System1 Super Bowl LIX Tracker

Advertising’s biggest night is just around the corner! What will Super Bowl LIX bring? We’re tracking all of the brands and agencies that will participate in the Big Game, complete with a look back at the creative themes and trends that have served advertisers well, plus predictions and hopes for February 9th.

Don’t miss the insights below, plus our upcoming webinar recapping the ads predicted to drive the greatest commercial impact, based on our Test Your Ad platform.

In a League of its Own

NFL & 72andSunny 

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the NFL is using the Super Bowl to promote the league.  In 2024, the NFL’s commercial, “Born to Play,” achieved 4.3-Stars and landed in 6th place on System1’s ranking of top gameday ads. But wait, there’s more! 

The NFL and its longstanding agency partner 72andSunny have already marked a milestone for Super Bowl LIX. The ad “Somebody | It Takes All of Us” scored an ‘Exceptional’ 5.6-Stars in Test Your Ad, making it the first 5-Star Super Bowl LIX ad and the first 5-Star Big Game commercial since 2023. The ad features NFL players mentoring children through the NFL’s various partnerships, like Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Special Olympics and the InSide Out Initiative, helping them reaffirm their confidence by reciting the powerful affirmation “I Am Somebody”. 

Will Beer Have a Brand-building Win?

The Super Bowl is arguably beer’s biggest night for advertising. This year, numerous AB InBev-owned brands are joined by Coors Light. Which will quench viewers’ thirst? Read on to learn more about the forthcoming campaigns.

Michelob ULTRA & Wieden+Kennedy

Last year Michelob ULTRA took home the top spot in our Big Game rankings with a strong 4.8-Star ad featuring one of the biggest football stars, or should we say futbol? Lionel Messi’s soccer skills captivated audiences.

This year, Michelob is again putting sports in the spotlight with a commercial set on the pickleball court. The ad features actors Willem Defoe and Catherine O’Hare dominating the court and winning refreshing ULTRAs as a result. Tapping into humor, the buzz around the sport and two well-known figures who are fresh off roles in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is the perfect combination for an effective ad.

Read our Ad Of The Week write-up here.

Bud Light & Anomaly

In addition to Michelob ULTRA, numerous other AB InBev brands will be showing up, including Bud Light. Longtime fan and brand partner Post Malone, who has previously appeared in the brand’s Super Bowl commercials, is back again. This time, he’s helping to bring the energy to a cul-de-sac party.

In 2024, celebrity appearances in Super Bowl ads reached an all-time high, featuring in 50% of all commercials. Celebrity spokespeople, or “hired devices,” can be a vehicle for entertainment, especially humor. But it’s important that famous faces don’t overshadow the brand. After all, you want viewers to remember what you’re selling, not just who’s featured. Our blog breaks down tips for success when casting celebrities in ads.

Budweiser

What’s that sound? It’s the clip-clopping of the Clydesdales’ hooves! Perhaps the most iconic distinctive asset featured in Super Bowl ads, the horses are a powerful fluent device, a recurring character that’s at the center of the story and quickly signals the Budweiser brand. They’ve been featured consistently since 1986, a smart move considering the long-term brand-building power that fluent devices bring to advertising.  

This year’s ad centers the story around the youngest horse in the herd with a well-matched soundtrack that carries the narrative from the farm to the bar, reinforcing Budweiser’s messaging of “Delivering Since 1876.” 

In fact, Super Bowl ads featuring fluent devices achieve an average of 3.9 Stars in long-term effectiveness, with exceptional short-term sales potential. This means they outperform ads featuring celebrities. Explore the characters vs. celebrities debate in more detail here.  

Stella Artois & Artists Equity

Stella Artois leans into its ongoing relationship with David Beckham, putting him at the center of a humorous narrative – his family reveals he has a long-lost brother who lives stateside. Who is the ‘other David’?! It’s the perfect teaser to get people talking. David Schwimmer, Dave Chappelle or perhaps David Hasselhoff? 

In the full-length ad, Beckham heads to America to meet his long-lost brother. Stella go for the element of surprise, revealing that the ‘other David’ is actually played by Matt Damon. Thankfully, both Beckham and Damon’s ‘David’ enjoy Stella Artois. The ad closes with a playful comment on how famous Beckham is – Matt Damon level? No, he’s more at Ben Affleck level, to which Damon replies “that’s a shame.”

Don’t worry – Affleck gets his own moment to shine in Dunkin’s ad this year.

