Freshpet, GEICO Lead for March Madness Ad Breakthrough
Freshpet led the pack with a spot that scored 34% above the ad breakthrough norm, per MarketCast.
The 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament didn’t just crown a champion on the court, it also gave advertisers a weeks-long opportunity to reach engaged audiences nationwide. But of course, success is more than just pure reach — what’s also critical is if audiences actually remembered both the ad and the brand.
MarketCast measured all the ads that aired from Selection Sunday to the championship game using its Brand Effect, a daily survey of 20,000 real audiences, to reveal which brands scored the highest ad breakthrough. Among the winners? Freshpet, Geico and Dick’s Sporting Goods.
- Freshpet led the pack with its pet-parent comedy, “Peter,” scoring 34% above the ad breakthrough norm. The spot blended clear messaging with a humorous portrayal of the bond between pets and humans to strike a memorable chord with viewers.
- Hot on its heels was Geico’s “Valet: Gecko Journey,” which featured the iconic Gecko making a suave arrival in a cherry-red car. The charming mascot helped Geico score 33% above the norm for ad breakthrough.
- Dick’s Sporting Goods took third place with “Speed Shopping,” featuring NBA star Kevin Durant, Olympic gymnast Suni Lee and Tom Brady as the GOAT on a goat. The mix of humor and fan-favorite athletes aligned well with the March Madness audience, and helped drive an ad breakthrough 27% above the norm.
Other March Madness standout performers included TurboTax, Buffalo Wild Wings, Capital One and Taco Bell — get the details here.
