From the moment Charli D’Amelio’s shock of black hair first flashed across the screen in hummus brand Sabra’s 2020 Super Bowl ad, marketing industry observers couldn’t help but wonder: When will influencers in Big Game TV spots become the norm rather than the exception?
Some experts thought that 2022—the year influencer marketing ballooned into a $16 billion industry—would bring more influencers to in-game ads. But 2022’s ads were rather traditional, with many starring celebrities who got their starts outside the social media realm. Only one commercial showed influencers: Rakuten’s ad included the fashion influencers behind creator-led brand Favorite Daughter.
According to many influencer marketers, 2023 isn’t going to be the year of the influencer Super Bowl ad, either. Experts say that’s because of two main factors: rising influencer rates and the economic downturn. Given this, it’s more likely that fans will see influencers in digital activations running alongside the Big Game, if not on TV.