Super Bowl ads keep it light by using nostalgia, stars

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’s 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 more alcohol brands have jumped in to take their place.

When Super Bowl LVII kicks off Sunday night 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: Some advertisers are paying more than $7 million for a 30-second spot, and that doesn’t include the cost of making the ad itself.

This year, viewers can expect stars galore, 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.

“This year is a ‘don’t worry be happy’ year,” said Kelly O’Keefe, CEO of Brand Federation. “You name it, we’ve had it all and its put us in almost depressed situation. This year people are over it and advertisers are responding really well —there are traditional brands, traditional humor and its going to feel like just a big old group hug.”

Who’s starring?

Stars are commonplace in Super Bowl ads, but over the past few years ads have been more and more stuffed with celebrities. This year is no exception.

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.

“If you use celebrity in a smart way, it’s huge,” said Rich Weinstein, a professor at VCU Brandcenter. “But with all of these celebrities, are people going to remember who each celebrity is attached to?”