Get ready for an onslaught of ads full of celebrities, cute animals, and snack brands during breaks in the action at Super Bowl 59 on Sunday, February 9, 2025, when the Philadelphia Eagles face the Kansas City Chiefs at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Anheuser-Busch, Meta, PepsiCo, Frito-Lay, Taco Bell, and Uber Eats will vie to win over the more than 120 million viewers expected to tune in for the broadcast on Fox and via the free livestream on Tubi.
Demand for ad space was remarkably high this year, said Mark Evans, executive vice president of ad sales for Fox Sports. He noted, "Demand was so high... slots sold out by November, with a waitlist of marketers hoping to snag any last-minute openings." This high demand has driven prices to staggering levels, with some ad spots reportedly selling for $8 million and even $8 million-plus for 30 seconds. Although specific price points were not disclosed by Fox, CEO Lachlan Murdoch previously mentioned on an earnings call, ad space had sold out at "record pricing." This marks a substantial increase from last year’s $7 million for the same duration of ads.
The mix of ad categories remains largely consistent, focusing predominately on beverages, snacks, tech companies, and telecommunications. "This has proved the Super Bowl remains the most coveted advertising real estate in the industry," Evans stated. This year, ads will showcase greater focus on artificial intelligence, alongside increased participation from pharmaceutical companies. Interestingly, traditional heavy hitters like movie studios and streaming services are expected to be underrepresented this year, and major automakers are sitting it out, with Stellantis’ Jeep and Ram brands being the only notable exceptions.
The unpredictable nature of the advertising scene has also been impacted by recent events, such as California's January wildfires. State Farm has pulled its ad to concentrate on relief efforts, and other brands have experienced production delays. Fox is ensuring advertisers aren't rushed to the point of jeopardizing safety, demonstrating their commitment to maintaining quality advertisements.
Advertising teasers have already started to trickle out, and among the first was Budweiser’s touching ad featuring a nostalgic Clydesdale foal helping with beer delivery. Another from Anheuser-Busch, Michelob Ultra, displays Willem Dafoe and Catherine O’Hara as humorous pickleball hustlers. Further, Hellmann's is bringing nostalgia with Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal revisiting their iconic scene from When Harry Met Sally at Katz's Deli.
Uber Eats has teased their ad featuring celebrity Charli XCX alongside Martha Stewart, and Meta is introducing Chris Hemsworth and Chris Pratt promoting their Smart Glasses. Expect many more brands to drop their full-length Super Bowl commercials leading up to the game.
With over 120 million viewers tuning in, brands are banking on generating buzzworthy moments, viral campaigns, and surprise celebrity cameos to capture audience attention. With the stakes at such heights, will these brands get their $8 million’s worth? That’s something only the audience can determine.