Advertising and sport's biggest event of the year, the Super Bowl, is coming up (3 February) with a new batch of creative output from familiar and challenger brands. While most companies are still keeping their ads under wraps, we know a growing group of advertisers that will spend over $5m for a 30-second spot on CBS during the game.
Some brands have released their spots, while others are merely teasing viewers with snippets or mentions of their inclusion. A few have stated that they will be forgoing time during the game for other, hopefully, more lucrative positions on game day. See our list below and keep following The Drum’s Super Bowl coverage before and after the game on February 3.
Who’s In?
Anheuser-Busch InBev – The brewing giant is a Super Bowl mainstay, and this year it plans to support five brands during the big game with five-and-a-half minutes of airtime. The usuals, Budweiser and Bud Light, will get time, while Michelob Ultra and Stella Artois will also be represented. In addition, a flavored malt beverage, Bon & Viv SpikedSeltzer, will be promoted in-game.
Budweiser says it is committed to advertising on football’s biggest stage, but the brand is making a conscious shift from “pure entertainment to more purposeful messaging,” according to a company marketing executive, Ricardo Marques.
PepsiCo– The snack and soda company has committed to three 30-second spots. The Pepsi brand will get airtime, along with Doritos and its sparkling water brand, Bubly.
Doritos– The chip brand is working with the Backstreet Boys and Chance the Rapper on a Flamin’ Hot Nacho ad. A teaser shows the Backstreet Boys current lineup with Chance squeezing into the lineup as the song ‘I Want it That Way’ plays over the mostly silent moment.
Bubly– Fittingly, Michael Bublé is starring in an ad where he disputes the spelling of the beverage.
The Ellen Show even did a hilarious hidden camera segment where he posed as a grocery clerk and challenged people to chug the beverage.
Verizon– Verizon is honoring those on the front lines saving lives in a campaign that leads up to its Super Bowl spot.
The communications company is rolling out a campaign called ‘The Team that Wouldn’t Be Here,’ a two-week initiative that kicks off with a 60-second TV spot during the AFC and NFC Championship games. The campaign highlights the real stories of 12 NFL stars. They include coach Anthony Lynn of the LA Chargers and 11 NFL players, all of whom experienced a life-changing situation – car accidents, childhood house fires, and devastating natural disasters – and the first responders who saved them.
Intuit TurboTax– This tax prep brand has decided that the game is an optimal place to be seen due to its proximity to the end of the financial year. Inuit will return to the Super Bowl for its sixth consecutive year with two new campaigns for 2019, which it will debut as part of its first-ever presenting sponsor of both the AFC and NFC Championship games.
Olay– For what is perceived as a very male-focused event, the skincare brand says it wants to speak directly to the 45% of women who tune in to watch the Big Game. The brand has said the ad will be part of a multifaceted campaign that will run during the first quarter of NFL match.
Olay has promised an "unexpected and humorous" spot, which will bring its 28-day skincare challenge and AI-powered Olay Skin Advisor platform to life on small screen.
Bumble– Tennis and marketing champion Serena Williams is set to appear in a year-long marketing campaign for social networking app Bumble. The campaign, with a message of women’s empowerment, will be debut during the Super Bowl.
Natural Light – The bargain light beer brand will use its Super Bowl time to promote its College Debt Relief Program. The company will also be airing a local Super Bowl ad in five of the top 10 cities hit hardest by student loan debt. The spot contains testimonials and video submissions from the contest’s 2018 winners.
Devour (Kraft)– Devour is a relatively new Kraft brand and will make its Super Bowl debut this year.
The brand’s 30-second spot will appear in the third quarter. The campaign, which was developed by David Miami, builds on the brand’s history of taking an unapologetic stand for “craveable frozen foods”.
Pringles– The chip maker is back, but rather than the ‘Wow’ factor from last year with Bill Hader, teasers for the brand’s Super Bowl spot continue with the ‘Flavor Stacking’ approach, focusing on the nearly 318,000 flavor stacking combinations.
The 30-second spot was created by Grey Group, and will air during the second quarter. The spot encourages fans to create their own stackable flavor creations and also emphasizes that there is a ‘Flavor Stack’ for everyone – except for perhaps those who can’t experience the joy of tasting, like a sad and lonely voice-activated smart device featured in the spots.
Hyundai– The car company is putting its media money behind its Shopper Assurance program, tapping actor Jason Bateman to star in a 60-second first-quarter spot in the Super Bowl. Bateman will be on hand to show how much better car buying can be with Shopper Assurance through his wry, comedic savvy in the ad.
Pizza Hut– Pizza and football are a perfect combo, and this one continues with the Abe Lincoln-themed spots, highlighting its '$5 Lineup,' the brand has in play.
YellowTail – The Australian wine brand Yellow Tail is looking to its fans for the most creative user-generated content to star in its Super Bowl ‘Tastes Like Happy’ campaign. It is calling on fans to share a six-second video of what makes them happy, tagging #tasteslikehappy and #yellowtailwineus on Instagram and Twitter. Out of all the entries, Yellow Tail will feature two entirely fan-produced videos in its brand new ‘Tastes Like Happy’ Super Bowl TV commercial.
Colgate– Colgate’s flagship toothpaste brand, Colgate Total, will advertise during the third quarter of the Super Bowl. The 30-second spot features actor Luke Wilson as a close talker. The campaign tagline is ‘Do More For Your Mouth.’
Mercedes– The automaker, in its fifth Super Bowl ad, is teaming with actor/rapper Ludacris.
Expensify– The expense management platform will air its first Super Bowl ad, and its first TV ad, during the second quarter.
Planters– The nut brand will advertise in the second quarter, its first time in the Super Bowl in a decade.
Persil– The detergent brand is returning for its fourth Super Bowl spot in a row. Apparently, the character, ‘The Professional’ will be back.
Toyota– The brand will apparently push the RAV4 crossover vehicle.
More brands in the game
Kia, M&M’s, Avocados from Mexico, Turkish Airlines and Weather Tech will also be advertising during the game.
Who’s on the sidelines?
Celebrities such as Rihanna and Amy Schumer have already announced commercial boycotts for February’s Super Bowl, citing “deep inequality and endless racism” in the National Football League.
MTN Dew, which went big last year with its Doritos v MTN Dew Ice chose to concentrate its efforts on the NBA with a new campaign featuring music and appearances by Migos, plus NBA star Joel Embiid, UFC champ Holly Holm, pro skateboarders and artists.
Trying something different
Skittles– The candy brand is known for its quirky approach to advertising, especially during the Super Bowl. But this year, instead of running a 30-second ad during the big game, it is creating the first-ever commercial performed as a live Broadway musical.
‘Skittles Commercial: The Broadway Musical’ is written by playwright and Pulitzer finalist Will Eno in partnership with DDB Worldwide. The 17-member cast, led by a soon-to-be-announced celebrity, will perform the show one time only, in front of a live audience at The Town Hall in New York City on Sunday, February 3 at 1pm EST. The show will also feature original songs backed by a live band.
Follow The Drum's Super Bowl coverage here.