Even though 2020 was an unpredictable year, football was the one constant Americans could count on for inspiration and entertainment. We saw an opportunity to use the NFL’s biggest stage, Super Bowl LV, to reaffirm football’s power to bring people together and pave a way forward, no matter the obstacle. It was our job to make that moment unbelievably entertaining and meaningful for fans watching at Raymond James stadium and for fans watching from the comfort of their home. We needed to reaffirm why football was the game America needed.

To inspire the greatest comeback of the nation, we brought back the NFL’s most iconic, and inspirational figures: Coach Vince Lombardi. Not only is he the namesake of the Super Bowl trophy, but he was a pioneer in advocating for racial equality and social justice. His passionate philosophy of life and football was exactly what the nation needed to hear. Using machine learning and AI voice creation technology, we brought back Lombardi for an unforgettable speech to the nation at the Super Bowl. Viewers saw him walking American streets of the nation, places affected by the forces of last year, reminding the nation that it’s “Not whether we get knocked down, but whether we get back up. As One.” The film transitioned to a live broadcast where Lombardi delivered the final words of his speech via hologram technology to fans at Raymond James stadium and to fans watching at home.

Football fans across America faced a tumultuous year, but the Super Bowl provided a moment of common joy for everyone. Our communications for this campaign aimed to fuel the resilience in every viewer, harnessing the year-long emotional energy to create a moment of uplift during one of the biggest media moments in America. To do this, we incorporated Vince Lombardi and his spirit in all that we did. We released a series of teasers ahead of the game to generate excitement and speculation, while also educating people about Lombardi’s legendary history. At the Super Bowl, we executed a first-of-its-kind media approach that transitioned from a pre-recorded film asset seamlessly to the live broadcast, where viewers witnessed a virtual Vince Lombardi on stage, speaking to the nation in real time, inspiring millions. It was a coordinated effort, utilizing NFL owned properties and media partners to distribute messages and create mass impact.

Bringing back Vince Lombardi was achieved in just three months. First, archival footage and recordings of Vince Lombardi from the 1960s was sourced and restored. Next, live-action plates were filmed of an actor cast for his physical similarities to Coach Lombardi. Once shot, proprietary face-swap technology known as “Charlatan” blended detailed facial behavior and movement to the live-action footage, seamlessly merging the two. Because Vince Lombardi’s speeches were often quoted, but rarely recorded, a new speech was written and his voice needed to be recreated. To do so, digital voice cloning experts isolated Lombardi’s speech patterns and vocal tenor. Machine learning then combined the Ai generated voice with an actor’s voice, resulting in a natural, emotive performance. The final result was integrated into the live broadcast, where a virtual Vince Lombardi appeared on field, inspiring an audience of 100 million, during the kickoff show at Super Bowl LV.

Lombardi’s comeback infiltrated culture and generated massive conversation throughout the Super Bowl with talk focused on the coach’s historic return. The moment generated +2.1 billion social media impressions with fans reacting to the commercial, +2 million online video views across all major social platforms, and a 20:1 positive sentiment on YouTube. The press response was also positive, ranking Top 20 on AdMeter with a 6 Star average and securing a Top 5 spot on the Most Inspirational list of commercials. And most importantly, the speech created a moment to fuel resilience in all of us, with 70% of people agreeing the ad unified and brought people together and 66% of people agreeing the ad made them feel optimistic for the future.