The award is based on the premise that strong advertisements grab your attention, communicate a clear benefit, link to the brand equity, and have strong brand recall. Many Super Bowl ads are entertaining and grab your attention, but few do all four of these things and hence don't move the needle in terms of driving brand perception and ultimately revenue. Indeed, many brands fall into the trap of pushing too far on the entertainment aspect and fall short on the benefit, brand equity, or recall aspects.
While the plot of the Toyota Prius advertisement is sure to stir a little controversy (e.g., potential references to OJ Simpson), the commercial was both entertaining and effective. In short, the ad did exactly what it needed to do for the brand - re-frame it as a car that is anything but boring in a way that was compelling, on equity, and memorable.
Take a look if you missed it:
