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Rocket launched its campaign during the Super Bowl with an ad that became a singalong. As the 60-second spot, set to a cover of John Denver’s ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’ came to an end, the broadcast returned to the Caesars Superdome

Created by indie agency MIRIMAR, in collaboration with Rocket’s in-house creative team, the campaign focuses on how homeownership can unite the nation. The film itself shows a montage of people returning to what matters most – their homes and loved ones – artfully directed by Matthew Dillon Cohen.

“No brand has ever truly owned the narrative around homeownership – the aspirations, impact and role as a fundamental pillar of the American Dream,” Rocket’s CMO, Jonathan Mildenhall, tells ��������’s Ben Conway. “Too often, marketing in this category feels transactional, lacking real emotion or inspiration. But homeownership itself is deeply personal. We saw an opportunity to change the conversation and create a campaign that celebrates homeownership.”

Previous Big Game ads for the Detroit-based fintech platform have followed that formula, leaning more into humour than a broader aspirational tone. But after the brand ‘restaged’ its identity in 2024, MIRIMAR’s CCO, John McKelvey, says it was time to strip back to the ‘timeless emotional power of home’, to tell a story about making homeownership more accessible that connects on a deeply human level. 

“‘Own The Dream’ became the emotional gateway to simplify that journey… As the world’s largest homeownership company, Rocket’s opportunity is massive, but its mission is personal: To be America’s most inclusive and optimistic company, making 30-year bets on people who bet on themselves.”

He adds, “Homeownership remains the soul of the American Dream. People haven’t given up; it’s just felt out of reach for many. ‘Own The Dream’ taps into that universal yearning for home combined with the Rocket’s evolved products and technology to make homeownership more accessible.” 

This was an insight that CMO Jonathan Mildenhall connected with. “Having lived in the projects up until I went to college, homeownership was out of reach, or so I thought. Then in 1992, I bought my first home in London -  a tiny 800 square foot terrace house. I’ll never forget the feeling of pride, safety, dignity and identity I had as I turned the key in my own home. 

“By the time I emigrated to the US, I’d built more wealth through homeownership than I had through my entire career in advertising. Homeownership has enabled me to own so many of my dreams. At Rocket we are committed to helping as many Americans as possible own their dreams. Given that 92% of Americans believe that homeownership is a good thing, Rocket has a mandate to unite and uplift the country through powerful storytelling.”

Highlighting the home as a place not just of safety, but of growth and hope, in a country “that feels more divided than ever” was also vital for the director. “This project offered a chance to show vulnerability and diversity, capturing slices of life that aren't often seen,” says Matthew. “It's about the moments just before a laugh, or moments after crying.  Home is the place that holds all of our feelings. The goal of this film was to embrace that, and by doing so you get something real and relatable.

“Someone from the Rocket team during pre-production used the term 'future nostalgia', which really resonated with me, and I saw this film as an opportunity to bring a glimmer of light, warmth and authentic emotion.”

MIRIMAR CCO John McKelvey describes the tone as ‘Epic Intimacy’, anchored by authentic moments between the real families cast in the film. Set against John Denver’s reimagined anthem, the homecoming moments create a diverse tapestry of lived experiences. And to push this further, the team seamlessly linked the spot to the unifying in-stadium moment, with tens of thousands singing along as the ad ended.

“We're incredibly proud of the transition – it’s not just a technical feat but an emotional crescendo that united millions in real-time,” he says. “Seeing that connection unfold both on screen, in the stands, and then on social media was epic… The biggest challenge was orchestrating the live in-stadium sing-along to sync seamlessly with the broadcast. It required meticulous coordination with Rocket, the NFL, FOX, Media, and production teams to ensure every beat landed perfectly.”

Rocket CMO Jonathan Mildenhall says that the brand and agency share an ambition to create marketing that pushes culture forward – a goal towards which he says the “master of his craft” director exceeded their expectations in his debut Super Bowl ad. To this point, the agency CCO agrees, praising Matthew’s ability to capture raw, authentic emotion with a cinematic touch.

“His ability to find beauty in the everyday perfectly aligned with the spirit of ‘Own The Dream’, infusing the film with warmth and sincerity that made the personal feel universal,” says John McKelvey, also highlighting the DoP, Chayse Irvin. “His mastery of shooting on film brings a timeless, textured quality to his work. Known for his evocative cinematography in films like ‘BlacKkKlansman’, Chayse’s ability to create rich, organic visuals adds depth and authenticity to every frame.”

As a filmmaker, Mathew says he’s always chasing opportunities to bring something unique to the table, and was grateful for how non-commercial and creatively free MIRIMAR and Rocket’s approach was. “One thing that really stood out was the trust they placed in us. After the main production, they allowed us to go shoot in Montana unsupervised, capturing different landscapes and stories. A lot of that footage made it into the commercial, which really speaks to the agency's confidence in our vision.

“That level of trust opened up the commercial and allowed us to create something truly authentic,” he adds. “MIRIMAR and Rocket felt unified in their vision so the communication to get things done and approved was surprisingly fast and easy. It's amazing to work with an agency who is so locked in with the brand.”

Matthew exercised this trust to make a visually diverse film, shooting all across the US to give the film a tangible sense of scale and authenticity. “I can only speak for myself, but I set out on this project to make something that could stand the test of time as a beautiful authentic portrait of American culture and I really feel like the incredible team behind this project all helped deliver on that mission. I am really proud of this work, and hope it brings the feeling of home and family across.”

While humour and celebrity cameos tend to dominate the Big Game commercial breaks, this drive to reach the heart of modern America and craft something emotionally and culturally resonant was top of mind for each partner involved - from creative to production.

“The authenticity of the people, the warmth in the storytelling and the way it feels undeniably human… Every frame is intentional, with cinematography that transforms everyday moments into something deeply moving,” says Jonathan Mildenhall. “The fact that there are consecutive shots of a Black father and a white father bathing their babies in a sink is super powerful. The scene with the service members returning home gets me emotional every time. The single mum, navigating homeownership on her own is inspiring to me. There are too many perfect portraits of American life to list them all.”

But above all, what hits home the most for the CMO is how the film captures the joy and pride of finally having a place to call your own. “It’s a celebration of what home truly means. I think we can all relate to that feeling.

“The biggest takeaway,” he adds, “is that the focus should always be on authentic storytelling and historic activation. When a brand says something universal at the Super Bowl and moves America, that’s amazing. But when a brand then activates that message in an epic way, that’s Super Bowl gold.”