IT WAS MEANT TO BE A SHOWCASE OF TECHNOLOGY, BUT NOSTALGIA STOLE THE SHOW: WHAT DOES SUPER BOWL LX REVEAL ABOUT THE STATE OF MARKETING?

8. 2. 2026 Super Bowl LX is behind us. The evening at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara was once again more than just a sporting event—it turned into a media platform watched by over 124.9 million viewers in the U.S., peaking at 137.8 million during the second quarter, making it the second most-watched broadcast in American television history. This level of concentrated attention also underpins an astronomical advertising business. A 30-second slot cost around $8 million on average, with some premium placements exceeding $10 million, while total investment per commercial often ranged between $15 and $25 million. This year’s edition delivered the expected dominance of artificial intelligence and tech brands, but also a surprisingly strong return to emotion, nostalgia, and clearly defined values. What truly resonated in these ads—and what inspiration can be drawn from them—is illustrated in the following examples. Lay’s: Last Harvest One of this year’s most remarkable commercials felt, dramaturgically speaking, almost out of place at the Super Bowl. The chip brand Lay’s presented a short indie-style film about an aging farmer facing his final harvest. His daughter is taking over the farm, making it a story of generational transition. Even if it may not seem so at first glance, this was a very bold spot. Snack brands at the Super Bowl typically opt for humorous, celebrity-driven presentations. Here, however, we see an authentic story centred on emotion and a narrative of “real ingredients for real people.” Especially in a year dominated by highly hyped tech showcases, Lay’s offered a moment for genuine reflection and introspection. From the perspective of the evening’s overall structure, it was something of an anomaly—one that, nevertheless, received very positive reviews.

WHO ‘WON’ THE ADVERTISING SUPER BOWL? IT DEPENDS

10. 2. 2025 Budweiser, Lay’s, T-Mobile and Nike could all claim to have “won” the advertising Super Bowl – depending on who you ask and what was being measured. These were winning brands according to some Monday morning post-game analyses.