Busch Light

AB InBev-owned Busch Light has confirmed it will run an ad this year. The Busch Guy is back, along with NASCAR driver Ross Chastain.

Newcomers Take the Field

With millions of viewers tuned in, the Super Bowl offers an unprecedented opportunity in the spotlight. This year there are numerous newcomers who are hoping to make their mark. These include:  

Instacart & TBWA\Chiat\Day 

Despite being a first-time Super Bowl advertiser, Instacart is digging into the Super Bowl archives. The brand’s ad features a cast of familiar characters. There’s the white horse from Snickers’ 2017 Super Bowl spot, Isaiah Mustafa from the beloved Old Spice “Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign, the Pillsbury doughboy and a wiener dog dressed like a hot dog in an homage to a former Kraft Heinz Super Bowl ad. And let’s not forget Mountain Dew’s “puppy monkey baby”!

It’s a unique approach. We’ve seen a few other instances of brand collaborations, like 2023’s series of GM ads featuring Will Ferrell dropped into Netflix shows. The key challenge for Instacart will be whether their brand can stand out among the other well-known fluent devices. 

On Running & Flower Shop

Shoe brand On is airing its first Super Bowl spot starring part-owner and tennis star Roger Federer and Sesame Street’s Elmo. On takes a unique approach, leveraging Elmo to highlight how the brand spells its name. “Hired devices,” especially borrowed IP who audiences already know and love, can be an effective asset for advertisers. Who doesn’t love Elmo?!

Häagen-Dazs & nice&frank 

Things are heating up for one of America’s favorite ice-cream brands as it approaches its first Big Game commercial. Häagen-Dazs has dropped a short teaser but they’re only giving us a small spoonful of what’s to come. We see a car revving its engine and equipped with a branded license plate frame. Is there a mystery celebrity at the wheel? 

In fact, there are two! Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez, long-time collaborators on the Fast & Furious films are racing down the highway. A Häagen-Dazs ice cream bar helps them slow down and enjoy the convertible ride, much to the disappointment of co-star Ludacris, who is baffled that they aren’t keeping pace in the high-speed chase!

Ritz & The Martin Agency  

It might be hard to believe that cracker brand Ritz has never aired a Super Bowl ad, despite its 90-year history. Perhaps because we know and love the work that Mondelez-owned brand OREO has showcased at the game. This year, Ritz joins the party with help from The Martin Agency.  

The spot stars Aubrey Plaza, Michael Shannon and Bad Bunny, who are all part of the Ritz Salty Club – no smiles allowed here! The ad plays off of Aubrey Plaza’s history playing sarcastic and emotional characters – she refers to herself in the ad as “the human version of Monday.” Michael Shannon, who has also portrayed characters with salty personalities, laments that when he smiles, people assume it’s a glitch. It closes with “Loved by everyone, even the saltiest.”

Bosch & Droga5  

During the Consumer Electronics Show, Bosch announced it would air its first Big Game commercial with agency-of-record Droga5. The innovation-forward spot is consistent with the brand’s previous work, leaning into the #LikeaBosch positioning. In the ad, Antonio Banderas and Randy “Macho Man” Savage showcase Bosch’s appliances and tools.

NerdWallet & Deutsch  

Fintech brand NerdWallet is debuting at the Super Bowl with support from Deutsch. Traditionally a home to beer, auto and CPG brands, the Big Game is increasingly a showcase for tech brands, both B2C and B2B. The teaser promised something BIG and the full-length ad certainly delivered, with a talking beluga whale that supposedly has the IQ of a human genius, according to a cruise tour guide. When a man drops his phone into the water, the whale, voiced by Kieran Culkin, emphasizes how genius it is to help NerdWallet identify the perfect credit card. 

MSC Cruises & Highdive  

The star-studded teasers continue, with MSC Cruises booking actors Drew Barrymore and Orlando Bloom for a trip aboard their ship MSC World America. Drew’s putting on a performance, playing the piano and singing “Holiday” by Madonna, but Orlando doesn’t seem impressed. Also on the ticket is Highdive to help the brand launch its first national advertising campaign.  

Cirkul 

The billion-dollar reusable water bottle market is tapping into consumer demand with bold colors, innovative collaborations (see Stanley x Wicked, Stanley x Barbie, Stanley x [insert buzzy partner here]), and new features. Cirkul addresses that final point particularly well, with flavored cartridges and compatible bottles to make water everyone’s favorite beverage.  

