Super Bowl ads 2025: staff analyses

BRIAN:

First, I want to give a nod to Madison-based Fetch, which generated a bunch of earned media coverage after it announced it was giving away $1.2 million during the final two-minute warning of the game. That’s a nice two-for-one in terms of publicity. (The livestream takeover of its app also was interesting to watch.)

It’s a bad look when multiple brands share the same spokesperson. In this case, we saw Matthew McConaughey appear in spots for Uber Eats and Salesforce, and he’s also been in recent commercials for Lincoln and Doritos. I think a consequence is a weaker association between the brand and the spokesperson, which ruins the intent of hiring a spokesperson in the first place.   

JAIMIE:

As in most years, the Super Bowl LIX commercial line-up was filled with celebrity cameos and humorous ads. While I always enjoy being entertained, Pfizer’s “Knock Out” commercial stood out for me. The ad is centered on a child undergoing treatment for cancer, but rather than tugging on your heartstrings, it has more of an inspirational feel to it. As he rings the ceremonial “last treatment” bell, the child transforms into a boxer who knocks out his cancer while being cheered on by hundreds of fans as he makes his journey home.

The ad closes with Pfizer’s goal to fight for eight cancer breakthroughs by 2030. The overall approach and message helped humanize the pharmaceutical company while educating viewers about the research side of the brand. Plus, it showcased an initiative (e.g., cancer treatment) that is likely to garner support from the masses.

TAYLOR:

I think we saw more celebrity cameos in this year’s Super Bowl ads than ever before. From musicians and actors to athletes and unexpected pairings, brands leaned heavily on star power to capture attention. I also appreciated how many of the ads–compared to years past–focused on humor rather than taking a political approach. 

That’s why one of my favorite ads had to be the Stella Artois commercial with cameos from “brothers” David Beckham and Matt Damon. In the ad, Beckham discovers he has a long-lost American twin brother, portrayed by Damon, leading to funny banter about their fame and shared love for Stella Artois.

BROOKE:

I think most people know of UberEats by now, but its commercial was a fun, football-related reminder to order the next time they are hungry, especially when watching football. The commercial was “stuffed full” of celebrities–Matthew McConaughey, Kevin Bacon and Martha Stewart, just to name a few. McConaughey claims that football was invented to sell food and gives examples from the past like “pigskin,” “Buffalo wings” and “Omaha steaks.” The commercial ends with a movie director questioning McConaughey about a movie on this football conspiracy. Before she can finish her sentence, she is interrupted with a voiceover saying, “FOOD! When football makes you hungry, order Uber Eats!”

SUSANNAH:

As an active TikTok and Instagram user, I thought that the Super Bowl ad I’ve seen the most buzz about and enjoyed the most is the Poppi ad. Poppi, a prebiotic soda alternative, cleverly centers its ad on a relatable dilemma: whether to indulge in a soda at a fast-food restaurant. By focusing on this common struggle and featuring top influencers like Alix Earle, Jake Shane and Robert Rausch, Poppi connects directly with Gen Z. This approach highlights the product and helps set it apart from competitors like Olipop and other soda brands.

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