring our vision to life.
After finalizing our strategy, it was time to select our cast. Without a doubt, our top choice was Gal Gadot, an Israeli actress set to become Wonder Woman. With her charisma and talent, she was the perfect fit for a Wix action movie. To complement her, Louis enlisted Jason Statham from Transporter fame, completing the lineup for our two-minute Super Bowl commercial that promised to be a blockbuster hit.
We wanted our sequence to be dynamic, thrilling, and fast-paced. Our goal was to capture the essence of excitement and resilience for individuals – whether entrepreneurs, artists, or anyone using Wix to bring their online dreams to life – even amidst challenges (such as dealing with Gal Gadot, Jason Statham, and a group of villains wrecking havoc in your restaurant).
As everything fell into place seamlessly, a pivotal decision arose for our team: where should our ad make its debut? While traditional Super Bowl advertisers tend to opt for morning shows, we opted for a more unconventional approach. As a company that embodies boldness and adventure, our advertisement was centered around action, taking risks, and embarking on thrilling journeys.
We made history by live streaming our commercial debut on both Facebook Live and YouTube Live, becoming the first company to launch a Super Bowl advertisement online instead of on traditional TV or just posting it on the internet.
Introducing our commercial live online was the perfect fit for our brand. We focus on our products and utilize data to measure success, not just marketing. By controlling the release ourselves, we knew we could generate more impressions, manage our story rollout, and quickly connect with our target audience.
The response was immediate and confirmed that our decision was the right one. Our initial Facebook announcement garnered 1,635,260 views, with the commercial reaching 22.6 million views in the week leading up to the Super Bowl. Even now, it continues to attract views on YouTube.
The outcome was a win in terms of creative execution and audience reach, staying true to our brand message. “Disruptive World” told the story of Wix and our customers in a compelling way.
For marketers looking to craft an exceptional Super Bowl commercial, creativity is just the starting point. They need to embody qualities like courage, adaptability, and unwavering commitment to their message. When a concept harmonizes with striking imagery to tell a story with universal appeal, the results can be truly unforgettable, as we experienced firsthand.
