Jamie Squire / Staff
- A number of companies will advertise during the Super Bowl for the first time this year.
- Other companies will introduce new products and cash prizes during game day.
- Huggies will be the first diaper brand to air a Super Bowl commercial.
This year's Super Bowl might look different inside the stadium because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but commercials will still be a big part of the event.
The cost to air a 30-second spot on CBS during Super Bowl 55 is about $5.6 million, the same as for Super Bowl 2020.
A number of companies will make their game day advertising debut, including DoorDash and Huggies, the first diaper brand to ever buy a Super Bowl spot. Other companies will be repeat advertisers with a whole new look or message amid the pandemic.
Here's what's known so far about the game day ads based on what Insider has seen so far online and what some companies have revealed about their commercials.
M&M'S
This is M&M's sixth Super Bowl ad over the past decade and it will air during the first commercial break following the kickoff of Super Bowl LV. The ad marks the first-time Super Bowl appearance of Dan Levy, of Schitt's Creek fame, according to the company.
This year, M&M's "Come Together" will feature a variety of relatable situations where people recognize that they shouldn't have acted in a certain way with somebody and decide to share a bag of M&M's as an apology.
Watch this year's ad here.
Huggies
Huggies becomes the first diaper brand to air a Super Bowl commercial. The new 30-second ad, which will be aired during the second quarter, features real game day newborns, according to the company's press release.
"We're rolling out the red carpet for game day babies and ensuring parents everywhere know that Huggies is their partner and guide to navigate all of the unknowns that babyhood presents," said Rebecca Dunphey, President of Personal Care at Kimberly-Clark North America.
Amazon
Amazon is taking a different approach this year with its Super Bowl ad, promoting the Echo, it's Alexa-enabled speaker. This year's ad titled "Alexa's New Body," stars actor Michael B. Jordan as an Amazon employee's dream "vessel" for Alexa.
Watch this year's ad here.
DraftKings
The official partner of the NFL and Super Bowl LV, sports betting operator DraftKings will be airing two 15-second commercials in addition to having in-stadium branding that will display in the lower bowl for eight minutes of game time, Draftkings said.
The ads, developed in-house, will have a fan-engagement theme featuring Draftkings host Jesse Coffield. DraftKings will run a $55 million 'Prediction Challenge' where fans can enter for free and predict game outcomes. Winners have a chance at sharing $1 million.
"We will show 100 million Americans what we do best: engage the skin-in-the-game fan," said co-founder and president, Matt Kalish in the statement. "Our Super Bowl Prediction Challenge will keep fans engaged until the final whistle, which will ultimately benefit the NFL, broadcasters and the fan experience overall."
Fiverr
Fiverr, an online marketplace for freelance services, will be running its first Super Bowl ad this year during the third quarter, the company said. The ad will include extensions of the "It Starts Here" campaign that was launched in September with a focus on small and medium businesses as they navigated digital transformation with support from freelancers using Fiverr.
The ad will feature Philadelphia's Four Seasons Total Landscaping, starring its owner Marie Siravo. The small business gained national attention during last year's presidential race, when the Trump campaign booked a press conference at the Four Seasons suburban landscaping center, instead of the luxury hotel in Philadelphia.
"It has made us both humbled and proud, this year, to see how Fiverr has been able to help so many people during this pandemic, on one side helping people find work through freelance jobs on the platform and on the other, helping small businesses find the services they need to survive," Vice President of Brand at Fiverr Duncan Bird told Insider.
Frito-Lay
Frito-Lay's ad this year focuses on bringing comfort and familiarity at "a time when smiles are very much needed," a spokesperson told Business Insider.
The company is marketing its entire portfolio, including Tostitos, Doritos, Cheetos, Lay's, Doritos 3D Crunch, and Cheetos Crunch Pop Mix.
The ad "Twas the Night Before Kick-off" is a recreation of the iconic holiday poem "Twas the Night Before Christmas." It features NFL stars Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Archie Manning, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Terry Bradshaw, Jerome Bettis, Deion Sanders and Marshawn Lynch.
Watch this year's ad here.
The company's Cheetos ad features actors Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher, and musician Shaggy, and focuses on Cheetos Crunch Pop Mix.
Watch this year's ad here.
The company's Doritos ad focuses on Doritos 3D Crunch. It will air during the first quarter of the game and features actor Matthew McConaughey, showcasing aspects of an ordinary 2D life that can be solved only by Doritos 3D Crunch.
Watch this year's ad here.
Pringles
Pringles will releases its fourth consecutive spot at this year's Super Bowl. The 30-second ad titled " Space Return" allows viewers to enter into the world of flavor stacking," according to Pringles. The ad encourages fans to explore new flavor combinations by stacking different chips on top of each other.
Watch this year's ad here.
Samuel Adams
Sam Adams will be introducing a new line of beer, Wicked, to drinkers this year. An ad that will be aired during the Super Bowl is titled "Your Cousin from Boston Frees the Clydesdales." It was created by Goodby Silverstein & Partners and aimed at younger audiences.
Watch this year's ad here
Verizon
This is Verizon's fourth consecutive year to buy an in-game spot. This year's Super Bowl ad will emphasize the power of 5G, according to the company.
Verizon's 5G SuperStadium, in the NFL app, allows fans with certain 5G-enabled devices to engage with seven different camera angles while in the stadium and five angles at home, Verizon said.
