Last year’s off-field Super Bowl winner, according to the USA Today Ad Meter, was Budweiser’s “First Delivery” commercial, which received the highest rating of all the ads aired. The iconic brand relied on a proven emotional story featuring a Clydesdale horse delivering a keg to its destination, once again confirming that strong emotions and a simple narrative work wonders at the Super Bowl. The ad scored particularly high in likability, memorability, and positive brand perception.
According to the EDO Top Super Bowl Ads 2025 ranking, which evaluates commercials based on real viewer response and subsequent brand interest, the top-rated ad was T-Mobile’s “Wireless – You’re Connected.” It achieved the highest Engagement Index (EI) and generated over twelve times the audience engagement of the average Super Bowl spot. What set this ad apart from the others was that it wasn’t built solely on humour or celebrity appearances, but communicated a clear, tangible value to viewers in a serious, highly emotional way. The commercial resonated because it offered a solution to a real problem—the loss of connection at a critical moment.
Super Bowl 2026 is just around the corner
On Sunday, 8 February, the next Super Bowl kicks off—marking the milestone 60th NFL final—so it’s definitely going to be something special. Anniversaries naturally increase brands’ interest in advertising slots, leading to faster sellouts and stricter selection of advertisers by the broadcaster. The Super Bowl’s broadcasting structure has long been fixed; neither the NFL nor the network adds extra ads for an anniversary. The reason is simple: oversaturating the event with commercials would diminish their value. The anniversary’s impact isn’t seen in the number of ads but in which brands get to appear. Companies compete fiercely for a spot at this event, even though Super Bowl advertising costs have been steadily rising for nearly six decades. A 30-second commercial during the very first Super Bowl cost $37,500, which is roughly $350,000 in today’s dollars.
Video: A complete overview of the commercials from the 1st Super Bowl in 1967
Price isn’t the only problem
This year, a brand will pay roughly $8 million for the same 30-second spot. Getting among the chosen few who get to air a commercial at this year’s Super Bowl, however, wasn’t the only challenge brands had to navigate. Advertisers face a difficult landscape. Polarisation in the United States has reached new heights following the Minneapolis shooting. Companies had to decide whether to stick with their planned creative campaigns or make adjustments. The truth is, the most effective Super Bowl ads are usually those that respond to the current climate. This year, though, the climate is more tense than ever. For advertisers, it’s both an opportunity and a risk: a chance to say something relevant and meaningful, but also the danger of appearing opportunistic or insensitive. Judging by the commercials that have already been released, most brands seem to be steering clear of controversy. Several main trends are emerging for this year’s Super Bowl:
- humour and absurd exaggeration,
- celebrities, but in a light-hearted role,
- story and emotions,
- nostalgia and iconic comebacks,
- AI and technology.
Kinder Bueno heads to the Super Bowl for the first time
Kinder Bueno has released a teaser for its very first Super Bowl commercial. The brand is part of the Ferrero Group, which has historically steered clear of the Super Bowl. Marketing media have repeatedly called the brand’s entry onto the world’s biggest advertising stage a groundbreaking moment. The 30-second spot, set to air on 8 February, will feature Paige DeSorbo, co-host of the popular comedy podcast Giggly Squad, as well as a mysterious celebrity whom Kinder Bueno will reveal only shortly before the game. The brand also stated that the commercial will be “extraordinary,” but further details have not yet been disclosed.
Video: Teaser for Kinder Bueno’s very first Super Bowl commercial
Pepsi and a depressed polar bear
Among the brands that have already revealed their Super Bowl campaigns ahead of the big game is Pepsi. In its ad, titled “The Choice,” a polar bear must choose between two drinks and ultimately opts for Pepsi over Coke Zero Sugar. This decision triggers an existential crisis for the bear, sending him on a journey of self-discovery. The spot, set to the iconic Queen hit I Want to Break Free, was directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi, who also makes a cameo as the polar bear’s therapist.
Video: Pepsi – The Choice (Super Bowl 2026)
Hellmann’s bets on a celebrity
Hellmann’s Super Bowl 2026 ad continues the brand’s long-standing strategy of blending humour, celebrity appearances, and the theme of food as joy rather than waste. This marks the brand’s sixth Super Bowl appearance. In the 30-second spot titled “The Sandwich Time,” Andy Samberg, frontman of the comedy group Lonely Island, lets his inner Neil Diamond shine.
