The ad's message focuses on environmentally friendly agriculture, tying into Chipotle's marketing efforts about sourcing food in responsible ways — and Gabor said such "green marketing" is likely to be a theme that scores with many consumers, given increasing concerns about climate change and the environment.
The stock-trading app Robinhood, meanwhile, is also running its first Super Bowl ad, coming on the heels of a turbulent couple of weeks when it restricted trading in GameStop and other stocks after some of its users bid up share prices to stratospheric heights, followed by a
plunge in value.
Another newcomer this year is health company Dexcom, which is airing a spot with pop star Nick Jonas that calls for better technology for people with diabetes. Jonas, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a child, highlights the company's wearable glucose monitor.
The ad depicts people at weddings, parties and other events when lemons begin raining from the sky — in cases, physically hurting people and causing damage to buildings and cars. It's supposed to be a humorous metaphor for 2020, but it's also taking a risk on an approach that might not strike some viewers as hilarious amid a deadly pandemic.
Bud Light parent Anheuser-Busch, meanwhile, is aiming for an emotional corporate pitch that reminds people of the casual moments of commiseration and companionship that have all but disappeared in the pandemic — drinking a beer with co-workers, reminiscing with friends at quiet moments and sharing a joke.
Another ad that points to the lost moments of the pandemic and valuing time with others is a spot from beer maker Stella Artois, which features singer Lenny Kravitz. "We want to inspire everyone to keep hedging their bets in shared moments together," Lara Krug, vice president of marketing at Stella Artois, said in a statement.
Procter & Gamble's Dawn and Swiffer brands are airing an ad that points to the heavier load of housework that many people are undertaking in the pandemic, especially women. Their commercial urges families to share housework more equitably, urging people to "close the chore gap."
Take Cheetos. Its Super Bowl LV spot features actor Ashton Kutcher asking his wife, actor Mila Kunis, if she's seen his bag of Cheetos. Despite her orange-tinged fingers and face, she denies she's the thief, while Shaggy's "It Wasn't Me" provides the soundtrack.
Another more traditional ad comes from Tide, with a mom telling her teenage son to wash his "Jason Alexander hoodie," which is embossed with actor Jason Alexander's face. The teen insists the hoodie is clean, but a series of flashbacks, featuring the sweatshirt's many unhappy facial expressions, show that it's far from spotless.
Pringles is another brand aiming for tried-and-true humor. Called "Space Return," the spot features people so wrapped up in stacking their Pringles chips that mission control misses out on two astronauts' return to Earth.
Oikos is advertising its high-protein yogurt product Oikos PRO with a humorous spot featuring NFL stars such as Saquon Barkley and American Ninja Warrior competitor Angela Gargano as they make their "ugly face" while pushing themselves athletically.
Bud Light, meanwhile, will have a second ad that avoids the pandemic but also aims for humor, with a spot that features Post Malone, Cedric the Entertainer and the Bud Knight as they work together to save a delivery of Bud Light beer.
Though this classic-feeling M&M spot maintains a sunny silliness that feels pre-COVID (no one is wearing a mask, even on an airplane), the concept involves people gifting each other bags of M&Ms as a modern way to apologize for things like mansplaining, hosting gender-reveal parties and calling a woman Karen. Her name is actually Karen, so she gets a second bag.
Startup Dr. Squatch is aiming to win over men with its tongue-in-cheek ad about male grooming, which features comedian James Schrader talk about the defects of regular men's soap and why natural care products tap into what he calls the essence of manliness.
Indeed doesn’t mention COVID-19 directly, but it doesn’t have to—the images of Americans from all walks of life searching for jobs create a very human sense of camaraderie and even optimism about the road ahead.
In this funny ad, Will Ferrell is very upset to learn that Norway is creating more electric vehicles per capita than America, and in a very Will Ferrell manner, he recruits Kenan Thompson and Awkwafina to help him do something about it. By framing environmental responsibility as a competition Will Ferrell fans should want to win—by using humor rather than preachiness—GM just might convert a few Super Bowl fans.
As a sponsor of the Paralympics, Toyota unveiled an emotional 60-second spot that’s essentially a biography of swimmer Jessica Long, who was adopted from Siberia with a rare condition that required her legs to be amputated. She went on to become the second-most decorated Paralympian in America.
For the first time in 37 years, Budweiser won’t air a TV ad during the game. Instead, they have reallocated those media dollars to support vaccine-education efforts including
the Ad Council’s unprecedented initiative. This video, released in January, explains why, with resonant images of mask wearing, empty stadiums, social distancing, Black Lives Matter support, and medical professionals getting vaccinated—all to powerful effect.