The brand is debuting its first-ever Super Bowl ad this year, developed in-house, with the help of actor Adam Devine. In the spot, his wife asks him to pick up more Cirkul pouches and Devine uses his voice assistant to help him out. This leads to an accidental order of 100,000 Cirkul starter kits, which the brand is giving away as part of a randomized drawing for those who visit its website. 

Fetch Rewards 

Fetch, a shopping rewards app, has committed to a 30-second spot for its first Big Game ad. Big being the operative word. Fetch plans to give away $10,000 per second following the game’s 4th quarter 2-minute warning. To get the word out, the brand is already promoting the campaign through an early-release teaser. Like Cirkul, Fetch has an in-house team developing the creative.  

Novartis & Merkley and Partners 

Last year Pfizer and Astellas Pharma turned up at the game, with Pfizer smashing the pharma category average in System1’s Premium database. This year, Novartis has confirmed it will get in the game with a spot from Merkley and Partners that supports breast cancer awareness. “Your Attention, Please” will star actress and singer Hailee Steinfeld and comedian and breast cancer survivor Wanda Sykes.  

Hims & Hers 

Telehealth company Hims & Hers is launching its first-ever Super Bowl campaign, with work developed by its in-house creative team. It’s tackling a tough yet important topic: obesity in America. The ad showcases Hims’ affordable and accessible weight-loss solutions, backed by Donald Glovers’ song “This is America.” 

Playing the Long Game with Consistency  

System1’s recent report, “The Magic of Compound Creativity” found that consistency enables brands to compound creative’s impact, leading to more brand and business effects. Backed by IPA data, our analysis reveals that advertisers dedicated to long agency tenures, ad wear in and repeated use of creative assets, positioning and themes achieve better quality creative, helping them drive long-term brand building and short-term sales gains.  

We won’t know for sure until all of the ads debut, but the brands below have the potential to make their mark with consistency.   

Reese’s & Erich & Kallman 

Reese’s has long been committed to leveraging its distinctive brand assets across its marketing, and this approach pays off. The bold pops of orange and brown help drive quick brand recognition, while the unmistakable voice of actor Will Arnett brings punchy narration to the ads. During last year’s game, Reese’s 4.7-Star ad featured slapstick humor and retained Arnett’s voiceover to cleverly break the fourth wall. It ranked #2 among all Super Bowl LVIII ads on long-term brand-building potential.  

In 2025, Erich & Kallman are back again to hopefully help the chocolate brand repeat 2024’s success. And this time, they’re promoting the recently launched Reese’s Chocolate Lava Big Cup, offering a molten surprise inside.  

Jeep & Highdive 

This year’s game is proving to be a departure for the auto industry, a detour on a path less traveled if you will. The Super Bowl is typically filled with car ads competing for attention. Thus far, Jeep is the only automaker to confirm it will be returning.  

Jeep has previously stood out in System1’s testing, with its 5.2-Star ad in 2020 featuring Bill Murray trapped in another Groundhog Day, though this time delighted to drive his Jeep Gladiator. In 2023, the brand put EV messaging in the driver’s seat with a catchy musical number featuring the animal kingdom. That spot scored 4.3-Stars. Both were from the creative minds at Highdive and the longtime agency partner is returning this year to support the Stellantis-owned brand.  

Hellmann’s & VML 

Hellmann’s know a thing or two about entertainment and effectiveness at the Super Bowl – System1’s testing proves it (see report for the #3 Super Bowl LVIII ad “Mayo Cat” here). They consistently promote their “Make Taste, Not Waste” positioning, one of a few brands using the Super Bowl stage to promote purpose. The simple message of using Hellmann’s mayo to make leftovers taste great is easy to understand, and when coupled with celebrity appearances and humor, it delivers long-term brand-building potential.  

VML credits the long-term strategy for consistently growing sales and share year over year during the campaign’s run. VML is returning with bold work referencing THAT scene from When Harry Met Sally. Appearances from the leads Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal (clad in the coziest sweater ever!) evoke nostalgia, and the surprise addition of Sydney Sweeney keeps the laughs coming. 

FanDuel & Wieden+Kennedy  

FanDuel first rolled the dice on a Super Bowl spot in 2023 with its “Kick of Destiny” that allowed bettors to wager on whether Rob Gronkowski would make a live field goal attempt. Gronk returned for another kick in 2024. You might bet money on Gronk returning for a third year in a row, but you’d be wrong. This year, there’s a twist – the beloved Manning brothers are competing to see if either will be able to hit the 25-yard field goal. Wieden+Kennedy are back for the three-peat while we sit on the edge of our seats to see who the victor is. 

