How a Super Bowl ad is made, with Squarespace’s VP of creative

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by Jacob Solomon Feb 22, 2023 News
How a Super Bowl ad is made, with Squarespace’s VP of creative

Ben Hughes is the Vice President of Creative at Squarespace. He co-runs the company's in-house creative department in New York, which is responsible for global advertising, brand design and content.

Hughes talked to marketing about how a multi-million dollar Super Bowl campaign comes together.

Marketing Mag: What first inspired the idea for ‘The Singularity’? How many ideas were left on the cutting room floor?

A big part of the creative process for the Super Bowl is getting to the very best one. Our own story inspired the inspiration here. The company's founder used the twentieth anniversary to promote the company as a website that makes websites. We knew it would be great for an ad.

MM: From idea to campaign launch, how long did it take Squarespace to create ‘The Singularity’?

The final delivery took about nine months. The idea is locked in the director and talent, production, post-production and traffickers.

MM: Squarespace’s Super Bowl ads often feature A-List celebrities. This year, did you explore the option of not featuring a celebrity? Why did you choose to feature one in the end?

BH: Our brand is all about creativity and we are fortunate to be able to attract partners who are at the top of their craft. We always look at ideas that don't involve celebrity talent, but the combination of Adam and the script seemed to click perfectly. He was fortunately able to agree.

MM: Why was Adam Driver the right brand ambassador?

He is not a brand ambassador. He was the right person to tell the story we wanted to tell. The straighter you play it, the funnier it gets. Adam is known for his intensity as an actor, but he is also hilarious, and we felt like he would commit to the absurdity of the idea.

MM: Do you think Super Bowl audiences will ever get tired of ads that are oversaturated with celebrities? 

There will be celebrity Super Bowl ads. The human desire to watch famous people do silly things is endless and they come with their own audiences and passionate fan bases.

MM: How do you characterise and then approach the Super Bowl’s audience?

BH thinks it's the last mass audience. It is very rare for so many people to look at the same thing. We try to make an ad that is the best expression of the brand, not the one we think the most people will like.

MM: How do you think ‘The Singularity’ stood out among the noise of other Super Bowl ads and entertainment?

The most visually rich ad in the game was this one.