AI-Built Super Bowl Spot Maps a New Playbook for PR-Creative Teams
San Diego-based InnoVision Marketing Group delivered a 30-second TV commercial produced entirely with AI for the 2026 Super Bowl pre-game on KNSD-TV (NBC 7). Directed by IMG and built in-house by sister company Pretzel Logic Productions, the spot ties Valley View Casino & Hotel to local icons like the Coronado Bridge, San Diego Zoo and the coastline.
The storyline tracks a football passed through recognizable San Diego locations before landing at Valley View Casino. The team described the outcome as "a visually striking narrative" powered by AI with clear strategic direction, and said the reaction after the spot aired "was tremendous."
Valley View's general manager Bruce Howard called seeing the brand "just prior to the Big Game kickoff" a proud moment that captured the spirit of San Diego and reinforced the casino's connection to the community. Pretzel Logic's post-production lead Evan Klein credited hands-on execution and collaboration for guiding "every frame."
InnoVision said AI removed typical time and cost barriers that would have required months of permits, talent casting and complex preproduction for a traditional shoot. They estimated a conventional approach would have stretched to roughly eight months, while the AI workflow condensed teams and timelines without sacrificing the ambitious look and feel.
Why this matters for PR and communications
- Speed to concept and air: AI lets integrated teams move from idea to delivery on broadcast timelines that used to be out of reach.
- Creative range without heavy logistics: Iconic locations and dynamic camera moves are possible without on-site production.
- Budget flexibility: More of the spend can shift to strategy, brand story and distribution.
- Risk management: You still need legal sign-off on likeness, trademarks and depictions of public or private property-AI doesn't remove that responsibility.
Planning an AI-driven spot? Start here
- Define the brand narrative first. Tools amplify clarity; they don't fix a fuzzy idea.
- Set creative guardrails for likeness rights, logos and landmark usage. Document approvals.
- Build a tight squad: creative lead, producer, post/VFX, legal, media buyer. Keep feedback loops short.
- Prototype early frames to confirm look/continuity before you scale.
- Run Standards & Practices pre-clearance with broadcasters and your legal team.
- Measure impact: track recall, brand lift and regional engagement against pre-game inventory norms.
Want practical playbooks and workflows? Explore AI for PR & Communications and Generative Video.
Leadership Note: Canada Taps Grant Wright as a Global Executive
Grant Wright, CEO of (W)right On Communications, was named one of Canada's Global Executives by the Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles. The network brings together experienced leaders who advise Canada's Trade Commissioner and mentor Canadian companies expanding into the U.S.
Participants aren't government employees or paid-this is recognition for business impact and a commitment to give back. Wright cited his cross-border experience and focus on stakeholder alignment as core to successful market entry, and he'll help welcome Team Canada to the San Diego region ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
(W)right On was founded in 1998 in Vancouver and later expanded to San Diego, Los Angeles and North Vancouver, B.C. Current clients span legal services, transportation, infrastructure, travel and hospitality, with recent recognition on the PR News 2026 Agency Elite Top 120 and Newsweek's list of America's Best Public Relations Agencies.
What PR pros can take from this
- Advisory roles double as BD: they deepen networks, surface cross-border opportunities and signal credibility.
- Local nuance wins: bi-national insight helps mitigate risk and shortens sales cycles for international entrants.
- Visibility matters: third-party recognition validates your firm's expertise to procurement and C-suites.
PRSA San Diego-Imperial Counties: Coffee with a PR Pro at J/PR
PRSA's local chapter will host a morning coffee on Wednesday, March 11, 7:45-9 a.m., at J/PR (formerly J Public Relations), 2341 Fifth Ave., San Diego. Speakers include founding partner Jamie Lynn O'Grady and vice president Kristen Ahrens.
O'Grady's approach centers on relationships first, with work that speaks for itself through outcomes. Ahrens brings 14 years at J/PR with strengths in hotel launches, influencer strategy, creative partnerships and programming.
Founded in 2005, J/PR operates in San Diego, New York City, Los Angeles, Nashville, Denver and Scottsdale, plus Toronto and London. If you're attending, prep one concise case study, two questions on influencer ROI and a quick POV on brand-collab fit. You'll get more from the room-and leave with actionable ideas.
Your membership also unlocks:
