“Ritz is on a modernization journey,” she said. “So, the way we thought about celebrities was really about who is going to tap into different components of the cultural conversation,” she said. [6:47] The trio were intentional choices aimed to make the classic cracker feel like a “modern savory icon” and introduce it to a new generation of consumers.
Garrett Smith, agent of endorsements and voiceover at UTA, said celebrities pick brands that feel like a “fit” and want to be involved.
“Bowen was very much involved in the creative process,” he said. [8:20] “The talent takes these [spots] seriously. They want them to succeed. They want them to do well.” [27:52]
“I think the authenticity piece is super important, especially if you’re targeting a younger audience,” said Margaret Johnson, CCO and partner at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners. [9:12] Johnson highlighted building a Cheetos campaign with rapper and actress Megan Thee Stallion, who is very public about it being her favorite snack. It was an authentic fit that made sense for the brand and Stallion. [9:25]
The unique connection of sports
While the Super Bowl pulls in the biggest audience of any sporting event (124.9 million viewers in 2026), the panelist agreed that live sports offer marketers strong platforms to reach consumers.
Lauren Griewski, head of Chase Media Solutions at JPMorgan Chase, talked about the emotional connection audiences have with sports. “The emotion around live sports is very high,” she said. “In highly emotive moments, people are more likely to remember a relationship that they have with a brand.” [23:14] The tension and drama of sports create a focused audience that brands can leverage.
For Indy Khabra, co-founder and co-CEO of Livewire, he sees sports as IP that can be used in other media. Livewire, a global gaming marketing company, recently teamed with the NFL to release a 21-episode docuseries on the NFL’s YouTube channel called “NFL Race to the End Zone.”
Because gaming has become so immersed in culture, it’s an authentic way for marketers to engage audiences. “From an integrated marketing perspective, whether that’s a retail media network or whether that’s a brand, we’re seeing gaming showing up as that extension, but also within the ecosystem there’s multiple different ways to play,” Khabra said. [31:56]
• JP Bittencourt, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Sparkling Beverages, PepsiCo
• Denise Campbell, Vice President, Marketing Strategy, US Oncology and Enterprise Partnerships, Novartis
• Margaret Johnson, Chief Creative Officer and Partner, Goodby Silverstein & Partners
• Lauren Griewski, Head of Chase Media Solutions, JPMorganChase
• Indy Khabra, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Livewire
• Olympia Portale, Senior Director, Crackers Marketing & Portfolio Strategy, Mondelez International
• Garrett Smith, Agent, Endorsements and Voice Over, United Talent Agency
• Will Lee, Chief Executive Officer, ADWEEK
