If the Superbowl ads taught us anything, it was that you can spend a lot of money for little to no recognition.
I don't know the goals of those advertisers, but I watched the game and I can't recall a single ad. I know that James Bond was advertised and that's about it.
Looking back at the ads it's easy to see why. The kitsch humor, tame themes and a safe proven formula mean that nothing stands out. A multi-million dollar 30-second slot is not the place to test new material.
Brands that stand for nothing, that risk nothing, aren't memorable and don't differentiate themselves from the competition.
The good news for professional services is that marketing itself need not be risky or controversial. The risk for a firm or team is to pick your target and stand for something that matters to them.