It’s the biggest night in football, and the biggest night in advertising. While the world’s best are hashing it out for the title of NFL champion, there’s a different game going on behind the scenes: the fight for viewers’ attention through multi-million dollar ads..
Some of the most famous commercials of all time have debuted during the Big Game, including Apple’s “1984” ad that helped catapult the tech giant into the everyday lexicon and the famous Coca-Cola “Mean Joe Greene” ad In recent years, ads for cryptocurrency platforms took the world by storm, sparking massive investments and global financial changes.
Big Game ads have the power not only to sell products, but to change the way consumers view brands. According to a survey conducted by Cint, a consumer research group, 61%of respondents said that their perception could be swayed by an ad that aired during the game, and 70% of respondents said their opinions of brands they saw during the game would be favorable. Cint also noted that 73% of respondents said they would discuss the ads with others, showing there are also opportunities to increase brand awareness, along with perception.
At mhp.si, we’re always looking to stay on top of trends in advertising, marketing and public relations, so the Big Game is a pretty big deal for us and not just for football. We asked a couple of our experts about what we could expect during the 59th iteration of the biggest spectacle in advertising and sports. Here’s what they had to say…
Chip Culpepper, Chief Creative Officer
Big Game advertisers have traditionally relied on a handful of elements to create memorable and impactful creative: celebrity star power, humor, nostalgia, surprise and big production budgets. I expect nothing less for 2025’s crop of ads. The winner of the game’s other contest — the ad duel — will be whoever commands mixing those particular elements in the proper proportions. Beer advertisers are typically a sure bet to at least attempt checking most of those boxes (however, one or more of those keys is usually a clunker). I’m counting on “Harry and Sally” to get a lot of votes as a fan favorite. Peyton Manning is reliably funny – which is a lot harder than it looks – and if he can successfully work in a few of those other elements, he’ll earn his paycheck.
Recent topical events also influence ad concepts, and at least in the case of State Farm Insurance, a perennial Big Game advertiser, enormous insurance issues swirling around the California wildfires will keep any iteration of Jake (or secret-agent Arnold Schwarzenegger) out of the lineup.
Sadly for me, the element of surprise has all but been eliminated. With media costs of around $7 million per spot, “sneak peaks” of ads in advance of the game already abound. Understandably, those serve to justify the production costs and increase views and have become more and more common. Sure, there will still be a few surprises that will wait until game time for resolution, like what celebrity is to be revealed as David Beckham’s missing “twin,” or perhaps an alternate ending to a spot or three that have already been leaked online will provide a mild surprise.
It’s no coincidence that Google Gemini keeps asking me if I want help writing this document. It started doing that earlier this week. Next week, Google’s big Gemini spot will actually be 51 spots… one big one, and 50 local ones — a spot per state. Who knows what will happen in future contests when the genie of fully-generative AI is uncorked at Big Game scale?
Chris Bell-Davis, Content Studio Director
They say timing is everything, and when it comes to THE BIG GAME, that couldn’t be more true. Some brands go all in on nostalgia, some throw a celeb in, and others try to shake the culture. But in a year of AI anxiety, economic struggles, and Taylor making football even bigger—what ads will actually hit?
The Big Game ads aren’t just commercials—they’re cultural moments. Brands are dropping mini-movies, viral-ready storytelling, and teasers before the game even starts. Expect leaks, cryptic hints, and interactive challenges leading up to game day. With the world in chaos, some brands have pulled their ads altogether. Others will go all in on statements about social justice, sustainability, or current events. At least one ad will spark major backlash.
Liquid Death is making its The Big Game Debut, and it’s going to be weird. Chainsaws? Probably. Confused parents? Definitely. Gen Z eating it up? Absolutely. Only two car brands are showing up this year. The rest? Sitting out. Verizon and T-Mobile are also skipping. More space for tech and beverage brands to dominate.
Taylor’s presence has changed football. Expect brands to cash in, whether with a subtle nod or a full-on celebrity campaign. If she shows up on game day? Social media will implode. The Chiefs’ Doritos spot? No shocker. Some fans are over it, but if Kansas City wins again, brands that bet on them win big.
State Farm selling its ad slot is major, but in a year of devastating wildfires, it makes sense. Sometimes, selling insurance just doesn’t feel right.
Final Take? We Need Some Joy If the Chiefs deliver a great game, maybe the ads will too. The best ones make us laugh, feel something, or at least give us a solid meme. If brands can do that, we’re in for a good one. If not? At least we’ll have social media users on the sidelines ready to roast them in real time.
