No. 026: Super Bowl Monday 🏈

winners, losers, and don't worry, I'm not gonna talk about football

Like many of you, I spent yesterday largely ignoring sports and turning up the volume on ads. Yay Super Bowl Sunday!!!!

The TLDR; I was a little bit disappointed in the ads this year. Only a few were truly heart wrenching and/or thought provoking. A lot felt gimmicky and try-hard.

Regardless — here are my favorites & my thoughts.

xx

Sabena

🏈 THEMES

1. Celebrities, everywhere. This is nothing new, but it did feel like EVERY single ad had star power, which almost feels lazy? Or is just table stakes if you’re already spending $7M+ on the media? Also, Taylor Swift getting booed and Travis losing?! Not a great night for Tayvis.

2. Winks & nods. I really liked the way some brands broke the fourth wall with their scripts. It makes the whole thing feel a little less try-hard. One notable moment was with Tom Brady for Duracell asking why everyone keeps asking him if he’s okay after the roast. Genius.

3. Moments, not ads. As always, the smartest brands were the ones who started a conversation, not just ran a spot. Michelob Ultra’s “The Ultra Hustle” ad played and then was mentioned 3x in short succession — repetition is key. Poppi got people talking ahead of the game (more on this below). I loved the execution of Rocket’s emotional “Country Roads” spot which led into a live sing along in the stadium. Memorable.

4. The Humanization of AI. Unsurprisingly, AI was a big part of the ads this year. You had Salesforce’s AI with Matthew McConaughey and OpenAI debuting their new rebrand. Not to mention Meta’s x Ray Ban smart glasses ad with Kris Jenner, Chris Hemsworth, and a barely recognizable Chris Pratt. I also appreciated water bottle company Cirkul poking fun at the perils of AI featuring Adam Davine — without going too dark.

5. 90s Nostalgia. Nothing new here since I’ve written about this extensively — but it seems like Carl’s Jr. is going back to the Paris Hilton era with their ad featuring Alix Earle eating a juicy hamburger in a cutout bodysuit, Budweiser’s iconic Clydesdales, and the Muppets for Booking.com.

6. Less controversy, more comedy. Overall, it really felt like brands were taking a much safer route this year than ever, leaning on celebrities and easy, predictable humor…often to the point of slapstick. In the wake of DEI programs getting slashed, a new administration, and general societal angst — this is sad but predictable.

📺 THE ADS

My unranked, unfiltered thoughts on 11 Super Bowl ads that stood out to me — for better or for worse.

1. Poppi “Soda Thoughts” A direct attack on Big Soda, featuring diners, drive-ins, and dives (quite literally) and a trio of influencer talent, with the tagline “get a Poppi.” Nothing groundbreaking, but their decision to give away $25k vending machines to influencers ahead of the game definitely got customers heated. I wonder how this will impact sales.

2. Hims & Hers “Sick of the System” An ad about off-brand Ozempic while blaming America for its emphasis on being fat feels… ironic. I get what they’re trying to do, but it feels like a message they can’t really say out loud, given they’re profiting off of the system, too.

3. Michelob Ultra “The Ultra Hustle” Ok, I don’t know how other people felt about this… but I thought it was funny & smart, and personally loved the concept of an older couple (Willem Dafoe and Catherine O’Hara) beating literally everyone at pickleball… because it would totally happen.

4. Dunkin’ Donuts “DunKings 2” Per my Twitter/Substack Notes feed, reviews were mixed on this spot with Ben Affleck (and accompanying 7 minute brand movie) and I agree. I appreciate the commitment to the Boston brand ethos and breaking the fourth wall by mentioning Tom Brady & Matt Damon…but then how does the recent Sabrina Carpenter collab fit in here? It feels strategically a bit all over the place, so not sure it does anything for the brand.

