Hollywood A-listers are taking over this year's Super Bowl spots, an ode to the Super Bowl's triumphant return to Los Angeles this year.
Why it matters: It's a delightful departure from last year's ad slate, which featured somber messages from everyday people coming together during the pandemic.
A few highlights:
- Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart are back again this year, teaming up in an ad for lighters, a nod to the pair's mutual love of pot.
- Scarlett Johansson and husband Colin Jost of SNL will star in an Amazon Alexa spot that pokes fun at Alexa's ability to predict everything a consumer wants.
- Lindsay Lohan stars in a humorous ad from Planet Fitness that pokes fun at her old partying ways.
- Peyton Manning, Serena Williams, Sarah Silverman and a few others celebs appear in a Michelob Ultra ad about a swanky bowling competition.
Be smart: The pandemic recovery has given brands license to return to their traditional marketing roots.
- Budweiser is returning to the Super Bowl this year with its iconic Clydesdale horses, after sitting out last year first time in 37 years. The company decided to donate $1 million to the Ad Council and a vaccine initiative instead.
- Auto brands have made a comeback this year, after last year's pandemic-related supply chain issues forced many to cut marketing budgets. Nissan will return for the first time in seven years. Kia returns after skipping last year's game.
The big picture: The Super Bowl is one of the few major TV events that can still draw a huge audience, making advertising around the event very valuable.
- Ads for this year's Super Bowl are sold out, according to NBC, with some 30-second spots sold for a record $7 million.
What to watch: The newcomers and the futurists.
- There are more than 30 new advertisers in this year’s Super Bowl compared to last year's event, according to NBC. New advertisers represent around 40% of the total Super Bowl ads this year.
- Crypto giants like FTX and Crypto.com will run their first spots ever this year.
- Sports betting firm Caesars Sportsbook will also debut its first Super Bowl ad, joining rival DraftKings, which debuted its first Super Bowl spot last year.
