Super Bowl LX Ads: Storytelling, Human Connection + Strategic Risks
Super Bowl Sunday is advertising’s biggest stage as marketers grab their snacks and anticipate watching the best, most absurd, and disappointing ads. Brand leaders pay millions for 30 seconds of attention (often $8M–$10M+), knowing that a single commercial can define cultural conversation for weeks.
This year showcased brands pushing weight loss drugs, AI, and utilizing celebrities to an absurd amount (what’s new?), as well as another “Minions" movie in theaters (surprised but not shocked). Every marketer weighs in on who won their hearts…and this year, for us, it came down to brands that leaned into storytelling that included nostalgia and emotion, specifically with a human lens.
Great advertising isn’t just about spectacle, it’s about connecting with people on a human level, listening to cultural relevancy and what is resonating with people, and reinforcing brand meaning.
1. Emotion + Nostalgia Still Win Hearts
Several ads that actually stuck relied on feelings that transcend product features:
Lay’s delivered one of the most talked-about ads with a deeply emotional family legacy story that had viewers tearing up.
Equally as touching was Toyota’s commercials that depicted strong relationships with others as well as oneself. It was hard not to cry as a young grandson who once rode with his grandad as a child grew up to use his “Superhero belt” as an adult. Or how younger versions of accomplished, career-driven people cheered themselves on, knowing that they could always do it.
Budweiser returned to classic emotional storytelling with Americana imagery — bald eagles, horses, and nostalgia — as a way to reinforce heritage and simplicity. This ad felt similar to “Wild Robot,” in that it depicted a horse taking care of a small bird, and watching after it as the bird learned how to master what it was born to do, fly.
Redfin’s ad was the perfect display of coming together in a divided time with a beautiful story showcasing how acts of kindness can bring us together. This was also an interesting way to utilize a celebrity by having Lady Gaga sing while not making her the center or crutch of the ad.
Levi’s showed how they’ve been a staple of our culture and history, and how we’ve built so much happiness and memories centered around their product. Nostalgic and powerful at its best.
Honorable mention:
Two ads that brought a different kind of emotion that was still impactful were Squarespace and TurboTax. Leveraging their Oscar winners’ ranges with Emma Stone and Adrien Brody, these two ads depicted the gravity and weight of the challenges their product solves.
Lesson for marketers: Emotion drives memorability. When audiences can see themselves or their values in a story, recall and brand affinity surge.
2. Humor + Celebrity Combo Still Buy Attention
This year showed how powerfully a celebrity and humor combo can work when grounded in a narrative. Oftentimes I ask why a celebrity is in an ad? Is it to just have a celebrity? Or is it utilizing their strengths or riding a cultural wave?
Hellmann’s and Pringles used fun personalities and absurdity in a way that made the ads entertaining and memorable. Absurdity can play well if the commitment is there, and Samberg commits his full heart into everything, and Sabrina Carpenter crying over spilled chips after we watched her fall in love was cinematic.
Fanatics Sportsbook cleverly humanized an influencer (Kendall Jenner - who I think I am now a fan of? Way to go vulnerability and turning heartbreak into humor) by turning personal history into a playful sports narrative. Timely, funny, and also smart for expanding their market.
Bosch was super fun and creative as they reimagined Guy Fieri as an average dude and unlocked his true self whenever he used the product. One, seeing normal Guy was not a part of my 2026 Bingo card and it was delightful, and two, the slogan subverted my expectations. At first, I thought the slogan was going to say “The more you feel like a guy,” but it actually is “The more you feel like a boss,” which is not gender specific or alienating to the audience.
Honorable mentions:
ULTRA had a great underdog story paired with Karate Kid nostalgia. While they didn’t really need other celebrities aside from Kurt Russell to sweeten the ad, it was still cool to see familiar faces, especially trending with the Winter Olympics.
Uber Eats brought big names with Bradley Cooper and Matthew McConaughy together (sidenote: I always confuse these two men!) in a humorous take on food delivery culture, and it worked because the tone matched the product.
e.l.f. Cosmetics wins for listening to conversations centered around the Super Bowl and letting that impact their ad with brilliant storytelling and clever humor.
But not all celebrity features landed well:
I love Bowen Yang and John Ham together, so Ritz got some brownie points for perfect casting, but compared to other ads, it fell flat.
