The $7 Million Dollar Question:

We're just 8 weeks out from the Super Bowl, the pinnacle of sports and arguably the most expensive advertising platform in existence. It's a moment where brands spend millions to tell their story in front of one of the largest audiences imaginable. But as a consumer, I have to ask: how many of those multi-million dollar ads do you remember? More importantly, how many products have you purchased because of them?

I've been asking this question lately and the response has been underwhelming. Personally, I only recall one ad: Nike's commercial targeting current and future female athletes. Visually powerful, emotionally charged...and yet it missed its mark with its intended audience.

Here's why: My two teenage daughters, both athletes and loyal Nike customers, didn't connect with it. Neither did their friends. The ad approached female sports through a traditionally masculine lens of achievement and spectatorship.

Think about it: dads bond with their sons over sports from an early age, watching men's sports together, buying jerseys, dreaming about college teams or even pro careers. But when was the last time you saw parents doing this with their daughters watching women's sports? Most girls don't grow up idolizing professional female athletes in the same way boys do male athletes. The women's sports landscape is evolving rapidly, but the storytelling must evolve alongside it. The narrative needs to be built differently to resonate authentically with young female athletes.

This brings me to my bigger point: If you're going to spend a significant portion of your advertising budget on one story, make sure it connects with your audience. Some of Hollywood's most brilliant storytellers, people who understand audience connection better than anyone else, are currently available, yet brands haven't recognized the competitive advantage they'd gain by bringing this caliber of narrative expertise in-house. Imagine the impact if companies could convince these experts to join their teams. Let's create stories that don't just look amazing, but truly connect with your audience and drive results.

Let me know if you agree.

This is the moment she told me she wants to be the NBA's 1st female head coach!