The Servant Foundation & Lerma

The Servant Foundation’s “He Gets Us” campaign for its third year in a row. Dallas-based agency will once again support, this time for a spot titled “What is Greatness?”

Booking.com & Zulu Alpha Kilo 

The travel platform is set to debut its fourth consecutive Big Game commercial. In 2023, its ad featuring actress Melissa McCarthy hit impressive metrics across the board in System1’s testing. In 2024, a commercial featuring Tina Fey helped the brand hit even higher scores for short-term sales potential and brand recognition. Booking.com understand the value of wear-in, as the ad is still airing.

This will also be agency Zulu Alpha Kilo’s fourth time supporting Bookin.com on gameday. The spot brings more familiar faces to the screen, though it’s The Muppets rather than Hollywood actors. The Muppets drive positive feelings and humor as they try to find the right accommodation for their needs. Will borrowing well-known IP interfere with brand recognition for Booking.com? Our testing will reveal the answer.  

Dove & Ogilvy 

It might be hard to believe that 2024 was Unilever-owned Dove’s Big Game debut. After all, we’ve grown accustomed to seeing the brand’s impactful and inspiring Real Beauty campaigns in print, OOH, TV and digital media. Its “Hard Knocks” ad focused on the importance of keeping girls in sports. This year, Dove is reupping on its Super Bowl investment and again working with the team at Ogilvy to continue sharing this message and promoting its Body Confident Sport program. 

It’s ad “These Legs” is a heartwarming look at the world through the eyes of a child. We see a 3-year-old running down a sidewalk, with Dove noting she believes she is unstoppable. This is contrasted by the fact that at 14, she will find her legs unbearable, as 50% of girls quit sports because they are criticized for their body type. The message is on brand for Dove, which has made its commitment to young girls and women clear through its campaign.

Skechers 

Skechers has been walking the Super Bowl walk for the better part of 2024, as it was the first brand to announce it had committed to an ad buy for 2025. This will be the 12th appearance for Skechers, which has utilized its in-house creative agency, SKX Studios, to develop celebrity-filled spots that put right-brained elements like humor and music at the forefront. Of the last three games, the Willie Nelson-themed “On the Road Again” from 2022 scored best at 4.3-Stars, with Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart close behind in 2023 with 4-Stars.  

This year, the celebrity spokesperson trend continues, with a bit of a twist in honor of the Big Game. The brand enlists the help of Andy Reid, head coach for the Kansas City Chiefs. In the spot, Reid announces he has a side hustle as a hand model. After discovering Skechers hands-free slip-in shoes, he’s loving not having to use his hands as much.

Characters Get their Uniforms On

Celebrities get much of the fanfare on Super Bowl Sunday, but brand-owned characters, coined as fluent devices by System1 Chief Innovation Officer Orlando Wood, are valuable assets that deserve their time to shine. Below, we take a look at the ads that have the greatest potential to feature brand characters.  

Little Caesars & McKinney 

Since 1959, the pizza chain has featured its miniature Caesar in its marketing as well as the “Pizza! Pizza!” slogan. The Big Game spot promotes the brand’s handheld Crazy Puffs, with a bit of help from Eugene Levy and daughter Sarah Levy. In the ad, Eugene’s eyebrows take flight as he enjoys the delicious taste of Crazy Puffs. There’s plenty of prominent orange branding and Caesar early on, and the ad closes with Caesar and his sonic branding. 

Disney+ 

Few Super Bowl ads emotionally resonate enough with viewers to achieve 5-Stars in our testing. In fact, none of 2024’s Big Game ads were able to do so. But in 2023, Disney’s 100th anniversary celebration hit 5.3-Stars, thanks in large part to its familiar cast of distinctive brand assets – its characters. 

Disney+ is once again putting characters with agency at the forefront of its ad, “What If.” Narrated by Frozen’s Josh Gad, the ad imagines a world where Disney characters didn’t do all the amazing things they’re known for, and then assures us that all is well in the world – there is a galaxy far, far away, Elsa did ‘let it go’ and the Avengers did assemble. And all of it is available to stream on Disney+.

Totino’s Pizza Rolls & Dentsu 

The General Mills-owned brand is hoping to heat things up with the return of Chazmo, an alien that appeared in its fall campaign alongside actors and comedians Tim Robinson and Sam Richardson. In that ad, Robinson and Richardson brought the laughs, which were juxtaposed with Chazmo’s more serious tone.  

