# $78 million and their website didn't even work

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSmmhmEQWCY
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/LSmmhmEQWCY
Generated: 2026-02-09T23:04:45.714+00:00

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## Quick Overview

The speaker concludes that the 2024 Super Bowl ads, especially those from AI companies like Google/Gemini and Anthropic, signaled an overhyped "AI bubble" about to burst, contrasting sharply with the successful, grounded approach of the Coinbase ad.

**Key Points:**
- The Ai.com Super Bowl commercial was rated the worst by Kellogg review panelists due to confusion about the service offered, despite the company spending $70 million on the domain and $8 million on the ad.
- The Crypto.com CEO bought the Ai.com domain for $70 million to launch an autonomous AI agent service, which the lead engineer later revealed had only $500 and a Cloudflare free tier remaining for operational budget after the major purchases.
- The Ring commercial, featuring a lost dog named Milo and the 'Search Party' feature, was effective in eliciting emotion, despite causing some viewers concern over surveillance as the AI searches users' footage.
- The Anthropic ad was criticized by Sam Altman for being dishonest by critiquing theoretical deceptive ads while using a deceptive Super Bowl ad format itself, contrasting with their stated mission of safe AI.
- The speaker praises the Google/Gemini ad for demonstrating practical AI utility (finding photos of a garden, editing a room color) as opposed to the abstract or overly dramatic ads from competitors.
- The Coinbase ad used a simple, effective, and funny karaoke-style format that generated significant buzz, contrasting with the perceived overspending and confusing messaging from other AI advertisers.

![Screenshot at 00:09: The speaker highlights the massive spending by companies like Ai.com \($8-$10 million on a 30-second ad\) while showing an article confirming Ai.com's ad earned a failing grade for confusion.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/LSmmhmEQWCY/00-00-09.jpg)

**Context:** The video analyzes the major advertising trends and outcomes from the 2024 Super Bowl commercials, focusing heavily on advertisements related to Artificial Intelligence (AI) companies like Ai.com, Google (Gemini), and Anthropic. The speaker uses various online reactions, including tweets and article headlines, to assess which ads succeeded in clarity and impact versus those that appeared confusing or tone-deaf, particularly in light of the massive spending involved.

## Detailed Analysis

The video critiques the 2024 Super Bowl ads, arguing that many, especially those from AI companies, were signs of an impending 'AI bubble burst.' The speaker first addresses the Ai.com commercial, which was deemed the worst by a Kellogg review because it failed to clearly explain its service, despite the company spending $70 million on the domain and $8 million on the ad itself. The lead engineer later confirmed the disproportionate spending ratio of marketing to engineering resources. Next, the speaker analyzes the Ring commercial showcasing the 'Search Party' feature for finding lost pets, noting its emotional effectiveness but also the underlying privacy concerns related to constant surveillance footage storage. The Anthropic ad is then discussed, with the speaker referencing Sam Altman's tweet criticizing Anthropic for using a deceptive ad format to critique theoretical deceptive ads, calling it 'on brand for Anthropic doublespeak.' Conversely, the Google/Gemini ad is praised for demonstrating concrete, useful AI capabilities, such as image editing (changing a room color) and photo retrieval based on personal memories. The Coinbase ad is highlighted as the best, using simple humor (a karaoke screen) to engage viewers without relying on complex or confusing AI narratives. The speaker concludes that the overall takeaway from the ads is that the American economy seems propped up by AI, weight loss drugs, cryptocurrency, and gambling, and that the most effective ads (like Google's) were those that showed clear utility, unlike the over-the-top or confusing efforts from others.

### Ai.com Commercial Analysis

- Earned a failing grade from Kellogg review for confusion
- Crypto.com CEO bought domain for $70M, ad cost $8M
- Lead engineer revealed remaining budget was only $500 + Cloudflare free tier

### Ring 'Search Party' Ad

- Showed AI successfully finding a lost dog, Milo
- Elicited strong emotion but raised surveillance concerns among viewers

### Anthropic Ad Critique

- Sam Altman tweeted criticism for using a deceptive ad to critique theoretical deception
- Seen as hypocritical given their stated principles for safe AI development

### Google/Gemini Ad Success

- Praised for showing practical utility like editing room colors and finding specific photo memories via voice command
- Demonstrated clear, tangible AI value

### Coinbase Ad Success

- Used simple, funny karaoke format ('Am I original?') to generate buzz effectively
- Contrasted sharply with confusing, abstract AI ads

![Screenshot at 00:11: Screenshot of the CBS News headline calling the Ai.com Super Bowl commercial the 'Worst'](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/LSmmhmEQWCY/00-00-11.jpg)
![Screenshot at 00:23: Andrew Solender's tweet summarizing the economy being propped up by AI, weight loss drugs, cryptocurrency, and gambling](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/LSmmhmEQWCY/00-00-23.jpg)
![Screenshot at 00:51: Visual representation of the abstract, high-speed nature of the Ai.com commercial](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/LSmmhmEQWCY/00-00-51.jpg)
![Screenshot at 02:48: Clip from the Ring commercial showing the 'Search Party' feature in action to find a missing pet](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/LSmmhmEQWCY/00-02-48.jpg)
![Screenshot at 08:25: Svedka Vodka ad featuring robots in a club setting, contrasting with the tech-focused ads discussed](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/LSmmhmEQWCY/00-08-25.jpg)
