Key Takeaways:
- The Big Game is still as important as ever, but real results are measured after the game ends.
- Celebrity matters, but authenticity is stronger than star power.
- The emotion of live sports allows for a deeper connection with audiences.
The Super Bowl is a cultural event that marketers have been using to reach consumers for decades. But as the advertising landscape continues to fragment, audibles must be called.
During an ADWEEK House: The Big Game group chat, industry leaders gathered to discuss the continued relevance—and evolving strategies—of advertising during the sporting event.
A powerful launchpad
The marketers on the panel agreed that the Super Bowl has evolved from a singular event to a day that can tell a brand’s story and lay a foundation for long-term relationships with consumers.
Denise Campbell, VP of marketing strategy, U.S. oncology, and enterprise partnerships at Novartis, spoke about using the Big Game to increase prostate cancer awareness and then drive engagement through a larger campaign, especially because health decisions take time to make.
“For us, the Super Bowl is really about trying to disrupt the conversation [about health] and get people to take that first micro-step versus going all the way to purchase,” she said. [17:45] The full campaign includes an online educational hub and screenings with NFL teams.
J.P. Bittencourt, SVP of marketing for sparkling beverages at PepsiCo, agreed and added that while a Big Game spot feels like a culmination of a lot of work, it’s really just the beginning.
“The brands that are able to have the courage and focus to continue to support the campaign past the Super Bowl is really where I think you’ve seen the evolution in the last couple of years, and certainly that’s where we’ve seen our success,” he said. [4:40]
Authentic celebrity partnerships
Since 2018, the majority of Super Bowl ads have featured at least one celebrity. It’s a tried-and-true strategy, but authenticity has become more important than pure star power.
Olympia Portale, senior director of crackers marketing and portfolio strategy at Mondelez International, shared the decision to use a trio of celebrities—Bowen Yang, Jon Hamm, and Scarlett Johansson—in the 2026 spot for Ritz.