This time, the out-of-this-world character has a massive mishap with his alien ship, getting caught with his bag of pizza rolls when the doors attempt to close. Is it already the death of Chazmo? We hope not! 

What’s On the Menu?

QSRs and CPG brands are seasoned players, leveraging the Big Game to get stomachs growling and mouths watering. This year, delivery is also an option, with DoorDash and Uber Eats both confirming they’ll be returning. Meanwhile, HexClad has confirmed that it will be the first cookware brand to advertise during the Super Bowl.

DoorDash & Wieden+Kennedy Portland & Superette 

DoorDash brought the creativity for 2024’s game, with a challenge for viewers to visit a complex URL to enter to win every item advertised during the game. “DoorDash All the Ads” was a first-of-its-kind activation and went on to be awarded the Titanium Grand Prix at Cannes Lions.  No easy feat!  

In 2025, DoorDash and its in-house creative studio Superette are again partnering with Wieden+Kennedy Portland. The ad puts the spotlight on DashPass, the brand’s delivery subscription service. They’ve recruited comedian Nate Bargatze to crunch some numbers on how much he saves with DashPass. But the math isn’t math-ing quite so well, as we see Bargatze try to rationalize that his delivery savings mean he’s free to lavishly spend on other things. From clones of himself to an opera singer who sings him compliments to a horse, there are some extravagant and questionable purchases. 

Poppi & Virtue

Poppi is back in the Big Game with its 2^nd national spot. After introducing audiences to its gut-healthy soda, Popi is taking a bit of a different approach this year. The brand has tapped content creators Alix Earle, Jake Shane, and Rob Rausch to showcase the delicious taste of its sodas. Allison Ellsworth, co-founder of the challenger brand, recently appeared on the Uncensored CMO podcast to talk about her experience showcasing the brand on Shark Tank, Poppi’s recent launch in Target and how to break into a competitive market. Listen here.

Dunkin’ & Artists Equity 

Dunkin’ is back with brand ambassador Ben Affleck, with a bit of help from brother Casey Affleck and another Boston-native, Jeremy Strong. The teaser humorously plays up Strong’s method acting approach, with the brothers discovering him in a large Dunkin vat filled with coffee grounds in order to prepare for his role in the commercial. Casey even quips that the antics confirm they should’ve paid for Matt Damon instead.

Also returning is the DunKings bright orange wardrobe, a great approach to drive Fluency (brand recognition).

Will Strong’s addition give Dunkin’ a second appearance at the top of the charts for System1? In 2024, the DunKings delivered the brand the top Super Bowl spot when ranked according to Spike Rating, which predicts short-term sales potential in the 8-10 weeks post airing. We’ll have to wait and see!

STōK Cold Brew Coffee & Maximum Effort

From fast-casual coffee via Dunkin’ to at-home cold brew with STōK. The brand is back with support from Maximum Effort, to transport viewers to English football team Wrexham’s locker room. Rather than team co-owners Ryan Reynold and Rob McElhenney, the brand brings on actor and dancer Channing Tatum to get the players’ celebration dances in proper shape, all to the tune of “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now).” While it’s not American football on display, we’ve seen soccer references work well in the past, particularly with Michelob ULTRA’s Messi-backed ad in 2024.

Pringles & FCB New York 

You might argue that with 8 consecutive Super Bowl appearances that Pringles deserves a feature in the consistency group. Though, this year does mark a new creative direction with a new agency, FCB New York. Thankfully, the familiar Julius Pringle is featured, and there are plenty more mustaches in the mix!

Pringles first released a few famous silhouettes in anticipation of the Super Bowl ad, then later revealed them to be Adam Brody, Nick Offerman and James Harden in a series of teasers. The full length ad, “The Call of The Mustaches” puts a fun twist on how you can summon another can of Pringles when you run out. We see mustaches take to the air to try and save the day. A few fun celebrity appearances and plenty of humor!

Uber Eats & Special Group U.S.

Last year, Uber Eats showcased it was deeply dialed in to pop culture trends. The brand hyped their forthcoming celebrity-filled ad with a teaser featuring David Beckham and Victoria Beckham, shortly after the success of the former soccer player’s Netflix documentary. The result? A 3.7-Star ad with ‘Exceptional’ short-term sales potential.  

