Your Super Bowl Ad Cheat Sheet

The Big Game is almost here! Super Bowl LIX sets the stage for a star-studded rematch – with history on the line.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are headed to the big game again and are aiming to become the first team to capture three straight Super Bowl titles.

Off the field, there will be plenty of entertaining plays for the 113 million viewers. With a price tag of $7M for a 30-second TV spot, advertisers are focused on creating a multimedia experience that goes viral. That’s one reason why nearly two-thirds of this year’s ads feature celebrities. There’s a stickiness with seeing a star in an ad and advertisers leverage the celebrities’ influence to push their products.

This year, I’ll kick off the annual Super Bowl ad blog with a breakdown of the numbers, followed by my picks for the most buzzworthy spots airing during the game.

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Budweiser’s iconic Clydesdale horses have galloped into our hearts since 1975. Filmed on location at the brand’s headquarters in St. Louis, this year’s spot highlights the grit and determination of the American spirit.

The ad, beautifully shot and edited, features Jake, a Clydesdale foal. You’ll laugh and you’ll cry. Expect to see it at the top of the list of the most liked ads of the game. See it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0iKgJXy_gk

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The Manning brothers will attempt to convert field goals at 3 pm on Super Bowl Sunday. Following the result of that “Kick of Destiny” showdown, FanDuel will release two more commercials featuring the brothers that will air during the Super Bowl. Here’s one of the teaser ads: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGbfX2RbdoM

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Doritos is once again asking fans to submit their ideas for a Super Bowl ad in the return of the “Crash the Super Bowl” contest, which will pick one of the ads to run during the big game and award its creator $1 million.

The real prize is the teaser ad Doritos created to generate buzz around the campaign. The brand staged a focus group with Kansas City Chiefs’ stars Patrick Mahomes, Chris Jones, Xavier Worthy, and Creed Humphrey to pick the winning crowd sourced ad. Watching Creed Humphrey mutter “chips” and seeing Chris Jones good-naturedly roast Mahomes makes a hilarious spot! Check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Rsf2bheiCU

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Most Super Bowl commercials are designed to entertain. The direct-to-consumer telehealth company, Him & Hers, is taking a different approach. In its 60-second spot slated to air during the third quarter, the brand uses video vignettes to spotlight critical societal issues: obesity has become a national epidemic and weight loss drugs are often unaffordable. Donald Glover’s 2018 protest song, “This is America” as the soundtrack.

It’s a nod to the relentless NFL season filled with Ozempic and Wegovy GLP-1 ads. It’s worth watching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5l6QMNnqoc

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This action-packed spot brings together an all-star lineup—Willem Dafoe, Catherine O’Hara, Sabrina Ionescu, Randy Moss, and Ryan Crouser—for a pickleball showdown packed with grit, determination, and a splash of humor.

Against a backdrop of a high-stakes pickleball court, the commercial effortlessly fuses fierce competition with playful moments, as these legends battle it out, strategize, and celebrate with an ice-cold Michelob ULTRA. Click here for a laugh: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAJW_-i4-kc

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A Stella Artois ad featuring retired soccer star David Beckham, who shares a beer with his parents as they deliver groundbreaking news.

A highly anticipated Bud Light spot featuring Post Malone (for the third time) alongside actor and comedian Shane Gillis.

Rapper Doja Cat, a longtime Taco Bell fan, stars in a new ad where she playfully photobombs fans, trying to sneak into the commercial.

Comedians and actors Tim Robinson and Sam Richardson headline a Super Bowl ad for Totino’s Pizza Rolls, marking General Mills’ first Big Game spot in over a decade. Fun fact – Tim Robinson and Sam Richardson are BFFs offscreen!

Pringles returns to the game for the eighth consecutive year with a 30-second spot airing at the end of the second quarter. Embracing its iconic mustachioed theme, the ad features Adam Brody, Nick Offerman, and James Harden.

Martha Stewart and Charli XCX bridge generations of pop-culture flavors in Uber Eats‘ Super Bowl ad, playfully repeating the TikTok-trend phrase “we listen and we don’t judge” with increasingly outrageous one-liners.

A lot goes into making a buzzworthy and effective Super Bowl ad. Will this year’s spots full of celebrities and light-hearted moments capture the eyes, hearts, and wallets of consumers?