Super Bowl 2026 is shaping up as much for advertising as for football, with brands releasing teasers and full commercials ahead of the Feb. 8 matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. According to Bloomberg News, a 30 second ad this year can cost as much as $10 million, and advertisers are also spending heavily on production and celebrity talent to reach an audience that could top 100 million viewers.
Ad buyers say humor is dominant as brands try to offer viewers a respite, and Sean Muller, CEO of ad research firm iSpot, told CBS News advertisers want people to stop worrying for a few hours. Returning advertisers include Budweiser and Pepsi, while new entrants listed for the game include Ro and Fanatics Sportsbook. Several companies pre-released spots or teasers to prime audiences, and media outlets have noted a strong celebrity presence across the slate of ads.
Notable spots already available include Budweiser's "American Icons," which Forbes predicted could be the game's most popular commercial, and Bud Light's celebrity-studded "Keg" featuring musician Post Malone and Peyton Manning. Pepsi's Zero Sugar spot, directed by Taika Waititi, features a polar bear and a cameo by the director, and Google promoted its Gemini assistant in a family-focused "New Home" ad. Fanatics Sportsbook released a long spot starring Kendall Jenner and posted that she wagered $1 million on the Patriots on Jan. 29, as noted in coverage.
Other advertisers with released material span many categories. Anthropic made its first Big Game appearance to differentiate Claude from rival chatbots. Ro ran a spot with Serena Williams about weight loss medication and GLP-1s. Grubhub tapped George Clooney to announce fee relief on large orders. Svedka said its ad was created primarily with artificial intelligence. Additional entrants include Dunkin', Pringles with Sabrina Carpenter, Novartis with NFL tight ends Rob Gronkowski and George Kittle, Instacart with Ben Stiller, Ritz featuring Bowen Yang, Jon Hamm and Scarlett Johansson, and many more.
Events And Celebrity Appearances Around The Game
Brands and entertainers also staged events in San Francisco ahead of the game. At Pier 48, the Fanatics Super Bowl Party gathered attendees where a former NFL star and a New England superfan teamed up, according to event coverage. The Fanatics presence ties to the company’s Super Bowl advertising push.
Other local activations included a Béis Bowl pop up tied to a Pretty Little Liars alum, described as a pop up in San Francisco, and an Abercrombie & Fitch Super Bowl kickoff where a former reality star, who is the wife to San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, stepped out. Coverage highlighted these appearances as part of the wider promotional activity surrounding the Big Game in the city.