Perhaps it’s no surprise that the brand is repeating the cultural references approach, tapping into Martha Stewart (another Netflix doc darling) and Charli XCX (the queen of “brat summer”) for a series of teasers. And another point for consistency. Matthew McConaughey is back after an appearance in the brand’s NFL ad from the fall. 

The full-length ad is a continuation of McConaughey’s campaign storyline, featuring his belief that football was created to make people hungry and sell more food. He’s the perfect fit for an outlandish conspiracy theory, as he’s an avid football fan and known for taking on quirky and over-the-top roles in his acting career. This time, he has Stewart and Charli XCX in on it, noting footballs are called pigskin, William ‘Refrigerator’ Perry has a convenient nickname, the halftime show is presented by an Apple and the Caesars Superdome is inspired by a salad. A creative idea from start to finish, or should we say from starter to dessert?!

Lay’s & Highdive

Lay’s last appeared at the Big Game in 2022 with the help of Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen. In System1’s testing, “Stay Golden” achieved a near-perfect Fluency Rating with 99% of viewers recognizing the brand. The ad also scored ‘Exceptional’ on short-term sales potential. Here’s hoping 2025’s creative is a chip off the old block in terms of effectiveness!  

The new spot goes a different route – forgoing celebrities for a character-led narrative on a family-owned farm. We see a young girl, the “Little Farmer,” as she plants a small potato and helps it grow into a spud worthy of the harvest. The ad sweetly delivers the message that Lay’s sources its potato chips from family farms across the country. It’s a masterclass in strong storytelling, characters and ‘betweenness’ (connection) and the power of a melodic soundtrack – all right-brained elements that System1’s Orlando Wood promotes for long-term brand building.

Mountain Dew & Goodby, Silverstein & Partners 

PepsiCo’s Mountain Dew is back for its 7th Super Bowl appearance with Goodby, Silverstein & Partners returning following last year’s creative featuring Aubrey Plaza. This year, singer Seal is the star and he’s an actual seal, singing a Mountain Dew version of “Kiss from a Rose.” It’s a lot to unpack – in a good way! After all, if you’re going to push boundaries, the Super Bowl is the perfect stage for weird humor and unbelievable ideas. 

Doritos & Goodby, Silverstein & Partners 

Originally founded in 2006, “Crash the Super Bowl” is a Frito-Lay run contest that seeks fan-made commercials to be featured during the Big Game. From 2006 to 2016, Doritos held eight editions of the campaign and collected nearly 40,000 entries. In 2024, the brand revived the contest and has now narrowed the field down to three ads. 

Our very own Andrew Tindall put the contest finalists’ work to the test with our Test Your Ad platform to showcase which creative would offer the greatest emotional engagement and payoff for Doritos. We’ll be tuning in on game night to see if the spot with the highest commercial potential, “Abduction,” is the winner.  

Taco Bell

Like Doritos, Taco Bell is putting faith in its fans for this year’s Super Bowl commercial, and welcoming back a former collaborator. The fast-food chain installed photo booths at its drive-thrus across the country to collect fan footage that will be incorporated into a yet-to-be-revealed narrative. Helping out is Doja Cat, who previously appeared in the brand’s 2022 Super Bowl ad.  

Nerds & Digitas Chicago 

If last year’s Super Bowl spot didn’t convince you that Nerds Gummy Clusters are perhaps the greatest candy invention of the last quarter century, then maybe Nerds’ repeat appearance in 2025 will. With sales over the last 5 years skyrocketing from $50 million to $500 million, it’s safe to say that candy category growth is getting sweeter.  

This year, the brand’s ad features singer Shaboozey. We see him walking along the French Quarter of New Orleans, eating Nerds Gummy Clusters. A jazz band emerges, and a giant gummy has joined to play a tune. As Shaboozey sings “What a Wonderful World,” the colorful Nerd characters emerge and affix themselves to Gummy.

HexClad & Rosewood Creative 

Cookware brand HexClad is making its Super Bowl debut with a celebrity-studded and out-of-this-world ad. Renowned chef Gordon Ramsay arrives at Area 51 with a very specific mission: to cook for a new “foodie” alien species. The test kitchen tour reveals that HexClad pans are actually top-secret alien cooking technology derived from a spacecraft discovered 8 years ago. But that’s not the only surprise. Pete Davidson makes an appearance, revealing that he’s actually an alien.