5. Uber Eats “A Century of Cravings” I really love the concept of an NFL exec (Matthew Mcconaughey) having a conspiracy theory about selling food (I mean isn’t the NFL just a giant conspiracy?!)… the “historical flashbacks” were entertaining and Buffalo Bills reference made me lol. I also love that Martha and Charlie XCX made an appearance. I think Mcconaughey’s amazing comedic timing genuinely helps breaks down the fourth wall that big tech struggles with.

6. Novartis “Your Attention Please” This one came as a total surprise to me — one of those ads that you try to guess what they could possibly be selling as you watch… an amazing tactic for keeping viewers invested until the end. It would have felt flat if it was another bra or tampon company, so I appreciate that it was not that and instead a reminder to do regular breast exams. But, Novartis?!… I wish this came from a nonprofit.

7. Instacart “We’re Here” In keeping with nostalgia, this is all about the throwbacks to millennial and gen X mascots (the Kool Aid guy, the Energizer Bunny, the Old Spice guy, etc.) Fun to watch, but definitely has little to nothing to do with Instacart. Makes more sense given that it’s a retail media play to essentially show off Instacart’s “secret sauce” and have featured brands crosspromote. Smart.

8. Google Gemini “Dream Job” I always appreciate Google’s attempts at making literally everyone cry during the Super Bowl. This ad, featuring a dad going back to work after raising his daughter (and of course using Gemini for interview prep) was no exception, and I do think the mission of humanizing AI actually worked here.

9. Skechers “Glide Step” This ad featuring Martha Stewart moonwalking and breakdancing in her Skechers was definitely absurd, but it was so simple that maybe memorable? Either way, Martha is having a MOMENT right now — so locking her down is a huge win for the brand.

10. Liquid Death “Drink on the Job” The brand’s first Super Bowl spot did exactly what it’s meant to: build awareness, and make the connection that while it looks like beer, it’s not. It felt perfectly on brand and had a simple enough premise to break through the clutter. Liquid Death always gets it.

11. Hellmann’s “When Sally Met Hellmann’s” I saw this one well before today, but it didn’t make it any less enjoyable seeing Meg Ryan & Billy Crystal together on screen again in the perfect nod to When Harry Met Sally. Plus, a cute Sydney Sweeney payoff that felt a bit like passing the baton… are we getting a remake?!

12. Nike “So Win.” Last but definitely not least, this is Nike’s first return to the Super Bowl since 1988, and it did not disappoint. The ad features female athletes like Caitlin Clark, Jordan Chiles, and A'ja Wilson, among others, and a powerful message about proving the haters wrong. It’s particularly moving given its appearance during the year’s largest male athletic event. This is Nike at its best, and it feels like they’re finally getting their voice back. More of this in 2025, please…

🎲 ONE LAST THING

courtesy of Hubspot

If you’re wondering about whether a Super Bowl ad is “worth it”— I loved this take from Hubspot breaking down the ROI. tldr;

• In 2025, the Super Bowl drew approximately 125 million viewers. It’s still one of the single most watched TV program in the US — so the eyeballs are there.

• In 2025, a 30-second Super Bowl was $7 million, with some slots going for up to $8 million

• The average celebrity cameo costs about $1-3 million

• Plus, production costs, which could vary… assuming around $10 million minimum between agency fees and production.

You’re looking at ~$20-30 million for a “low budget” Super Bowl ad, and way, way more for those star-studded, celebrity crossover spots. For reference, Jeep spent $32 million on their Super Bowl ad with Harrison Ford this year, and I definitely wouldn’t call it groundbreaking. And read this you’re curious about the game’s most expensive ads (not including production value).

Still, according to Kantar research in 2021, “Super Bowl ads delivered an average return on investment (ROI) of $4.60 per dollar spent, with many brands in the double digits.”

Depending on your industry, that’s definitely on par, and in some cases better than, many other ad formats...

So it’s up to a brand to determine whether the juice is worth the squeeze.

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Ok, that’s all from me, but I’m curious what you think. Winners, losers, and what did I miss?!

🏈 🏈 🏈 🏈

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have a great week.

- Sabena