Daily Tribune
The Super Bowl has long been the pinnacle of television advertising, with companies shelling out an average of $8 million for a brief spot during this year's Super Bowl LIX.
With an estimated audience of over 123 million viewers, brands view this as an unmatched opportunity to capture consumer attention. This year’s advertisements were no exception, showcasing a mix of humor, nostalgia, celebrity endorsements, and a bit of controversy.
While the Super Bowl airs on Monday morning Philippine time, many advertisers have released their commercials early to generate buzz and build anticipation ahead of the main event.
Check out a selection of interesting and controversial ads below.
David Beckham’s encounter with his "secret twin" — revealed to be Matt Damon with matching facial hair — made for a humorous and engaging ad.
The duo playfully debated football and soccer, reinforcing Stella Artois' European identity while making a nod to American sports culture. The use of global celebrities gave the ad an international appeal, solidifying the brand’s premium image.
One of the most controversial spots of the night, Hims & Hers tackled America’s obesity crisis with a stark message: “The system is built to keep us sick.” The ad, featuring weight-loss drugs, faced backlash from lawmakers who warned it could mislead consumers. The criticism highlights an ongoing debate about the ethics of pharmaceutical advertising and the role of direct-to-consumer healthcare marketing.
Google’s ad promoting its AI model Gemini aimed to showcase its utility for small businesses. But, the commercial — set to air locally in Wisconsin due to the state's status as American cheesemaking powerhouse — contained a big factual error, claiming that Gouda cheese accounts for “50 to 60 percent of the world’s cheese consumption”
The mistake ironically raised concern about the reliability of artificial intelligence, especially given its tendency to "hallucinate," or invent information that it then confidently relays to the user.
Featuring Matthew McConaughey, Kevin Bacon, Greta Gerwig, and Martha Stewart, Uber Eats’ ad played on conspiracy theories but left audiences divided.
While the humor was apparent, some questioned whether joking about misinformation was appropriate, especially at a time when false narratives — and state-sponsored disinformation campaigns by Russia and Chine — are a major concern in the media.
Dove continued its advocacy for body positivity, depicting a young girl running joyfully before revealing that, by age 14, she will likely hate her legs.
An animated seal — voiced by singer Seal — parodied his 1994 hit “Kiss From a Rose” in a bizarre yet catchy ad. This quirky approach highlights a key advertising trend: creating shareable, meme-friendly content that thrives on social media.
FanDuel is taking a new approach to its Super Bowl campaign this year, replacing its usual "Kick of Destiny" format from the last two years with a sibling rivalry showdown featuring Peyton and Eli Manning. The betting platform’s 2025 ad will center around the two former quarterbacks attempting to out-kick each other in a live 25-yard field goal competition during Fox’s Super Bowl pregame show.
This marks a shift from previous years, where former NFL star Rob Gronkowski attempted field goals in FanDuel’s high-stakes promotion. Instead of relying on a single kicker, FanDuel is turning the event into a competitive faceoff, allowing fans to pick which Manning will win. Participants who correctly predict the outcome via the FanDuel Sportsbook app will share in a $10 million Bonus Bet prize pool.
The competition will play out over three rounds, with the Manning who kicks it closest to the center in the final round declared the winner if no one makes a clean field goal. FanDuel will feature recap footage of the kicks during two in-game commercials and track the brothers' progress across social media platforms, including X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Peyton and Eli have already begun hyping the showdown, with Eli jokingly declaring his confidence in victory while Peyton delivers tongue-in-cheek trash talk in teaser ads.
Super Bowl ads have always reflected shifts in consumer behavior and industry trends, and this year was no exception. Advertisers leaned into emerging themes that ranged from cutting-edge technology to social messaging and nostalgia-driven campaigns. As brands compete for attention on one of the biggest advertising stages, key trends have started to shape how companies engage with audiences.
With Google promoting AI-powered services, it’s clear that AI is becoming a major focus for consumer engagement. However, Google’s misinformation blunder suggests that brands should exercise more caution when showcasing AI capabilities, lest the technology's reputation among the average sports fan sours.
Dove’s ad on body image and Hims & Hers’ take on healthcare reflect a trend where brands align with societal concerns to resonate emotionally with audiences. This can be powerful but also risks backlash if perceived as exploitative, especially when the message can be easily misunderstood.
Booking.com’s Muppet ad and Hellmann’s When Harry Met Sally parody show that leveraging nostalgia remains an effective way to capture consumer attention. Brands continue to tap into pop culture to evoke sentimentality and trust.
With gambling ads in the Super Bowl, concerns about gambling normalization, especially among younger viewers, are growing. This shift raises regulatory and ethical considerations moving forward.
