Steve Rock Named Judge for LBBOnline's Super Bowl LX Ad Awards
Putting Good Kids in the big game to judge the best Super Bowl Ads
Steve Rock, Creative Director & Partner at Good Kids, has been selected as a judge for LBBOnline's Super Bowl LX advertising awards jury. The appointment recognizes Good Kids' 15-year track record creating breakthrough campaigns for major brands including Toyota, Kat Von D Beauty, Bata, H&M, Adidas, Netflix, and Steam Whistle Brewing.
Rock joins an elite international panel of creative directors and agency leaders from evaluating Super Bowl commercials—advertising's most expensive and scrutinized creative work, with 30-second spots commanding $7-8 million to start.
How We’ll Evaluate The Creative Work
Steve's judging criteria for Super Bowl LX reflects the same framework we use when evaluating our own campaigns and pitching new clients:
Authenticity Over Production Value
Does the creative feel genuine to the brand's DNA, or does it feel like expensive window dressing? We've seen too many brands spend millions on spots that look incredible but say nothing meaningful about who they are or why audiences should care.
Cultural Credibility, Not Cultural Tourism
Is the brand participating in culture as an authentic member, or is it borrowing trends without understanding them? Our work with clients like Adidas and Netflix succeeds because we help brands earn their place in youth culture rather than rent it for a campaign cycle.
Deep Audience Understanding
Does the campaign demonstrate real knowledge of Gen Z and Millennial values, behaviors, and media consumption? Or is it based on outdated demographic stereotypes? After 15 years targeting these audiences, we can spot the difference immediately.
Creative Bravery
Is the brand taking genuine creative risks, or hiding behind safe, committee-approved concepts?
The commercials people remember—and the campaigns that drive business results—are the ones that had the courage to do something different.
What Makes A Good Commercial?
"Look, most Super Bowl ads are just expensive insurance policies against getting fired. Brands spend $7M to make sure nobody can blame them for not being in the game. The ones I'm excited to judge are the ones where you can tell someone actually fought for the idea." - Steve Rock
At Good Kids he’s built its reputation as principle creative: authenticity beats spectacle every time.
Over the last 15 years, he's worked with brands across automotive, beauty & fashion, sports marketing, and beverage categories—always with the same approach: create work that keeps attention after buying it.
Our client roster includes:
Toyota - Automotive campaigns targeting younger buyers
Kat Von D Beauty - Brand launches and product campaigns
Reebok- Fashion and footwear positioning for North American markets
H&M - Store openings and experiential retail activations
Adidas - Sports marketing and culture-driven brand experiences
Beauty Blender - Cosmetic marketing and cultural partnerships
Steam Whistle Brewing - Full-service agency of record relationship
With offices in Toronto, Los Angeles, and New York, we've scaled from a referral-driven boutique to a multi-city operation while maintaining the creative standards that got us here.
We’re thrilled to join the rest of the Little Black Book Online’s Jury to celebrate the way you tell your story and how it can make all the difference.
Why are Super Bowl Ads So Expensive?
In an algorithm-driven world, narrative is fractured, so creating something that breaks through to 100+ million viewers in the same 30 seconds, drives immediate conversation, and justifies a multi-million dollar investment.
For creative agencies like Good Kids, Super Bowl ads offer insights into:
How brands approach culture with storytelling under maxi scrutiny
Which creatives successfully engage younger audiences at scale
How broadcast creative extends to social, Experiential and digital.
What separates strong creative from snoozefests with big budgets
The best Super Bowl advertising doesn't end when the spot finishes. It creates moments people want to share, talk about, and participate in. That's where advertising becomes culture—and that's the standard we hold our own work to.Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Who Else is Judging?
Supported by JSM Music, this inaugural jury – composed of brand, creative and production leaders from across the US – will decide which brands are the real winners of this year’s big game.
Notable agency leads are Tombras’ Jeff Benjamin, Crispin’s Kim Baskinger and Droga5's Rafael Rizuto. They’re joined by Mother LA’s Jed Cohen, Pereira O’Dell’s Julie Rutigliano, and Nice & Frank’s Laura Petruccelli, plus many more.
About LBBOnline's Super Bowl Awards
LBBOnline (Little Black Book) is a global creative community and industry publication connecting brands, agencies, and production companies. Their Super Bowl advertising awards bring together creative directors, agency leaders, and marketing experts to evaluate commercials across multiple categories.
The jury represents diverse perspectives from advertising, branding, experiential marketing, and creative production industries. Previous years have recognized breakthrough creative work that drives cultural conversation, challenges advertising conventions, and demonstrates measurable impact beyond traditional media metrics.
Super Bowl LX airs February 9, 2025, with the Patriots facing the Seahawks. Award winners will be announced following the broadcast.
What Makes A Good Creative Agency?
Our Approach to Gen Z and Millennial Marketing
Good Kids Creative specializes in reaching audiences from first touch point to post purchase. Traditional advertising struggles to connect with. Gen Z and Millennials have highly calibrated BS detectors and infinite entertainment options. Breaking through requires more than media spend—it requires creative that respects their intelligence and earns their attention.
Our culture-first methodology has delivered results across categories:
Experiential Marketing - Creating real-world brand experiences that generate organic engagement and social amplification
Advertising Campaigns - Developing creative that performs across digital, social, broadcast, and out-of-home channels
Brand Strategy - Positioning brands authentically within youth culture rather than as outsiders marketing to it
Content Creation - Producing assets that audiences choose to engage with rather than scroll past
Work With Good Kids
We're a playground for brands.
We’re selective about client partnerships.
We don't do spec work, we don't pitch for free, and we don't take on projects where we can't deliver incredible value.
Why do our clients choose us?
15+ years of proven creative expertise across major brand categories
Multi-city capabilities with offices in Toronto, Los Angeles, and New York
Culture-first methodology that connects authentically with Gen Z and Millennial audiences
Full-service creative and experiential from strategy through execution
No-BS approach to client relationships and creative development
Our recent work includes developing strategic partnerships with media companies, and consistently delivering campaigns that drive measurable business results while building long-term brand equity.
Looking for a stronger creative Impact?
If you're a brand seeking a total refresh, or evaluating a new creative partner; you’ll need an agency that understands how to connect with Gen Z and Millennial audiences—without the BS, spec work, or outdated playbooks. If that sounds like what you’re looking for—let's talk.
Good Kids works best with brands ready to invest in authentic creative that earns attention instead of buying it. Our selective approach means we only take on clients where we're confident we can deliver breakthrough work.
Contact us to discuss your next campaign, or explore our work to see how we've helped brands from Toyota to Netflix create culturally credible work that drives results.