Verizon Media's "Watch Together," will allow fans to co-watch, interact, and immerse themselves in the Super Bowl. The company also said that it invested over $80 million to improve its 5G network at the areas surrounding Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
This year, the company will host the Big Concert for Small Business immediately after Super Bowl LV. The event aims to move forward one million small businesses in the digital economy.
Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew, the PepsiCo-owned brand, will focus this year on revealing its newest flavor, the Mountain Dew Major Melon and the Mountain Dew Major Melow Zero Sugar. The company has slated a 30-second in-game ad that will feature actor John Cena.
Fans can win a $1 million prize by counting the correct number of bottles appearing in the spot.
"This past year was unprecedented, and our insights team discovered that what most people wanted from Super Bowl ads this year was humor and entertainment - and I think we deliver on that along with something that could indeed be life-changing," Mountain Dew's Vice President of Marketing Nicole Portwood told Insider."
Watch the teaser here.
Toyota
Toyota 60-second "Upstream" ad features the story of paralympian Jessica Long, and it focuses on hope and strength, according to the company's press release.
"'Upstream' highlights Toyota's mission to shine a light on athletes like Jessica who work tirelessly every day to pursue their passion and inspire people around the world to reach their full potential," said Toyota's Lisa Materazzo. "We are grateful to Jessica and her family for their willingness to allow us to share such a personal part of their story."
Watch this year's ad here.
Bud Light Seltzer
Bud Light Seltzer released its first Super Bowl commercial titled "Last Year's Lemons" in January. The ad's concept is inspired by the do-it-yourself life-approach during 2020 that included inconvenient situations caused by the pandemic.
The ad is focusing on turning "last year's lemons into the new Bud Light Seltzer Lemonade," the company said.
Watch this year's ad here.
Cutwater Spirits
Cutwater Spirits, a cocktail brand marketed by Anheuser-Busch, launched its 30-second Super Bowl ad in late January. Titled "Cut Out," the ad will run in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Seattle during the game, the company said.
The ad is focused on four of the company's products, including Vodka Soda with Grapefruit and Tiki Rum Mai Tai.
The idea comes from the notion that "we are 'always on' and that's why it's more important than ever to encourage everyone to take a moment whenever possible and just have a little fun - whether that's going camping in the mountains or hanging out in your own backyard. company spokesperson Yuseff Cherney told Insider.
Watch this year's ad here.
Indeed
This is the first Super Bowl commercial for the job site Indeed, which will focus on the emotional journey of job seekers during the pandemic.
The ad, which will air during the first quarter of the game, will showcase the journey of people as they search for a job and their challenges and successes yielded along the way, the company said.
Hellmann's
Hellmann's is also debuting its first Super Bowl ad this year, focusing on food waste. The ad will feature actress, comedian, and author Amy Schumer, encouraging people to be creative while in their kitchens by a "make taste, not waste" approach using ingredients that might be thrown away, the company said.
The effort is part of Hellman's commitment to achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goal of reducing food waste by 50% by 2030, the company said.
Watch this year's ad teaser here.
Chipotle
This is alsothe first time Mexican fast-casual chain Chipotle will run a Super Bowl ad. The spot will air during the second quarter of the game.
Titled "Can a Burrito Change the World?," the ad shows the impact that Chipotle's 'Food with Integrity' standards, including reducing carbon emissions and saving water, could have on the world.
Watch this year's ad here.
DoorDash
The logistics company DoorDash will introduce a new ad campaign during its first-ever Super Bowl. Titled "The Neighborhood," the ad will air in the first quarter and stars Sesame Street Muppets and actor Daveed Diggs, highlighting the company's goal of supporting local economies.
The ad features Sesame Workshop as it debuts a reimagined Sesame Street tune "People in Your Neighborhood," according to the company. The company said it wants the commercial to help reposition it from a food-delivery service to an all-around delivery option.
"As a business, we've accelerated our foray into convenience, grocery, retail, pharmacy, and pets, but this is the first time we've shifted our brand image in a meaningful way to match the selection and services we offer to customers and merchants," a DoorDash spokesperson told Insider.
Watch this year's ad teaser here.
Chobani
The Chobani Oat Campaign will feature it's "Almost Spilled" spot at Super Bowl, focusing on the company's oat milk products.
The ad originally ran in last year's Super Bowl, but this year the company is adding few changes including its packaging, a company spokesperson told Insider.
Watch this year's ad here.
Stella Artois
Stella Artois's Super Bowl ad features Grammy Award-winning rock musician, Lenny Kravitz. Titled "Heartbeat Billionaire," it features an interpretation of Stella Artois "mindset of savoring life together with those who matter most," the company said.
"Over the last year, many of us have found the value of investing our heartbeats and time in each other and discovered all kinds of new ways to come together safely to make memories," Vice President of Marketing at Stella Artois, Lara Krug said. "Well into the new year now, we want to inspire everyone to keep hedging their bets in shared moments together, so we're taking the campaign to an exceptionally poignant platform that has long brought people together, Super Bowl LV."
Watch this year's ad here.
General Motors
General Motors is launching two Super Bowl ads this year, including a 60-second ad for Cadillac and its upcoming Lyriq crossover EV and a 60-second corporate ad. The latter will feature the company's ambitions in pushing electric vehicles including 30 new models globally through 2025, according to CNBC.