Svedka Offers $500,000 Prize for Fan-Made Super Bowl Ad

Svedka Vodka is opening the creation of its next Super Bowl commercial to the public. The brand will award a $500,000 prize to the creator of the winning spot for Svedka Vodka Water, a new cocktail offering. This move follows the company's previous use of artificial intelligence to generate a 30-second ad for Super Bowl LX.

Sara Saunders, group president and chief marketing officer at parent company Sazerac, stated that the company expects the high dollar value to attract many entries. Participants must be at least 21 years old. They have until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on December 1 to submit a 15-second video via the company's website. The goal is to generate conversation around the brand, which Sazerac acquired in 2024.

Saunders noted that Svedka has seen double-digit sales growth for the past nine months. This growth occurred despite a declining spirits market. The brand recently secured 30 seconds of advertising time for Super Bowl LXI, scheduled for February 14, 2007. Disney, which will telecast the game, has reportedly priced half-minute slots at approximately $8 million. Sazerac also plans to air a second 15-second spot for an unspecified product during the same broadcast.

The company has enlisted Andy Cohen to help judge the submissions. Saunders described Cohen as an ideal choice for handling potential online controversy. Cohen said he is accustomed to receiving feedback from various directions. He called the opportunity to participate in the process organic and fitting for his style of engagement.

Svedka will provide entrants with a digital toolkit containing creative assets. This includes images of the Vodka Water product, so creators do not need to purchase the beverage to make their ads. The company will review entries to ensure they meet Disney's standards. Saunders described the timeline as a sprint, with a winner to be announced by mid-December.

The contest asks creators to focus on the new Vodka Water product. While the company suggests using its previous "fembot" character, it is not a requirement. Cohen advised creators to consider the massive audience of the Big Game. He noted that the Super Bowl remains the largest mass entertainment event in the country.

This approach echoes a trend in advertising where consumer-created content competes with agency work. Doritos used a similar model in 2007 and revived it in 2025. With current digital tools, Svedka expects a wide range of submissions, from low-budget AI-generated clips to cinematic productions.