This year, the Super Bowl LIV, airing February 2, sold all its in-game ad inventory early for the first time in five years, with pricing for units topping out at $5.6 million per 30-second spot. To accommodate brands that were late to the game, Fox Sports added an additional “floater” ad pod to the game resulting in an extra two minutes and 30 seconds and increasing Fox’s in-game ad revenue by more than $25 million. To see how brands are taking advantage of the popular screen time, we’re taking a look at the commercials and campaigns inspired by game day.
Mountain Dew Parodies The Shining With Tracee Ellis Ross
Mountain Dew released a six-second teaser inspired by the 1980 film The Shining. Starring Tracee Ellis Ross, the full ad will reimagine one of the movie’s famous scenes and will appear in-game for 30 seconds to promote the beverage brand’s new zero-sugar variety.
Olay Campaign Pays It Forward To Girls Who Code
Olay released two Super Bowl ad teasers featuring five celebrities including Busy Phillipps, Lilly Singh, Nicole Stott, and Katie Couric. The space suit-clad group prepares to embark on their journey to space to convey the brand’s new message, which is: #MakeSpaceForWomen. For every tweet that mentions #MakeSpaceForWomen, Olay has pledged to donate $1 (up to $500,000) to Girls Who Code.
Hyundai Ad Stars Massachusetts-Born Actors
For its 12th Super Bowl presence, Hyundai will run a 60-second spot featuring Chris Evans, John Krasinki, Rachel Dratch and Boston Red Sox’s “Big Papi” Ortiz. The car maker posted a teaser video featuring Dratch coach Ortiz on nailing the Boston accent. For the first time in Hyundai’s Super Bowl history, the teaser centers on a female actress.
Anheuser-Busch InBev Celebrates Everyday American Heroes
Budweiser released its 60-second heartfelt spot a week before game day. The commercial is a compilation of Americans going about their everyday lives including a firefighter at work, a disabled woman running a marathon, people protesting and Olympians celebrating success.
Cheetos Returns To Super Bowl Screen After 11 Year Break
PepsiCo Inc.’s snack unit Frito-Lay confirmed it will run two 30-second spots for Cheetos and Doritos, respectively. The buys follow new product launches from both brands including Doritos’ Flamin’ Hot Limon and updated Cheetos Popcorn flavors, Cheddar and Flamin’ Hot.
Snickers Spot Honors 10th Anniversary Of “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry“
Snickers’ game-day ad will celebrate a decade of its longtime campaign “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry,” which the brand first aired via a spot in 2010 featuring Betty White. This marks Snickers return to the Super Bowl after a two-year hiatus—in 2017, its spot featured Adam Driver.
Toyota Ad Precedes Larger Highlander Campaign
Toyota will run a 60-second video spot featuring its new 2020 Highlander to kick off a larger campaign, which will run through mid-July. The automaker has a long history of using Super Bowls to launch new models. Its 2018 ad showcased Toyota’s shift to a mobility company and in 2019, its spot featured the 2019 RAV4.
Squarespace To Return After Year Break
Squarespace will air a 30-second spot that will be developed in-house between the first and second quarters.
Planters Celebrates Life Of Late Mr. Peanut
Planters’ Super Bowl ad will feature Wesley Snipe, Veep star Matt Walsh and the brand’s Mr. Peanut spokescharacter. A pre-game ad shows Mr. Peanut going to great lengths to save his friends from “snacking disappointment” resulting in a car crash in which Mr. Peanut dies. The brand’s 30-second spot, set to air during the third quarter, will broadcast Mr. Peanut’s funeral. Planters is giving commemorative Mr. Peanut pins to fans who can spot the NUTmobile on game day and encouraging them to show their condolences by sharing the black crying monocle and their favorite memory on social media using the hashtag #RIPeanut.
Sabra Dipping Co. To Air First Super Bowl Ad
Hummus brand Sabra has tapped an unexpected cast to star in its first Super Bowl ad including The Real Housewives of New Jersey foes Teresa Giudice and Caroline Manzo, T-Pain and RuPaul Drag Race contestants. The brand rolled out teasers ahead of its 30-second commercial, which will demonstrate how versatile hummus is today.
Porsche To Air First Ad In 23 Years
Porsche is returning to the Super Bowl to debut its new electric car, Taycan, which the luxury carmaker released in December 2019. Porsche hasn’t produced any teasers.
Coca-Cola Returns To The Main Show
Coca-Cola purchased a 60-second in-game commercial after a one-year hiatus. According to Fox Sports’ reported asking price for Super Bowl ad windows, Coca-Cola paid at least $10 million. Last year, Coca-Cola ditches its standard spot for a pre-game animated commercial.
Pringles Partners With Rick And Morty For 30-Second Spot
For its third consecutive year at the Super Bowl, Pringles teamed up Adult Swim show Rick and Morty to create a 30-second spot set to air during the second quarter of the game. The spot will pay homage to the series’ viral hit episode “Pickle Rick” which inspired Pringles’ new special edition “Pickle Rick” Pringles.
Facebook Will Air Its First Super Bowl Ad
Facebook wants to show how its groups bring people together so it’s extending its “More Together” campaign to a Super Bowl spot with cameo appearances from Sylvester Stallone and Chris Rock. A company spokesperson told CNBC that the spot will show “how people from different backgrounds come together over shared interests and experiences, all through Facebook Groups.”
SodaStream Makes Comeback With Bill Nye
This year marks SodaStream’s first Super Bowl presence in six years. A 20-second teaser of the brand’s ad features Bill Nye questioning man’s ability to send humans to Mars, with an end hinting that “something big is bubbling.” In its quest to be the most talked-about brand in Mars, Pennsylvania, SodaStream will also give fans a free SodaStream to residents of Mars who tweet at @SodaStream on game day.
Pop-Tarts Promotes New Pretzel Product With First Super Bowl Ad
Pop-Tarts has purchased a 30-second in-game slot to highlight the Pop-Tarts Pretzel unveiled in November 2019. The spot will feature Queer Eye’s Jonathan Van Ness.
General Motors To Showcase All-Electric Hummer With Spot Featuring Lebron James
General Motors (GM) has called on Lebron James to promote its all-electric Hummer pickup truck in a spot set to air during the game. The Wall Street Journal reported that GM has plans to sell its revamped Hummer in early 2022.
Heinz To Air 30-Second Spot Focused On Ketchup
After a hiatus spanning from 2017-2019, Heinz is making its Super Bowl comeback with a spot that features its ketchup and new condiment, HoneyRacha. Heinz also announced on Twitter than it’s giving prizes to fans whose Heinz Matchup bottles match the game’s final score.
TurboTax To Extend New Integrated Campaign At Super Bowl
An official sponsor of the NFL, TurboTax will air a 45-second spot centered on the message that “all people are tax people.” An array of people described as “baby birthing” and “tattoo removing” are shown to show the fact that “People can be good at anything…even taxes.”
Pepsi To Debut Matte Black Pepsi Zero Sugar Can
To promote its new matte black finish can, Pepsi will give everyone in America free Pepsi Zero Sugar if the game ends in zero. Starting February 1, the new cans will be available on all JetBlue flights and this spring, all 546 Regal theaters will carry it.