The highly anticipated Super Bowl LIX is set to take place in a few days from now in the southern United States, between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, February 9, at 6:30 pm ET. More than just the final game of the season, the Super Bowl has been a global cultural phenomenon, blending the best of American football and Hollywood glamour. However, this year, artificial intelligence will dominate the conversation, shaping the advertisements that have historically reflected current trends, popular phrases, and celebrity culture and movie trailers.
Is AI the New Star of Super Bowl Ads as Costs Soar to $8 Million?
Super Bowl commercials have always been a high-stakes battleground for brands looking to capture the attention of millions. This year, the cost for a coveted 30-second ad slot has skyrocketed beyond $8 million, setting a new record for the Feb. 9 broadcast on Fox. According to Mark Evans, executive VP of ad sales for Fox Sports, AI will dominate the advertising landscape during the biggest event in American sports.
“AI is coming. If it’s not already here in almost every business, it will be coming like a freight train,” Evans told The Hollywood Reporter. With AI technology becoming an integral part of industries worldwide, it is no surprise that companies are leveraging the Super Bowl’s massive audience to showcase AI-driven innovations.
While AI-focused advertisements are on the rise, traditional sectors like Hollywood have scaled back their spending. Evans attributes this decline to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2023 Hollywood strikes. The strikes, initiated by writers and actors, stemmed from concerns over AI replacing human jobs—a concern that remains at the forefront of industry debates.
Despite the record-breaking prices, brands are eager to invest in the Super Bowl spectacle. The identities of some of the highest-paying sponsors remain undisclosed, but companies like Uber Eats, Bud Light, and MSC Cruises have secured 60-second spots, according to ad measurement company iSpot.tv Inc.
Sean Muller, CEO and founder of iSpot, stressed on the importance of Super Bowl advertising. “In this fragmented media world that we live in today, it’s super hard to get this level of audience all at once,” he stated. With last year’s game drawing a staggering 123.4 million viewers, the potential return on investment for advertisers remains unparalleled.
This year’s match between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles is expected to further boost viewership, especially with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s relationship with pop icon Taylor Swift drawing additional attention. Celebrities will play a key role in marketing strategies, with Muller noting a significant increase in star power within Super Bowl commercials. Back in 2010, only 31% of ads featured celebrities, whereas 2024 saw that number jump to 65%—a trend that is expected to continue.
Despite the slowdown in ad spending by film studios, major players like Disney, Universal, and Paramount will still make their mark. Disney is set to showcase upcoming films such as Snow White, Lilo & Stitch, and Elio, while only two of its three Marvel releases—Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts—will receive Super Bowl trailers. Universal will promote How to Train Your Dragon and Jurassic World Rebirth, alongside a rumored tease for M3GAN 2.0. Paramount, meanwhile, will spotlight Novocaine, Rihanna’s Smurfs, and Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning.
However, some major studios will be absent. Apple Studios has opted out of advertising this year, and Warner Bros. is limiting its presence after last year’s major Super Bowl promotion for The Flash. Instead, James Gunn’s Superman has been strategically placed during the AFC and NFC Championship games.
The Evolution of Super Bowl Advertising
More than 10 advertisers are believed to have agreed to Fox’s record-setting price tag, reinforcing the ongoing value of Super Bowl commercials. While AI is the dominant theme this year, its long-term presence in advertising remains uncertain. Historical trends show that industries rise and fall within the Super Bowl ad space, as seen with cryptocurrency’s brief dominance in 2022, only to disappear completely by 2023.
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The high-profile nature of Super Bowl LIX ensures that brands, celebrities, and technology will continue to shape the advertising landscape in unexpected ways. This year, humor is expected to make a strong comeback after a period of overly cautious messaging in recent years. “Three or four years ago, we hit sort of a rock bottom where people were so worried about social issues and were so worried about not offending anybody that it almost became a little bit dry,” Muller observed. With the combination of record-breaking ad prices, AI’s aggressive expansion, and Hollywood’s evolving strategies, Super Bowl LIX is definitely going to deliver one of the most intriguing advertising showcases in recent history.