I’m excited to be a “12” celebrating the Seahawks’ Super Bowl win—and I want to offer a marketing idea to make the Super Bowl a win for everyone.
The best marketing lesson this year didn’t happen during the game.
It happened after the game.
Right after the Seahawks defeated the Patriots 29–13 in Super Bowl LX, Nike released a post-game ad featuring Marshawn Lynch: “Bitter tastes sweet… nothing tastes as good as getting your lick back.” (Reuters)
That wasn’t just a clever line. It was a decade in the making.
The Backstory: Why This Ad Worked
If you’re from Seattle, you don’t need the recap—but the marketing lesson depends on it.
In Super Bowl XLIX (Seahawks vs. Patriots), the Seahawks were on the goal line with the game on the line. Instead of giving the ball to Marshawn Lynch, Pete Carroll chose to throw. The pass was intercepted, and Seattle lost. (Wikipedia)
That decision created a specific kind of bitterness:
- not just disappointment
- not just “we lost”
- but the lingering pain of “we all know what should have happened.”
And it didn’t disappear. It lived in highlight reels, sports radio, and the collective memory of Seattle fans for years.
So when the Seahawks finally beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl rematch, the win didn’t just feel good. It felt like closure. (Wall Street Journal)
The Timing Lesson: Nike Ran It After the Win
Here’s the strategic brilliance: Nike ran the ad after the game.
Not as hype.
As payoff.
Because without a Seahawks win, the message would have tasted… bitter. Nike’s spot is being widely described as a post-game “revenge/redemption” ad built around that arc. (Houston Chronicle)
What This Teaches You About Doctors
Doctors are not moved by hype. They’re moved by truth.
They live in a “bitter → sweet” world:
- training is bitter, mastery is sweet
- hard conversations are bitter, better outcomes are sweet
- facing reality is bitter, peace of mind is sweet
So when advisors market to doctors with nothing but “sweet”:
- “You’re doing great!”
- “We can optimize everything!”
- “Retire early!”
…it can feel like fluff.
Doctors don’t need more reassurance.
They need earned clarity.
The “Bitter → Sweet” Marketing Framework (For Advisors)
Use this as a simple template for content that resonates with physicians:
1) Name the “bitter” without shaming
Examples:
- “Even high-income doctors can be financially fragile.”
- “Money anxiety isn’t proof you’re failing—it’s often a signal you’re carrying too much complexity.”
- “Feeling ‘fine’ financially can hide real risk.”
2) Offer the path from bitter to sweet
Examples:
- “Here’s the 3-step process to turn uncertainty into a clear decision.”
- “Here’s how we simplify the moving parts so you can stop second-guessing.”
- “Here’s the one number that tells you whether you’re actually on track.”
3) Let the “sweet” be credibility, not hype
Doctors trust:
- specificity
- process
- calm confidence
- and a guide who doesn’t sugarcoat
Your “Win for Everyone” Super Bowl Content Idea
Create a short post/video/email titled:
“Bitter Tastes Sweet: The Doctor Client Marketing Lesson from Seahawks vs. Patriots”
Then make it practical:
- One “bitter” truth doctors face (complexity, debt, lifestyle inflation, burnout-driven spending, etc.)
- One simple framework to create clarity
- One next step (download, quiz, schedule, or workshop invite)
Because when doctors feel seen, everyone wins:
- doctors feel safer and clearer
- advisors build trust faster
- and your marketing becomes memorable instead of skippable
Final Thought
Nike didn’t sell shoes. They delivered an emotional resolution that only worked because they honored the bitterness—Seahawks vs. Patriots, the goal-line interception, and a decade of “what if.” (Wikipedia)
That’s the lesson.
When you’re marketing to doctors, don’t skip the hard part.
Name it calmly.
Offer a path.
Earn the trust.
That’s how you create the sweetness.