Oh Nerds…what kind of Kool-Aid Man mascot were you attempting here?
State Farm had the same goal as Hellmann’s except with lackluster execution.
Some humor felt detached. I was really put off by Raisin Bran’s ad. This felt like I was on a middle school bus again with the word play…mostly because William Shatner is an icon, and I felt like they were tarnishing his name in the name of being “clever.”
Lesson for marketers: Celebrity and comedy must amplify strategy, not distract from it. If the star power doesn’t help explain why the brand matters, it risks becoming forgettable.
3. AI in Ads: Opportunity + Backlash
AI was a major theme in Super Bowl 2026, with nearly a quarter of commercials referencing artificial intelligence in some form (or using it to de-age some celebrities…just let Ted Danson look his age)!
Google AI / Gemini stood out by showing how AI can be practical and emotionally useful by helping a family visualize their new home in a warm, sentimental context.
Ramp was a clever, nostalgic, and celebrity induced way to display what Genspark could not through humor and the best scene in sitcom history - Kevin’s chili from The Office.
Conversely, some AI ads (and the “dystopian” vibes they evoked) felt more anxiety-inducing than confidence-building which is exactly the opposite of what advertisers want. The Ring commercial and Genspark speak to automating and stealing your job as well as 24 hour surveillance of everything you do. Not to mention what looked like an iRobot reboot with the Svedka commercial? There are no words for that one.
Lesson for marketers: Tech needs context. AI can be a compelling narrative device, but only when it reinforces human value, otherwise it can trigger resistance. Ring did attempt to do this, and I don’t think their story could be any sweeter than helping a dog find their home…however, people are more paranoid than ever about their data and are becoming more weary…so maybe lean a little away from the surveillance part.
4. Social Purpose + Health Messaging Still Resonates
Purpose-driven storytelling made an impact this year, and these two ads definitely won in our book:
Novartis’ prostate cancer screening ad used familiar athletes in a wholesome, powerful and yet simultaneously sentimental and humorous story to destigmatize health checks, demonstrating an impactful example of public health messaging meeting brand reach.
Dove continued its tradition of human-centered, empowering storytelling while explicitly rejecting AI in its marketing, which is a rare, notable, and memorable brand stance. Dove always wins in my eyes because I see myself in all of their commercials.
Lesson for marketers: Purpose mixed with relevance beats gimmickry. When a big stage like the Super Bowl is used for meaning rather than just noise, it can elevate brand reputation.
5. Newer + Niche Brands Showed Creative Courage
This year wasn’t just about legacy brands:
Manscaped was a newcomer that stole the show. They made a bold Super Bowl splash that was funny, memorable, and aligned with brand personality, which are hallmarks of a strong debut.
Instacart harnessed unhinged energy, icons Stiller and Boone, and humor that felt like a timeless sketch to stand out in a crowded, AI-reliant field, showing that even utilities can be entertaining.
Liquid I.V. was memorable, different, and weird but not offputting. The perfect mixture of what makes an ad stand out.
Lesson for marketers: Innovation can outshine tradition if the creative risks match brand identity.
6. Sometimes Less Is More
Not every ad needed a spectacle:
WeatherTech stood out because it didn’t try too hard. It was grounded in a simple message that was refreshing amid grander performances.
Some CPG category ads like Poppi, Dunkin’, and Meta were overwhelming and trying too hard.
Lesson for marketers: Clutter kills messages. Audiences can tune out even big budgets if there’s no coherent story.
What Marketers Should Take Into 2026
Tell human stories first. Emotion + narrative > pure spectacle.
Let celebrities serve strategy, not overshadow it.
Position new tech (like AI) as a human helper, not a threat.
Use major events to reinforce brand identity, not just create ads.
Creative, meaningful courage wins attention.
The Super Bowl ads (and halftime artists) garner a lot of attention and conversation, but they’re always a masterclass in brand listening and how blending emotion, humanity, humor, and real narrative into 30 seconds can be impactful. When marketers keep a human lens and a heart, their campaigns can outperform.
Super Bowl LX showcased brands pushing weight loss drugs, AI, and utilizing celebrities to an absurd amount (what’s new?), as well as another “Minions" movie in theaters (surprised but not shocked). Every marketer weighs in on who won their hearts…and this year, for us, it came down to brands that leaned into storytelling that included nostalgia and emotion, specifically with a human lens.