“Some moments are priceless.”
Fort Worth-based Bison Coolers
…. reflecting on the company’s Google Super Bowl ad appearance, via LinkedIn.
Despite the Cowboys missing out on Super Bowl LIX, a Fort Worth family business scored big during the championship game. Bison Coolers, founded by former Southwest Airlines employee Jeremy Denson in 2011, was featured in Google’s “50 States, 50 Stories” campaign highlighting how small businesses use AI technology and the tech giant’s Gemini for Workspace.
The opportunity almost slipped away when Denson initially dismissed Google’s email as a routine update while at a trade show, according to the Dallas Business Journal. But a follow-up message caught his attention—and set off a whirlwind of preparation. With just weeks to prepare their new Fort Worth industrial park location for filming, the Bison team “hustled nights and weekends” to get camera-ready by early December.
The Super Bowl ad, which aired after Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show, showcased how the 12-employee company uses Google’s Workspace Gemini AI tools for everything from product descriptions to social media content, Google told us. But perhaps the most touching moment happened off-camera—when the Bison team gathered to watch their ad air, complete with tears and hugs.
“Being a part of this campaign is just a huge blessing for a small family-run business like ourselves,” Denson says in the Dallas Business Journal. And with Google planning to promote these stories throughout 2025, this North Texas-made success story might just be getting started.
Since its founding, Bison has carved out a niche in the premium cooler market with its rotational-molded five-day outdoor coolers, built for extreme durability. The American-made product line ranges from everyday 25-quart coolers perfect for fishing trips to massive 150-quart models for serious outdoor expeditions. The company has also expanded into soft coolers with a SoftPak line for portable cooling.
The timing and exposure couldn’t be better for the family-owned business. Three of Bison’s main competitors — ORCA, Otterbox, and Kong — have recently exited the cooler space, according to Fort Worth Magazine. “It was just one of those moments you feel you’re living in a dream,” Denson told the publication, adding “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
For more of who said what about all things North Texas, check out Every Last Word.
Don’t miss what’s next. Subscribe to Dallas Innovates.
Track Dallas-Fort Worth’s business and innovation landscape with our curated news in your inbox Tuesday-Thursday.
