🏆 THE BIG AD CONTEST · EXPRESSVPN · 2026
The ad that won Times Square.
Out of 12,000+ entries worldwide, this 30-second spot won ExpressVPN's The Big Ad Contest and a digital takeover of Times Square during the week of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final.
12,000+
entries worldwide
1st
place
30s
one spot
Times Square
digital takeover · World Cup Final week
The contest
ExpressVPN's The Big Ad Contest was a worldwide open brief: make the 30-second ad, judged on concept, craft, emotional impact, and brand alignment. More than 12,000 entries came in. The winning spot plays a Times Square digital takeover during the week of the 2026 World Cup Final.
The idea
“Nobody Gets In.” The internet's oldest scams, restaged as the glamorous life they promise. A Nigerian prince at a Parisian cafe. A free timeshare tour at a five-star resort. Standing between them and you every time: ExpressVPN.
How it was made
Written, directed, and produced solo by Max Kaplan in Fort Collins, Colorado, on Lore Alive's full AI production pipeline. No crew, no soundstage. It's the same pipeline behind our client spots airing nationally on Fox News and A&E.
Why it matters
A brand put a one-person AI studio's work on the biggest screens in advertising. That's the whole studio thesis proven in public. Yours takes 10–14 days.
Want one?
Branded commercials on your brief, delivered ready for paid social, OLV, or broadcast.