Rosewood Creative helped develop the spot. HexClad’s announcement notes that Rosewood’s creative philosophy is rooted “in the belief that stories gain more traction and drive deeper engagement when they transcend traditional channels and conventional 30-second spots.”

Liquid Death

Challenger water brand Liquid Death, which is known to push boundaries with its creative, will be airing its first Super Bowl ad this year, developed in house. The brand has expanded into additional SKUs with iced tea and sparkling water, further proving its dominance and brand-building power.  

System1’s Jon Evans interviewed Liquid Death founder and CEO Mike Cessario on the Uncensored CMO podcast. Listen to the episode to learn more about the benefits of being an outsider, how to create an innovative brand and how Liquid Death has previously leveraged the Super Bowl to entertain. Both will be participating in a panel at SXSW. More on that here. 

Tools Take Center Stage

If your app or service is only a click or download away, the Super Bowl can help drive web traffic, downloads and sales. Here, we dive deeper into the brands that are promoting useful tools and products during the game.  

Tubi & Mischief 

Tubi’s 2023 broadcast interruption had fans scrambling for the TV remote, only to be surprised by the reveal that it was actually an ad promoting the streaming service. Tubi also showcased an ad that took viewers down the rabbit hole of its content offerings. The campaign, created in partnership with Mischief, went on to win a top honor, the Grand Effie in the U.S. in May 2024.  

After skipping out on the 2024 game, Tubi is back again with the hopes of going down in history as one of the top moments of the night. Mischief is also along for the wild ride. The teaser isn’t giving much away, but that’s certainly careful planning on their part. It shows a couple learning their baby is a boy and will be featured in a Big Game commercial. We’re sure to be surprised on Feb. 9.  

Salesforce

Salesforce is back in the Big Game, confirming it will air 2 spots this year. Brand partner Matthew McConaughey, who has appeared in numerous other Salesforce ads, is featured in the first commercial. The ad promotes Agentforce, a tool for building AI customer service agents for businesses. To get the message across, Salesforce has dropped McConaughey into a rather rainy scenario to showcase what can go wrong when restaurants don’t have AI managing their reservations. Frequent collaborator and best friend Woody Harrelson is a nice addition to the story.

Homes.com & RPA 

After its Super Bowl LVII debut for Homes.com and Apartments.com, the real estate brand will feature creative led by RPA. Two celebrity-backed spots will air, though it remains to be seen if Dan Levy and Heidi Gardner will return. Either way, we hope the ads lean into humor, a powerful creative feature for engaging audiences.  

Rocket & Mirimar 

Rocket returns to the Super Bowl after a brief hiatus in 2023 and 2024. This time, they’re using the spot as a way to introduce a new creative idea, going beyond just mortgages and financial transactions. This comes on the heels of Rocket’s January brand refresh as a homeownership company focused on helping everyone realize the American dream. The teaser paints an inspiration picture of ‘bringing America home,’ marking a distinct departure from its humorous 2022 ad highlighting the Barbie Dream House.  

WeatherTech & Pinnacle Advertising 

WeatherTech is revving up for its 13th Super Bowl spot. Traditionally focused on a salesmanship approach, putting its products front and center, the brand had previously promised that this year’s commercial, created with Pinnacle Advertising, would deliver something different. “Born to be Wild” was described as an “action-packed music video inspired story.”

In the ad, we see four grannies driving down a highway in a convertible as a classic rock soundtrack plays. They’re up to a few surprising antics, like spray painting the side of a semi-truck and breakdancing.

It’s a bold showmanship approach and also a rare example of a brand putting older characters in the spotlight. Our Wise Up! report explores the issue of age in advertising in more detail. 

GoDaddy & Quality Meats and in-house team 

GoDaddy is making its return after 8 years. To promote GoDaddy Airo, its AI offering for e-commerce, the brand is enlisting the help of actor Walton Goggins, who is set to star in the highly anticipated third season of The White Lotus. The teaser saw Walton setting up his very own business selling eyewear. After all, alliterative product launches are amazing and Walton Goggins’ Goggle Glasses are going to be all the rage. 

The Super Bowl ad sees Goggin in a few different on-set scenarios, where he notes he has no idea what he’s doing – he’s not a skilled detective or race car driver. And it’s ok if he’s a small business owner who doesn’t know how to manage important tasks like building a logo, website or social content. Because GoDaddy Airo is here to help.

