Topline
Actors, musicians, athletes and a hoard of celebrities still to be announced will fill commercial time during this year’s Super Bowl, in slots which reportedly sold out in August as brands prepare to put their best foot—and partnerships—forward.
Actors Orlando Bloom and Drew Barrymore in a Super Bowl commercial for MSC Cruises.
Key Facts
In the lead-up to the big game on Feb. 9, brands have either started to tease their ultra-expensive advertisements or released the spots in full, building anticipation for commercials that will air during what is typically the most-watched event of the year.
Daytime TV host Drew Barrymore and actor Orlando Bloom will star in the first-ever Super Bowl commercial for MSC Cruises, the brand announced with a teaser that includes Barrymore singing a rendition of Madonna’s “Holiday” while onboard a ship.
Marvel actors Chris Hemsworth and Chris Pratt will advertise Meta’s Smart Glasses, which allow users to take photos and videos, listen to music and take calls.
Hellmann’s Mayonnaise on Thursday teased a “When Harry Met Sally” reunion in a clip from its upcoming Super Bowl commercial, and the film’s stars, Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal, shared a post on Instagram teasing that they’ve “finally” reunited for “something iconic.”
In an ad for Stella Artois, retired soccer star David Beckham will get some groundbreaking news from his parents (played by actors) while they share a beer.
Post Malone (for the third time) and Shane Gillis will star in a game day ad for Bud Light.
Actors Willem Dafoe and Catherine O’Hara will play pickleball against athletes Sabrina Ionescu (WNBA), Ryan Crouser (Olympic track and field gold medalist) and Randy Moss (NFL) in a minute-long spot for Michelob Ultra.
Rapper Doja Cat, who has long been vocal about her love of Taco Bell, stars in an ad for the fast food restaurant, in which she’s seen photobombing fans in an attempt to make it into the commercial.
Adam Brody, Nick Offerman and James Harden will pay tribute to the iconic mustache of Mr. P, the Pringles mascot, in a commercial for the chip brand.
Brothers and retired NFL stars Peyton and Eli Manning will star in FanDuel’s “The Kick of Destiny 3” big game ad and will go head-to-head in a kicking competition during the FOX Super Bowl Pregame Show.
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Doja Cat in Taco Bell’s Super Bowl ad teaser.
What We Don’t Know
Nestlé-owned Coffee Mate has dropped hints that its first-ever Super Bowl ad may include a country pop star, but the brand is staying mum about who exactly it’ll be (Shania Twain and Lainey Wilson are fan-favorite guesses).
What To Watch For
Several brands that have featured celebrity spokespeople in the past will have commercials air during Super Bowl LIX, but haven’t yet teased their slots. Rocket Mortgage, which has worked with Anna Kendrick in the past; Booking.com (Tina Fey, Melissa McCarthy, Jane Krakowski, Jack McBrayer and Glenn Close); Mountain Dew (Aubrey Plaza); GoDaddy (Danica Patrick); Totino’s Pizza Rolls (Pete Davidson); Doritos (Jenna Ortega and Danny Ramirez) will all have Super Bowl commercials this year, according to AdWeek.
Big Number
$7 million. That’s how much it costs for a 30-second ad spot during the Super Bowl, according to Variety, which also reported Fox Corp sold out of its commercial slots in August. The popularity of “big game ads” have been on the rise since the first Super Bowls. In 1968, when Super Bowl II aired, commercial time sold for $150,000 a minute, according to Time, the equivalent of $1.38 million today. By 1977, advertisements cost $250,000 a minute, rising to $1 million by 1985 and $9 million per minute by 2015.
Surprising Fact
Last year’s Super Bowl, the first to be held in Las Vegas, was the most-watched TV event since the Apollo 11 moon landing. More than 123 million people watched it live, driven by intrigue around the attendance of Taylor Swift, the second-ever Super Bowl overtime, Usher’s halftime show and the Kansas City Chiefs becoming the first back-to-back Super Bowl champions in nearly two decades.
Tangent
Insurance agency State Farm canceled its planned commercial for the 2025 Super Bowl, citing the impact of the Los Angeles area wildfires. “Our focus is firmly on providing support to the people of Los Angeles. We will not be advertising during the game as originally planned,” the company said in a statement. Athletes Chris Paul, Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, JuJu Watkins and Caitlin Clark have appeared in past State Farm ads, as have actors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito, among others.
