The confetti has settled at Levi’s Stadium, the Seattle Seahawks are champions, and the real analysis has begun. But for marketers, the scorecard looks different. With a 30-second spot commanding a record-breaking $10 million (€9.2m) this year, the prevailing mood wasn’t innovation. It was fear.
At Marketing Network Group, we distinguish between buying attention and earning relevance. Super Bowl 60 was a masterclass in the former. The industry collective seemed to decide that if the creative idea wasn’t strong enough, throwing a celebrity at it would fix the problem.
The Nostalgia Trap
Over 100 celebrities appeared across the commercial slate. This created a “sea of sameness.”
When everyone is shouting, nobody is heard.
However, some brands proved that nostalgia can be a strategic tool rather than a crutch. Dunkin’ succeeded with “Good Will Dunkin” because the creative was self-aware and authentic to their Boston roots. Rage, as our creative industry, loved the execution and Marketing Network Group commended the strategist, it was bang on!
Pepsi similarly cut through the noise by reviving the Cola Wars with a confident, humorous spot featuring a defecting Coca-Cola polar bear.
Contrast this with brands like Skechers, who simply rented famous faces without a distinct narrative. The lesson is clear: a celebrity is an amplifier, not a strategy. If your core message isn’t distinct, you are just amplifying noise.
When we look at the highs and lows of the broadcast, the contrast perfectly illustrates the divide between earning relevance and renting attention. Our absolute favourite in the office was the NFL’s own “Champion” spot. By showing a young boy passionately reciting his coach’s speech to his toys, the NFL didn’t just promote football. They captured the emotional core of the sport. It was storytelling at its most pure, human, and potent. The most important aspect of any brand, building that emotional connection with your traget audience. Sell your story and the product will sell itself.
On the opposite end of the spectrum was our least favourite of the night: Coinbase. Their 60-second karaoke-style ad, which simply flashed the lyrics to the Backstreet Boys’ “Everybody,” was an expensive misfire. It took a universally loved nostalgic track and slapped a logo on it, failing to communicate any actual value, utility, or even what the product does. It was the ultimate example of the nostalgia trap: confusing a recognisable song with a compelling brand narrative.
AI: Utility vs. The Gimmick
All in all 2026 will be remembered as the year AI advertising faced its awkward teenage phase. The tech sector, currently battling a trust deficit, is split into two camps: those who used AI as a gimmick and those who demonstrated value.
Google’s Gemini spot, “New Home,” won by grounding the abstract concept of AI in a tangible human benefit: visualising home renovations. It was warm and product-centric. Conversely, Svedka’s use of uncanny valley robots felt cold and disconnected.
For marketers navigating this space, the takeaway is vital: Don’t sell the tool; sell what the tool does for the human using it.
Narrative Management
Super Bowl Sunday is the ultimate hype cycle, but the weeks that follow are reality.
The ads still being discussed now are the ones that reinforced a long-term brand story, not just a fleeting laugh. Budweiser reminded us of their resilience; they didn’t invent a new personality for one night.
This is the distinction between marketing and branding. Marketing is the flashy spot; branding is the trust that remains six months later. As you plan for the rest of 2026, don’t ask, “Do I need a celebrity?” Ask, “How can I tell my brand’s story?” If you’re not sure what that looks like in the real world, let Marketing Network have a go. 😉
