Commercials ditch politics for celebs, Taylor Swift, AI
Fans can expect celebrities and more lighthearted commercials, along with glimpses of Taylor Swift, during the Super Bowl on Sunday, as corporate advertisers avoid the recent practice of using the big game to promote social causes.
While high-priced Super Bowl commercials often play for laughs in trying to make an impression, the flashy productions can also reflect the US national mood.
Brands that previously took stands on issues such as diversity and climate change, are acknowledging that anything seen as political while attempting to market products to all consumers can be “treacherous to navigate,” said Kim Whitler, a professor at University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business and a former marketing executive at Procter & Gamble.
Budweiser in 2017 used the Super Bowl to depict Anheuser-Busch’s ABI.BR founder making the journey from Germany to America in 1857, encountering xenophobia and discrimination along the way.
This year, it will bring back the iconic Clydesdale horses to its Super Bowl commercial, while related brands like Michelob Ultra will have a lighthearted ad featuring soccer superstar Lionel Messi.
For brands that want to appeal to a younger demographic, the romance between Swift and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, which has dominated social media, could provide inspiration.
Despite some griping over attention paid to Swift during games she has attended this season, the pop megastar’s appeal has benefited the league and could do the same for brands shelling out millions for a Super Bowl commercial.
The price of a 30-second spot on CBS sold for around $7 million, according to a source familiar with the ad sales, about the same as last year.
One trend emerging in commercials and teaser videos released before the game is ensemble celebrity casts.
Bud Light will introduce the Bud Light Genie, who grants a group of friends wishes that turn a night watching football into a jam-packed adventure.
The beer brand’s return to raucous humor comes after it endured a damaging conservative boycott for featuring a transgender social media influencer in one of its ads.
Google will strike a heartwarming tone while promoting its prowess in artificial intelligence (AI), a hot topic in the tech industry.
While corporations may steer clear of potentially divisive issues, at least two nonprofits have announced Super Bowl ads.
The Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, an organization founded by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, will air its first-ever Super Bowl commercial featuring Clarence B. Jones, who helped Martin Luther King Jr. draft his “I Have a Dream” speech.
The ad comes amid rising antisemitic incidents during the Israel-Hamas war.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) will air a tense anti-cheese commercial featuring actress Edie Falco and a mother cow in distress.
Who is the halftime show?
The halftime show will be performed by eight-time Grammy Awards winner Usher, who was previously a guest of the Black Eyed Peas for their halftime show at the 2011 Super Bowl.
The 45-year-old American singer released his debut album in 1994, has sold 80 million records worldwide, and has achieved nine No. 1 singles in the US. (Reuters)