DEATH TO AUTHENTICITY
A couple days ago, Death to Stock talked about “the tyranny of authenticity,” and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it—especially after watching this year’s Super Bowl ads.
Every year, brands spend millions for a few seconds of airtime, and every year, the same divide emerges: the emotional, heartstring-tugging ads vs. the ones that lean fully into absurdity.
The problem (or question)? Are we in a post-authentic era?
For years, brands have tried to convince us they’re “real” and “human.” But when everything is marketed as deeply meaningful, nothing actually feels that way. That’s why Hims & Hers stood out this year. Their ad called out the American healthcare system for the obesity epidemic, only to position their own weight-loss medication as the solution. So why is this bad? Lawmakers and industry experts slammed it as misleading, citing a lack of transparency around safety and FDA approval. Instead of building a brand around holistic health and how their products fit into a broader wellness approach, they used “authenticity” as a marketing play—one that felt more opportunistic than honest.
Then there were the brands that leaned into emotion through style. Nike, for example, put out a beautifully crafted ad—real shots blended seamlessly with stylized moments, all leading to a simple, powerful message: when someone tells you, “you can’t win,” just, “win.” It was artful, direct, and didn’t try to be anything other than what it was. And that’s why it worked. It got me pumped!
I think the Dove commercial with the little girl running came close. It started strong—simple, real, and genuinely special. And the message? I thought it was great. But does this ad formula still work? Maybe. Even Adweek, in its write-up about the spot, felt the need to apologize for using the word “authentic.”
Of course, the other side of the Super Bowl ad spectrum was alive and well. You had the hilarious, undeniably fun spots—the Affleck brothers and Dunkin’, the flying eyebrows with Little Caesars. Those ads stick in your head because they’re playful and don’t take themselves too seriously. You might not agree with me, but these kinds of ads feel like a throwback to a time when commercials weren’t pretending to be anything other than what they were.
That’s the thing about this potentially incoming (or having already arrived) post-authentic era. It’s not that people don’t care about honesty—it’s that they can tell when it’s being performed. No one needs a soda brand to teach them about togetherness or a sneaker company to give them a purpose. They just want brands to tell good stories.
Good stories can be emotional. Good stories can be ridiculous. What matters is that they don’t feel forced.
So if there’s one lingering question I have after Super Bowl 59, it’s this: What is the future of authenticity?
What do you think?