Video: Hellmann’s – Sweet Sandvich Time (Super Bowl 2026)
Skittles brings its ad from the screen into the real world
This year, Skittles has decided to take the concept of a Super Bowl ad in a completely new direction. Instead of a traditional TV spot, the brand is offering a live experience that happens right at the doorstep of one lucky fan. In collaboration with the delivery service Gopuff, Skittles is launching a campaign in which the ad is literally delivered to someone’s home—personally, in real time, and with candy in hand. The campaign’s main face is actor Elijah Wood, who plays a mysterious creature summoned by a magical horn. In the Skittles ad world, all it takes is a toot of the horn—and a sugar-powered character appears, ready to deliver a sweet reward. This fantasy will become reality during Super Bowl 2026, when one chosen fan will experience “an ad that cannot be paused, skipped, or muted.” While millions of viewers watch the game on TV, Skittles is focusing on a single, extremely impactful moment that happens offline but also spreads online via social media. The campaign demonstrates that even in an era of extremely expensive ad time, the Super Bowl can be used in ways beyond the traditional 30-second commercial.
Video: Skittles – Super Bowl 2026
Budweiser adds a soaked little bird alongside its horse
The famous beer brand once again decided to go all-in on emotions this year—and it certainly didn’t disappoint viewers. Budweiser’s ad, set to “Free Bird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd, tells the story of a little bird that falls from its nest. Fortunately, it meets a Clydesdale horse, which lends it a helping hoof. We’re pretty sure there won’t be a dry eye in the house.
Video: Budweiser – American Icons (Super Bowl 2026)
Duolingo not willing to pay millions of dollars
This year, Duolingo is taking an interesting approach. Instead of paying for an expensive Super Bowl ad, the brand is opting for smart “parasitic” marketing. It’s leveraging the buzz around Bad Bunny’s upcoming halftime show with a short course, “Bad Bunny 101,” which teaches fans Spanish phrases from his songs. The campaign centres on a 15-second animated spot featuring Duolingo’s iconic owl mascot. The ad will air at a much lower cost during the AFC and NFC finals and will be supported by targeted audio ads on platforms like Spotify and Pandora. This strategy allows the brand to tap into a major cultural moment without shelling out roughly $8 million for an official Super Bowl ad slot. At the same time, it aligns with Duolingo’s long-standing style of viral, unconventional campaigns and effectively leverages the growing influence of Spanish and Bad Bunny’s global popularity.
Video: Duolingo – Bad Bunny 101 (Super Bowl 2026)
And what’s next?
We can probably look forward to more exciting commercials. Expectations are particularly high for Doritos, one of the most well-known and consistent advertisers during the Super Bowl. So far, however, when it comes to the brand and its potential ad for this year’s event, it’s been relatively quiet. Doritos has been active at the Super Bowl since the 1990s. For example, its 1998 commercial featuring former Miss USA Ali Landry was very popular. A key moment in the brand’s Super Bowl history was the launch of the “Crash the Super Bowl” contest in 2006. This concept brought unprecedented innovation to the traditional ad space: instead of producing a conventional commercial, the brand invited fans to create their own ads, offering them the chance to have their work aired during the biggest television event of the year. The contest ran until 2016, was then paused, and returned in 2024. The winning spot aired during the 2025 Super Bowl.
There is also much anticipation for Pringles’ campaign, which so far has only released a teaser featuring Sabrina Carpenter.
We’ll have to see what this year’s Super Bowl brands come up with. There are no limits when it comes to creativity in this space. The Super Bowl is an absolutely unique advertising platform. It’s one of the few TV events where viewers actually want to watch the ads, rather than skip them. A single spot can reach tens of millions of people at once while generating an immediate, strong reaction. Super Bowl ads also continue to spread—on YouTube, social media, and in the press—and their impact can last for weeks or even months.
A successful Super Bowl ad can become a cultural phenomenon and leave a lasting mark on a brand’s history. That’s precisely why advertisers are willing to invest enormous sums—not just in airtime, but also in the production of the spots themselves. The Super Bowl is therefore not just a sports finale, but the biggest advertising and media showcase of the year, where brands aim to captivate, entertain, and make a lasting impression.