Super Bowl ads are more than just breaks between gameplay during the biggest sporting event of the year: They offer a glimpse of the country鈥檚 zeitgeist, along with how major industries are faring.
This year, crypto ads and automakers are advertising less since those industries are facing problems. Major food brands like M&Ms, tech companies like Google, streaming services including Peacock and have jumped in to take their place.
When Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Philadelphia Eagles in Glendale, Arizona, big marketers will be battling it out during the Fox broadcast as well.
Their prize? The chance to capture the attention of more than 100 million viewers expected to tune in for the big game. This price of entry is steep: , and that doesn鈥檛 include the cost of making the ad itself.
This year, viewers can expect , light humor and catchy songs. For the most part, advertisers are steering away from somber messages or outrageous humor that might have worked to capture attention in decades past, but not now, when the country is still emerging from the pandemic, facing economic uncertainty, and the war continues in Ukraine.
鈥淭his year is a 鈥榙on鈥檛 worry be happy鈥� year,鈥� said Kelly O鈥橩eefe, CEO of Brand Federation. 鈥淵ou name it, we鈥檝e had it all and its put us in almost depressed situation. This year people are over it and advertisers are responding really well 鈥攖here are traditional brands, traditional humor and its going to feel like just a big old group hug.鈥�
WHO鈥橲 STARRING?
Stars are commonplace in Super Bowl ads, but over the past few years ads have been more and more stuffed with celebrities. .
Popular celebrities offer goodwill to a brand and help it stand out from the 50-plus or so advertisers during the big game. But with so many stars in ads, it can be harder stand out in a crowded field.
鈥淚f you use celebrity in a smart way, it鈥檚 huge,鈥� said Rich Weinstein, a professor at VCU Brandcenter. 鈥淏ut with all of these celebrities, are people going to remember who each celebrity is attached to?鈥�
Big names making a splash this year: Melissa McCarthy sings a jingle for Booking.com, Miles Teller dances to hold music for Bud Light and Adam Driver makes multiples of himself for Squarespace. Avocados From Mexico enlists Anna Faris for one of the few slightly risque ads this year, that envisions a present where everyone is naked 鈥� including the Statue of Liberty. And tennis star Serena Williams stars in two ads: one for Michelob Ultra and one for Remy Martin. It鈥檚 the second year in a row she has had a presence in more than one ad: Last year, in addition to a Michelob Ultra ad, she starred in an ad for smart home-gym maker Tonal. Even hip hop mogul P. Diddy appears in an ad, in which he tries to make a hit for Uber One.
One unusual star this year: Jesus. that promote the 鈥淗e Gets Us鈥� religious message.
WHICH ADS ARE THROWBACKS?
Another tactic that advertisers use to win over viewers is recreating beloved movies and TV shows. This year, online shopping site Rakuten is making a splash by enlisting Alicia Silverstone and Elisa Donovan to recreate a scene from 90s rom-com 鈥淐lueless.鈥� Popcorners, a snack brand from Frito-Lay, brought back 鈥淏reaking Bad,鈥� which first aired in 2008, with stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul.
Other advertisers trying to capitalize on favorite content from years past: T-Mobile鈥檚 ad shows John Travolta singing a T-Mobile home internet-themed version of 鈥淪ummer Nights鈥� from 鈥淕rease鈥� with 鈥淪crubs鈥� stars Donald Faison and Zach Braff. And finally, Michelob Ultra evoked 鈥淐addyshack鈥� by setting its ad at the Bushwood Country Club that鈥檚 in the movie.
The nostalgia fits the mood of the times, Weinstein said.
鈥淐onsumers are looking for a good laugh and to feel comfortable,鈥� Weinstein said. 鈥滻t鈥檚 less about living in the problems the world faces today and more about leaning into nostalgia and having fun.鈥�
DO STUNTS WORK?
Some first-time advertisers have decided to lean into stunts and gimmicks to make their first foray into the big game stand out. The most notable is Fan Duel, live during an ad in the third quarter. If he makes it, anyone who places a Super Bowl bet of $5 or more on FanDuel will win a share of $10 million in free bets.
A blockchain-based gaming company, Limit Break, plans to run a QR code during the first commercial break of the game and will give away non-fungible tokens to people who scan it. And for its first national Super Bowl ad, Molson Coors asked people to bet on aspects of its commercial, like whether it will feature Miller Lite or Coors Light.
Kim Whitler, a professor at the Darden School of business, said stunts don鈥檛 always translate to positive sales results or brand recognition for brands.
鈥淧eople want to do stunts because stunts get attention,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut at the end of the day, the ad has to communicate something that鈥檚 unique or better about the brand.鈥�
WHICH ADS WILL BE GAME-TIME SURPRISES?
While many advertisers have released ads ahead of the game, there are always some surprises. Dunkin鈥� Donuts is running an ad that reportedly will star Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, although the brand hasn鈥檛 confirmed that. Stellantis, which owns car brands Jeep and Ram, will run two undisclosed ads. And M&Ms has kept its advertising under wraps 鈥� they鈥檙e likely to make an appearance during the game, however.
Mae Anderson, The Associated Press
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