Some Super Bowl ads make you laugh. Some make you cry. And then there is the rare kind - the one that does not just entertain but captures a whole cultural shift.
That was Squarespace in 2025.
Forbes spent its post-game coverage talking about brand recognition (which, sure, is important), but what most pundits missed is how this ad tapped into the single biggest consumer trend of the year: the return to craftsmanship. People are over cheap, mass-produced, factory-churned everything. We are seeing a cultural rebellion against soulless consumer goods, and in their place - handmade, small-batch, intentionally crafted products.
The Cultural Shift the Ad Tapped Into
It is not just a Gen Z thing. Boomers, Millennials, Gen X - everyone is on board.
Decades of fast fashion, disposable furniture, and low-quality everything have left people craving substance. The new luxury is not about labels. It is about authenticity. A well-made leather bag that lasts ten years. A hand-thrown ceramic mug with a maker's mark on the bottom. Clothes designed to be repaired, not replaced. Soaps that come from someone you can find on Instagram.
Squarespace did not just say it supports small makers. The ad aligned with the movement in a way that felt effortless. No forced talking points, no over-explained narration, no Super-Bowl-trying-too-hard.
Why the Ad Worked: Slow Pacing and Quiet Confidence
The ad leaned into simplicity - slow, deliberate pacing, clean design, and an overall feeling of intentionality. It echoed Norway's slow-TV movement, where viewers watch something unfold in real time: a sweater being knitted, a fire burning down, a train crossing the country.
In an age of overstimulation, slowness sells.
The visuals were stripped down, almost meditative. There was no forced urgency, no frantic messaging, no rapid-cut chaos. It was quiet confidence. It was not just about selling websites - it was about creating space for people who are making things that matter.
That choice was countercultural for the Super Bowl, where the conventional wisdom is "louder is better" and the typical 30-second spot crams 47 cuts and a celebrity cameo into half a minute. Squarespace went the other way. The result was a spot that stood out precisely because it slowed down.
The Specific Design Choices That Made It Work
For brands and creators studying the spot, several deliberate choices added up to the impact:
- Long takes over rapid cuts. Most Super Bowl ads cut every 1-2 seconds. This one let scenes breathe.
- Earthy, muted color palette. No saturated brand colors competing for attention. The visual restraint matched the message.
- Real makers, not actors. The faces in the ad read as authentic - workshop-worn hands, quiet concentration, real materials.
- Minimal voice-over. Where most ads narrate every visual, this one trusted the viewer to read the meaning from the imagery.
- Sparse, deliberate sound design. The audio was as restrained as the visuals - no driving soundtrack, no sales-pitch music.
- Squarespace logo arrives late and small. The platform did not lead with the brand; it earned the brand mention by the end.
- No URL spam, no QR code, no "act now." The call to action was implied, not shouted.
Squarespace Isn't Just a Website Builder - It's a Position
This was not just a well-executed ad. It was a statement of brand position.
Squarespace understands the moment we are in: a world craving meaning, quality, and real connection. The platform positioned itself as the digital home for this shift - where craftsmanship meets technology, where small-batch creators find their audience, where artistry actually thrives.
Compare the angles:
- Wix markets to anyone and everyone - broad, generic, "build a website for any business."
- Shopify markets to scaled commerce - high-volume online stores, global supply chains, big-merchant tools.
- WordPress markets through community and ecosystem - open source, flexible, technical depth.
- Squarespace is now clearly marketing to makers, artists, and craft-led businesses - design-led, intentional, premium.
That positioning is sharper than ever, and the Super Bowl ad cemented it on the largest possible stage.
Why Forbes Missed the Real Story
Most Super Bowl ad coverage scores spots on metrics - brand lift, social mentions, search-trend spikes. Those numbers matter, but they miss the deeper play. The Squarespace ad was not built for a 24-hour social spike. It was built to embed a long-term association: when you make something with intention, you build it on Squarespace.
That association compounds across years, not days. The brand-lift numbers will look modest the morning after the game. The cultural alignment will pay back over the next five.
What Makers Can Take From the Ad
For artists, artisans, and small-batch creators watching the ad, the message is straightforward - this is the platform built for the work you do. But the deeper takeaway is the marketing playbook itself:
- Slow down. The most distinctive marketing in 2025-2026 is not louder than the noise. It is quieter.
- Trust the audience. Less explanation, more visual storytelling. Buyers can read meaning from craft if you let them.
- Show the process. The hands, the materials, the workshop, the time. Process is the new product photography.
- Earn the brand mention. Lead with the work, end with the name. The reverse is what most brands do - and why most brands fail to land.
- Pick a position and commit. Squarespace is not trying to be everything to everyone. The clarity is the marketing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the message of Squarespace's 2025 Super Bowl ad?
Why did the ad work when most Super Bowl ads don't land?
What design choices made the ad distinctive?
How does Squarespace's brand position differ from Wix or Shopify?
Does Squarespace really fit small-batch makers and artisans?
What's the cultural shift Squarespace tapped into?
Will the ad change Squarespace's market share?
What can other small businesses learn from the ad?
The Bottom Line
Forbes can talk about metrics all day. What actually matters is that the ad did not just get remembered - it resonated. It told the people building things with intention that Squarespace sees them, understands what they are doing, and built a platform for it.
In 2026, that is what wins - both in advertising and in the platforms makers actually choose to build on.
* Read the rest of the post and open up an offer