TurboTax & R/GA 

Just like the Super Bowl, tax season comes around every year. TurboTax is here to save us (our mental health and our money!) with its 12th consecutive Super Bowl ad showcasing its tax services. Agency-of-record R/GA is helping to promote the brand’s new “Now This is Taxes” platform, which includes messaging around its assisted tax filing service powered by AI. (Editor’s Note: We promise ChatGPT isn’t writing this Super Bowl tracker!) 

In the spot, Issa Rae showcases the traditional approach to doing your taxes: difficult and frustrating. We cut to Issa on a lounger, using her TurboTax app to speak with an expert. It’s a departure from TurboTax’s focus on free filing, but consistent with the brand’s previous work of leveraging celebrities to showcase its services.

Squarespace

Web hosting platform Squarespace will air its 11th Super Bowl ad, created in house. Previous appearances have involved numerous versions of actor Adam Driver and an alien invasion, directed and starring Martin Scorsese. In the lead up to the game, Squarespace dropped a teaser titled featuring a man riding a donkey, complete with a bagpipe soundtrack. This was later revealed to be Barry Keoghan, in a longer teaser featuring the Irish actor and a donkey whose website he was helping to create with Squarespace. 

The final ad sees Keoghan taking on a modern-day paper boy role, but instead of newspapers, he’s delivering laptops to local businesses featuring their beautifully designed Squarespace websites. Even if that means breaking a window or two.

Many B2B ads focus closely on the features of their products and services, leaving little space for storytelling and humor. Not the case for Squarespace!

Ray-Ban, Meta

Ray-Ban and Meta are calling in the superheroes to help promote their futuristic frames. Chris Pratt and Chris Hemsworth, both from the Marvel cinematic universe, appeared in teasers for the Super Bowl spot.

In the final ad, they’re joined by another well-known celebrity who shares their first name, but there’s a twist. It’s Kris Jenner, who discovers that Chris Hemsworth has eaten her $6 million dollar artwork – a banana affixed to a wall with duct tape. The Ray-Ban glasses are seamlessly built into the narrative, with Pratt asking Meta what the artwork is and Jenner asking Meta to call her lawyers. Perhaps not the typical use case for the technology, but the humor makes it memorable!

Another spot shows Chris and Chris in another sticky (and pricey) situation involving art.

Google & Google Creative Lab

Google takes viewers on an emotional journey with its story of a father re-entering the workforce and reminiscing about memories raising his daughter as he prepares for a job interview. The ad showcases the latest Pixel phone with Gemini Live, an AI-powered chatbot in a way that feels authentic to the narrative. We see the young girl grow up, concluding with her starting at college, a day of mixed emotions for dad! Our Test Your Ad data is sure to reveal a rollercoaster of a FaceTrace, mapping out all the various emotions the audience feels.

Google’s second Super Bowl promoting Pixel takes a more lighthearted approach. It focuses on a man meeting his partner’s family for the first time. He’s not an avid football fan, so he turns to Gemini for support with some common football phrases that he can use to impress them. A relevant spot for the big day!

Ramp

Financial operations platform Ramp is making its Super Bowl debut with a football star in its corner. Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, also an investor in the company, is airing a 15-second ad featuring Barkley to showcase its solutions for managing employee expense reports.

OpenAI

Following the recent appointment of OpenAI’s first CMO, the brand has announced that it will air its first Super Bowl commercial.

Winning Causes

The Foundation to Combat Antisemitism & VML

Robert Kraft is not just the CEO of the New England Patriots, he is also the founder of The Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, which will be airing its second Super Bowl commercial this year. Last year took an inspirational approach, with an appearance by Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech writer. This time around, the foundation is enlisting the support of Tom Brady and Snoop Dogg to highlight the rise in Jewish hate.

Pfizer & Publicis CoLab

Pfizer returns for its 2^nd Super Bowl appearance with a campaign focused on its commitment to cancer research. “Knock Out” is an inspirational story focused on a young boy who is making his victory lap after defeating cancer. On his way home, he’s cheered on by hospital staff, friends, family and well-wishers, all as a powerful soundtrack plays. The boxing theme is the perfect way to showcase how Pfizer will do its part to help knock out cancer.

Game-winning Creative Insights

On Feb. 10, System1 will recap the Super Bowl’s biggest brand-building moments and key themes from advertising’s most-anticipated night. Join our System1 commentators, Jon Evans and Vanessa Chin, plus Jennifer Baldwin; Head of Strategy, BBH USA, and Tass Tsitsopoulos, Global Strategy Director, McDonald’s at Wieden + Kennedy NY.