The Super Bowl: Where Sports, Advertising, and Culture Collide...
The Super Bowl is the ultimate showcase of sports as entertainment—a cultural phenomenon that everyone wants to be part of...
As football fans in the UK immersed themselves in an FA Cup weekend, across the Atlantic, Super Bowl LIX took the the centre stage. Beyond the game itself, the Super Bowl has evolved into a global spectacle—blending advertising, sports, music, fashion, and entertainment into one massive cultural moment.
The Super Bowl’s unparalleled reach makes it a prime stage for brands, with advertisers investing millions to craft campaigns that entertain, drive sales, and maximise brand impact. This year, it wasn’t just a showdown between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs—it was also a battleground for top brands going head to head to win most memorable and engaging Super Bowl commercial.
One common trend across these commercials is the use of high-profile celebrities to boost brand messaging. Here are a few that stood out:
Häagen-Dazs: Not So Fast, Not So Furious
Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, and Ludacris swapped high-speed chases for indulgent relaxation in Häagen-Dazs’ Not So Fast, Not So Furious commercial. The campaign reinforced the brand’s identity while tapping into pop culture nostalgia.
Taco Bell & Uber Eats: Hollywood’s Finest
Oscar and Grammy winner Matthew McConaughey fronted Taco Bell’s Super Bowl ad, where he hilariously tries to convince Greta Gerwig to make a film about the scheme. Cameos from Kevin Bacon, Martha Stewart, and Charli XCX added extra star power to the campaign.
Stella Artois: Beckham Meets Damon
Stella Artois enlisted global football icon David Beckham and Hollywood star Matt Damon in a comedic twist—Beckham’s parents inform him he has a long-lost American twin, played by Matt Damon. While they share little in common, one thing unites them: their love for Stella.
Dunkin’ Donuts: The Return of the DunKings
Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, Jeremy Strong, and Druski teamed up for a return of DunKings, a battle of best coffee brand at the Java Jam. A hilarious, star-studded spectacle with a 7 minute long version available online.
STōK: Channing Tatum & Wrexham FC
Channing Tatum joined the fun for STōK Cold Brew, teaching Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham FC players how to level up their goal celebration dances—proving that a little caffeine goes a long way.
NFL X Youtube - a cultural crossover
Adding to the spectacle, NFL and Youtube introduced a Celebrity Flag Football Game, following the NBA’s Celebrity All-Star Game model. This game brought together the biggest musical artists, NFL Legends, and creators in entertainment, sports, and culture. Top creators iShowSpeed and Kai Cenat were the team captains, and had team mates such as Quavo, Duke Dennis, Angel Reese, Michael Vick and Cam Newton and Cole Bennett. With flag football set to debut in the Olympics, this was an exciting introduction to the sport’s global potential and a strategic play to engage Gen Z audiences and extend the Super Bowl’s influence beyond traditional sports fans.
Kendrick Lamar’s Halftime Show: A Cultural Moment
The talk of this year’s Superbowl has to be this years half time performance by Kendrick Lamar, fresh off winning five Grammy Awards including Record and Song of the Year for Not Like Us, Kendrick performance sparked conversations beyond hip-hop, making his performance not just entertainment but a statement.
Apple Music, the official Halftime Show sponsor, has capitalised on this moment with Kendrick’s Road to Halftime—an immersive campaign featuring exclusive playlists, over 100 hours of radio programming, and behind-the-scenes content, and interview with Timothee Chalamet, ensuring engagement long before he stepped on stage.
Tapping into cultural narratives
With the SuperBowl being held in New Orleans, there was a lot of controversy with Kendrick Lamar being chosen for the Halftime Show instead of the city’s own Lil Wayne. Cetaphil seized on this cultural moment with a clever and humorous campaign, featuring Lil Wayne himself jokingly lamenting his exclusion from the Halftime Show in his hometown. The ad also cleverly teased his upcoming album, Tha Carter VI. This campaign was a prime example of how non-sports brands can authentically tap into Super Bowl narratives, engaging audiences by aligning with the cultural conversation in a fun and relatable way.
The Super Bowl’s influence isn’t confined to the United States. Thanks to social media, digital platforms, and global marketing campaigns, fans across the world stay attuned to the spectacle. Whether through behind-the-scenes content, celebrity-driven activations, or brand storytelling, the NFL ensures that audiences, whether in the UK, Europe, or beyond, are drawn into the excitement.
By creating multiple entry points for engagement, the Super Bowl fosters a worldwide community that remains invested in the lead-up and live experience of the event. This strategy is a testament to the American sports industry's ability to capture global attention, ensuring that even those who aren't traditionally football fans feel incentivised to tune in.
Thanks for reading, have a great week!
but what do you think Lamar's statement was? signed, curious