The Super Bowl is a competitive sporting event, all about sports fans cheering on their favorite United States football teams. For some, however, the real fun is in the entertainment of the Super Bowl commercials.
Company advertisers take advantage of this nationwide sports TV event to create emotional, inspiring and comedic advertisements, encouraging viewers to buy or use their products.
Companies pay millions for Super Bowl airtime slots. Anne Lee, in her CBS News article “How much do 2025 Super Bowl commercials cost,” says that a mere 30-second advertisement slot cost advertisers an average of nearly $8 million during Super Bowl LIX.
This staggering expense highlights just how important Super Bowl advertisements are for companies aiming to make a lasting impression on a massive audience.
Over 120 million viewers tune into the Super Bowl, making it a prime opportunity for brands to make an impression. Expectations are high, with viewers demanding creativity, humor and emotional resonance.
“I thought the commercials were random and funny,” said Ryan Collins, a junior mass communication major. “I wasn’t convinced to buy anything because I know they try so hard for the Super Bowl.”
Big budgets and effort do not always equal sales. Sometimes, consumers want something more genuine than a flashy Super Bowl commercial.
Some students were unimpressed by the performance of this year’s Super Bowl advertisements. Large sums of time and money go into planning their marketing strategies, so viewers expect only the best quality advertisement during this highly-promoted sporting event.
Sam Conner, a sophomore marketing major, said that he did not pay much attention to the ads, as he was more focused on the game itself.
Conversely, other students enjoyed the commercials and felt advertisers used humor effectively to make a good impression.
Lee’s article emphasizes how comedy is an essential advertisement strategy during the Super Bowl. Comedy is often considered a safe choice because it appeals to a broad audience and avoids controversy that might divide viewers.
Advertisers use humor to make their commercials memorable and ensure their messages resonate positively with a diverse audience.
In their AP News article, “Super Bowl commercials rely on comedy”, Dee-Ann Durbin, Mae Anderson and Wyatte Grantham-Philips discuss how the Super Bowl advertisements of 2025 were in development during the recent presidential election race, which means avoiding controversy was of the utmost priority.
Super Bowl commercials reflect modern marketing strategies. With the ability to leave people in tears of laughter or emotion, these advertisements have become an event in their own right.
Some students admit to watching the Super Bowl just to see the advertisements. This year, there were over 50 minutes of commercial time, providing plenty of opportunities for brands to make an impact.
“My favorite commercial hands-down was the Bud Light commercial with Post Malone and Shane Gillis,” Taylor said. “It is really smart what they are doing. Getting a guy like Shane Gillis to promote their beer is genius. Those two guys made the commercial hilarious.”
Not all commercials were winners, however.
Students voiced their disappointment with certain advertisements, such as the Uber Eats commercial featuring Matthew McConaughey and the Yeezy commercial with Kanye West.
These examples show that even big budgets and famous faces do not guarantee success. A poorly conceived concept or a misaligned celebrity partnership can lead to a commercial falling flat.
“Putting celebrities together in unexpected combinations can broaden the appeal of a commercial,” Durbin said. “Celebrities can also get so much attention that viewers don’t remember which brand they’re advertising.”
Whether funny, inspiring or quickly forgotten, Super Bowl commercials can be a spectacle that can show the lengths companies will go to capture the audience’s attention.