This year’s Super Bowl is inducing a lot of déjà vu, not just on the field—where the Chiefs and Eagles will battle for the Lombardi Trophy for the second time in three years—but also in ad breaks, where brands will repeat oft-played Big Game commercial tactics.
Celebrities, nostalgia, sight gags and just overall silliness will dominate the commercials yet again. If you like aliens or flying facial hair, this game is for you.
There are a few new twists to look out for. AI is poised to make its biggest splash yet, just not in the ad-making process. More automakers are staying on the sidelines. There is plenty of food advertising, as usual, though not as many sweets brands (which rushed into last year’s game). Marketers, for the most part, still don’t seem comfortable putting influencers in their Big Game ads, but plenty of brands are deploying them on the ground in New Orleans.
Below, a closer look at what to watch on Sunday.
Playing it safe
Advertisers seem to share one goal this year—don’t get into trouble. While there are plenty of weird ads—including two with flying facial hair (eyebrows for Little Caesars and mustaches for Pringles)—brands are avoiding anything that could be remotely seen as political. Those who are pushing causes are highlighting issues that would seemingly have widespread support. Dove’s ad, which features a cute 3-year-old girl running, focuses on the obstacles to keeping girls in sports, for instance, while pharmaceutical brand Novartis is making the case for breast cancer screening.