23rd Annual SpotBowl Showcases the Power of Predictive Analytics in Super Bowl Advertising

In a Big Game packed with emotional storytelling, legacy brands and 19 first-time advertisers, Budweiser’s heartfelt spot “Free Bird” captured America’s vote to win the 2026 SpotBowl title. The commercial, featuring a Clydesdale teaching a baby bald eagle how to fly, resonated strongly with viewers and emerged as the most popular ad of the night.

Now in its 23rd year, SpotBowl is one of the country’s longest-running and most respected Big Game advertising polls. Created by Pavone Group, the poll offers an unfiltered view of what advertising actually works by combining America’s votes with advanced predictive insight.

That insight once again proved highly accurate. Pavone Group’s proprietary predictive analytics tool successfully forecasted four of the top five commercials in this year’s SpotBowl rankings, reinforcing its ability to identify high-performing advertising before results are in.

“Our predictive analytics tool takes the guesswork out of advertising,” said Pavone Group CEO Michael Pavone. “Brands don’t have to wait for results to know if something worked, and we can predict impact, effectiveness and performance before a spot ever airs. That’s a game-changer for marketers.”

Built by Pavone Group’s data and analytics team, WildFig, the predictive analytics tool uses a proprietary algorithm that analyzes each spot to determine which commercials will be effective and whether that ad will perform well in polls like SpotBowl. The tool works by using historical voting data and details about each spot based on four aspects of the commercial: humor, emotional appeal, visual impact and relatability.

For full SpotBowl results and predictive analytics rankings, visit spotbowl.com.