In Australia, watching the Super Bowl means sitting through the usual lineup of daytime TV ads on Channel Seven or the familiar rotation of Shaver Shop, Hungry Jack’s, and, of course, some magnificent commercials for this fine organisation over on ESPN.
But in the U.S., the ads are just as much of a spectacle as the game and halftime show.
This year, a 30-second slot on the FOX broadcast comes with a hefty price tag—$8 million USD (around $12.4 million AUD). That hasn’t stopped brands from lining up to showcase their products to millions of viewers, and they do it in style.
Expect the usual mix: beer, various sodas, fast food, junk food, tech, and other big-budget campaigns, alongside AI, pharmaceuticals, and crypto—likely featuring a star-studded lineup of celebrity cameos, comedy, and all the over-the-top razzmatazz that defines Super Bowl advertising.
Some brands have already dropped their full commercials, others are teasing what’s to come. Here are some of the best we’ve seen so far.
HELMANS MAYO
Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan are back at Katz’s deli doing THAT scene from When Harry Met Sally, with added Sydney Sweeney on the side.
BUD LIGHT
Shane Gillis and Post Malone sitting back on the yard, shooting the breeze. The ad just writes itself.
DORITOS
Sci-fi fan, in bedroom/basement, eating Doritos. Forget your social media algorithm, this is targeted advertising at its finest.
TOTINOS PIZZA ROLES
This best summed up the the bio on the YouTube post “Comedians Tim Robinson and Sam Richardson star as suburban dads alongside Chazmo, a friendly alien on his way back home.”:
SPRUCE WEED KILLER
The Ba-Ha Men can cash in yet again, this time promoting weed killers. 25-years on since “Who Let the Dogs Out” topped the charts, the song is still inspiring people and weed, in more ways than one.
INSTACART
As is custom with almost every idea, The Simpsons have already done it, but these giant mascots from various advertisements have come to life, this time for home delivered groceries.
TACO BELL
They want to make fans the star, but Doja Cat is having none of it. Good gear. Look forward to the end product.
UBER EATS
Martha Stewart and Charlie XCX, do the “We listen and we don’t judge” TikTok trend. Totes slay, brat summer and other Gen Z language to describe this being good.
BOOKING.COM
Out – Tina Fey
In- The Muppets.
COORS LIGHT
The good folk at Coors Light are here to raise awareness on what the day after the Super Bowl is like.
PRINGLES
Adam Brody calls on three of the finest moustaches Nick Offerman, NBA star James Harden and Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid to assit when he needs more Pringles. One can only hope they make an Aussie version of this, perhaps enlisting the likes of Boonie, Dipper and Merv. This ad just writes itself.
DUNKIN’ DONUTS
Ben Affleck is back for Dunkin’ and is bringing his brother Casey and Jeremy Strong from Succession, celebrating all things Method Acting. The 30-second version already aired in the US during the Grammys and the full version will drop during the Super Bowl.
BUDWEISER
Going less on the comedy and more on the emotion, this ad for Budweiser lets the Clydesdale horses give all the feels.
HAAGEN-DAZS
Stars of the Fast and the Furious are in a rush to get ice-cream. Goes hard.
MICHELOB ULTRA
Willem Dafoe and Catherine O’Hara pair up to become the ultimate Pickleball duo. Makes perfect sense.
HOW TO WATCH THE FULL SUPER BOWL WITH ADS IN AUSTRALIA
If you have an NFL GamePass you should be right to pick up the FOX coverage, or watch it with a mate that does. Obviously, all the full ads will be on YouTube in a matter of seconds, if not before in the coming days.