The Big Game Through a Different Lens
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1 in 5 people in the U.S., and nearly 50% of Gen Z, identify as neurodivergent. That represents more than 1.7 billion customers who interpret content differently, and who overwhelmingly support brands that create work designed with their differences in mind. Trillions of dollars of potential sales are on the line.
Havas launched Neuroverse to help brands unlock the buying potential of neurodivergent audiences by understanding how to create advertising, experiences, and products that are empathetic, inclusive, and tailored to them. Havas calls this, going ‘beyond the brief’ — because what good is a brief if it misses 20% of your potential customers?
During the biggest advertising moment of the year, we asked ourselves: did the Big Game ads score a touchdown, or fumble miserably with neurodivergent audiences?
Neuroverse powered by Havas, in partnership with Vurvey Labs, evaluates advertising through multiple neurodivergent cognitive lenses to assess accessibility beyond traditional likeability metrics.
To support this analysis, Neuroverse uses a set of neurodivergent cognitive personas developed in partnership with Vurvey Labs. These personas are not intended to represent individuals or diagnoses, but distinct cognitive processing patterns commonly observed across neurodivergent populations, including structure-seeking, visually oriented, emotionally attuned, and sensory-sensitive profiles. The personas function as analytical lenses—allowing us to evaluate how specific execution choices may increase or reduce accessibility—rather than as proxies for lived experience.
Unlike traditional personas or synthetic archetypes, Neuroverse personas are underpinned by Vurvey Labs’ AI Populations technology, which converts real-world human cognitive and emotional response data into scalable, testable models. These models are trained on primary research with neurodivergent participants and continuously refined, enabling consistent analysis across multiple neurodivergent processing styles rather than relying on assumptions, averages, or hypothetical profiles.
Using these cognitive lenses, we curated a set of pre-release Super Bowl ads and analyzed their accessibility across multiple dimensions.
Ads were assessed using consistent criteria, including:
Results were indexed to identify patterns, producing a comparative Neuroverse Accessibility Score. The analysis is not intended as a critique of creative intent, but as a lens on how execution choices shape who an ad reaches, and who it may unintentionally exclude.
Profile: Baseline Neurotypical
Traits: Practical, task-focused, balanced sensory preferences.
Profile: Autistic-Coded
Traits: Structure-seeking, logical, sensitive to ambiguity and chaos.
Profile: ADHD + Dyslexia
Traits: Pattern-thinker, fast ideator, thrives on visual storytelling, task-focused, balanced sensory preferences.
Profile: AuDHD
Traits: Emotionally attuned, socially intuitive, values authenticity.
Profile: Non-speaking Autistic
Traits: Hypersensitive to audio/visual stimuli, observant, calm.
MOST ACCESSIBLE:
Accessibility Score: 7.2
This video is super easy to get... low cognitive load. You got two familiar faces... and the whole 'Food' vs 'Uber Eats' gag. It's short, punchy, and the repetition... just kinda locks it in.
The visuals are generally stable... helpful that the logo appears clearly without other distractions.
Uber Eats’ spot performed strongly across Neuroverse profiles, particularly among structure-seeking and visually oriented cognitive styles, demonstrating how humor and repetition can support accessibility when pacing is controlled.
The narrative was immediately clear and unfolded without abstraction. Familiar characters, a simple premise, and visual and verbal cues reduced cognitive load and reinforced comprehension rather than fragmenting attention.
Sensory input remained balanced throughout. Visuals were stable, on-screen text was minimal, and audio cues did not compete with the action. This allowed viewers to focus on a single primary signal at a time, making the experience comfortable to follow from start to finish.
Sensory input remained balanced throughout. Visuals were stable, on-screen text was minimal, and audio cues did not compete with the action. This allowed viewers to focus on a single primary signal at a time, making the experience comfortable to follow from start to finish.
The result was broad engagement without overload, showing that comedic energy can remain accessible when execution prioritizes clarity, rhythm, and restraint.
What every brand can learn from Uber Eats “Jogging”: Humor scales best when it’s anchored in simplicity. Clear premises, controlled pacing, and repetition can reduce cognitive load, making comedy more accessible to a broader audience without dulling its impact.
Accessibility Score: 6.6
The fast pacing and quick cuts create too much simultaneous stimuli. My brain processes every detail—every change and sound—making it challenging to absorb without feeling overstimulated. The shouting voices are particularly jarring.
This one kept my eyes locked... The visuals were clear and exciting... the humor made it engaging without making me think too hard.
Michelob’s spot performed strongly among visually oriented and pattern-thinking profiles, demonstrating how high-energy storytelling can remain accessible when it’s coherent and well-structured.
The ad provided a clear visual roadmap through purposeful movement, logical progression, and storytelling driven more by imagery than dense dialogue. Action sustained attention without fragmenting it.
Stimulation was energetic but controlled. By limiting excessive cuts, overlapping audio, and competing text, the ad allowed viewers to process one primary signal at a time.
The result was engagement without overload. This reinforces that accessibility is not about lowering energy, but organizing it.
What every brand can learn from “The ULTRA Instructor”: High-energy ads can still be accessible for neuroverse audiences, but only when excessive cutting, overlapping audio, and competing text are avoided, allowing viewers to process one primary signal at a time.
LEAST ACCESSIBLE
Accessibility Score: 3.2
The rapid scene changes, flashing lights, and extremely loud, busy audio are overwhelming. Spoken words are often shouted... physically uncomfortable.
It feels like a lot... My brain immediately goes into overdrive trying to process everything.
Instacart’s spot ranked among the least accessible across Neuroverse profiles, driven primarily by cognitive and sensory overload rather than message intent.
Rapid cuts, overlapping audio, flashing visuals, and constant motion made it difficult to establish a focal point, reducing viewers’ ability to extract the brand message.
For pattern-thinking profiles, the absence of signal hierarchy, with multiple stimuli competing simultaneously, increased cognitive load and reduced comprehension.
The execution illustrates how stimulation without structure can unintentionally narrow who an ad works for.
What every brand can learn from Instacart “For Papa!”: Energy and humor are not off the table for neurodivergent audiences, but when stimulation lacks structure, accessibility narrows, even if the attention is captured.
The Neuroverse analysis suggests that accessibility is less about simplifying ideas and more about reducing unnecessary friction. Ads that prioritize clarity, pacing, and sensory balance don’t just reach neurodivergent audiences more effectively; they tend to communicate more powerfully overall.
As brands continue to use the Super Bowl to speak to “everyone,” accessibility may prove to be one of the most scalable creative advantages available.