Earlier this year, EDO’s 2026 Women’s Sports TV Outcomes Report revealed how women’s sports have become a mainstay in TV advertising across an array of women’s sporting events ranging from international soccer to collegiate gymnastics.
This year’s NCAA women’s basketball tournament provided yet another set of data points to solidify women’s sports’ essential place in the modern media plan. Per our recent data, the average ad during this year’s tournament was 12% more effective than the average ad on primetime broadcast and cable — up 8% year-over-year.
While UCLA’s women’s basketball team snagged its first-ever NCAA title this year, QSR brands like Dairy Queen and Taco Bell hoisted the hardware between the ad breaks. Here’s a look at the brands and ads that prevailed during women’s March Madness.
Dairy Queen is the cream of the crop
The top three most effective brands at this year’s tournament all had one thing in common: they’re delicious.
Dairy Queen reigned supreme, with ads that were +489% more effective than the average ad during the women’s Big Dance. The brand’s most effective spot highlighted its new sweet and spicy Flamethrower chicken strips. Taco Bell and McDonald’s trailed the sweet treat giant at +400% and +366%, respectively.
The rest of the top 10 reflects a mix of categories. Dos Equis snagged the fourth spot with +319% greater effectiveness, representing the only alcohol advertiser on the list. Other winners include Target (+266%), M&M’s (+247%), Jeep (+239%), and Gatorade (+230%).
McDonald’s bites the competition
McDonald’s notched the tournament’s single most effective creative with an ad that was +521% more effective than the average spot that ran during the tournament. The ad promoted its limited-time-only Big Arch burger, the same one the fast food chain’s CEO Chris Kempczinski went viral for after eating it during a promo post in early February.
Elsewhere, Southwest Airlines broke through with a spot that comedically announces the brand’s pivot to assigned seating by satirizing the chaos of boarding under its old system. The ad overperformed the tournament average by 457%.
Want to learn more about what works in women’s sports TV advertising?
Women’s NCAA basketball has solidified its place as a powerful platform for advertisers, delivering significantly higher engagement and year-over-year gains in ad effectiveness. As brands like Dairy Queen and McDonald’s demonstrate, strategic creativity can turn major sporting moments into standout marketing wins.
Download our complete 2026 Women’s Sports TV Outcomes Report for detailed performance metrics across leagues, case studies of winning campaigns, and actionable insights to plan for success in 2026.