Connection through shared experiences is a theme of Universal Orlando Resort’s new brand platform and advertising campaign, “This Changes Everything,” which includes a commercial airing just before the Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 8.

The new campaign comes after a year when the Epic Universe theme park was introduced to the world.

“Now we’ve made the transition to transforming into a weeklong vacation destination,” said Alice Norsworthy, president of global marketing at Universal Destinations and Experiences. “At the same time, we’re inspired every day by the transformation that happens in our parks and resorts. We inspire people to step away from the stress and pressure of their lives and immerse themselves with the worlds and characters they love. And when they do that, we see them connecting in real life and providing unforgettable, transformative moments for them and their loved ones.”

Universal has created five ad spots for the campaign. The “Lil’ Bro” ad will air during the Super Bowl.

In “Lil’ Bro,” a young boy to his chagrin is constantly reminded of his age by his older brother, who has adopted the nickname “Little Man” for his sibling. Whether they’re playing sports, building a snowman or even hopping in the car for a drive, the distance between the two is clear.

Then they arrive at the Universal Orlando Resort with their parents. They see Super Nintendo World in Epic Universe for the first time and are wowed by the themed world.

They check out one of the many dragons that inhabit How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk, one of Epic Universe’s five worlds. The younger brother measures himself, happily realizing he’s tall enough to ride the park’s centerpiece roller coaster, Stardust Racers. The older brother is clearly nervous. On the coaster, the younger brother is joyful, while his older brother is, well, terrified. 

After the ride, triumphantly and with laughter, the younger brother asks his sibling, “You good, Little Man?”

Four of the five ads highlight the stories of guests from different walks of life who have transformative moments at Universal’s parks in Orlando. The fifth, which Universal describes as an “anthem spot,” brings all four together.

That anthem spot has already begun appearing in media, debuting during an NFL playoff game in January. The rest will follow in the multi-channel campaign.

Universal crafted the campaign with creative agency Lucky Generals. Agency founder Danny Brooke-Taylor said the inspiration behind it was simple: the stories of real people visiting the Universal Orlando Resort.

“Imagine all the thousands of people who are going to be looking forward to an experience that only Universal can give,” he said. “They aren’t just a number. They’re people, and there’s stories there.”

Brooke-Taylor noted that the video clip of the “Lil’ Bro” brothers on Stardust Racers wasn’t acting: the older boy “genuinely is terrified.”

“That sort of speaks to the fact that we’re just trying to unearth truths and authentic stories that we would recognize,” he said.

The ads will run on NBC, the network of Universal’s parent company, Comcast, as well as across social media and digital platforms. Norsworthy said they will be aired over the course of the next six months or so.

While each of Universal’s three theme parks and its water park, Volcano Bay, are seen in the ads, Norsworthy said Epic Universe is included in each.

“It really is about the sum of the parts, but we’re continuing to introduce Epic,” she said. “We have a lot of people to reach and a pretty deep story to tell.”

It also continues the narrative Universal has been telling for the past year, that it is now a weeklong vacation destination with its multiple parks.

Norsworthy directed travel advisors to the Universal Partner Community, where they will be able to find news, information, training, tools and related assets to use in support of their businesses.Â