AI meets the Super Bowl... 2025 Super Bowl Advertising Trends

On February 9, 2025(local time), Super Bowl LIX will be played between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.

FOX will broadcast the Super Bowl, which will also be available in 4K on Tubi, FOX's free, ad-supported streaming service. While the 4K broadcast is available in areas where the latest digital broadcast standard (ATSC 3.0) is used, even FOX will only be able to provide the existing HD picture quality in some small areas, so Tubi must be selected for 4K high-definition viewing.

The Super Bowl, the final game of the National Football League (NFL), which is considered the biggest sports event in the United States, is watched live by hundreds of millions of viewers in the United States and around the world. As a result, companies use this time to run advertisements to increase brand awareness and make a lasting impression on consumers. The cost of advertising during the Super Bowl is known to be so expensive that it can reach $8 million (about 11.6 billion won) for 30 seconds.

In particular, Super Bowl commercials are becoming a cultural phenomenon that goes beyond simple product promotion by utilizing high-quality production, creative direction, emotional storytelling and humor. In addition, it is also called the battleground of advertising because it creates new advertising trends every year through the combination of active participation by technology companies, continuous investment by traditional brands, and strategies such as guerrilla marketing.

Each year, Super Bowl commercials go beyond simple advertising to become an important indicator of a brand's identity and marketing strategy. In 2025, various companies will continue to use Super Bowl commercials to promote their marketing strategies, which will allow us to analyze this year's advertising trends. In particular, the active participation of the artificial intelligence (AI) industry, strategic approaches to strengthening brand awareness, and new marketing techniques are expected to stand out.

1. Active marketing participation of AI companies
   The most notable thing this year is the active participation of AI companies in Super Bowl advertising. The main theme of this year's Super Bowl is "AI". OpenAI is preparing for full-scale promotion by showing an ad in the Super Bowl for the first time since its founding, and competitors Google and Microsoft are also expected to air ads highlighting the features of "Gemini Live" and "Copilot AI", respectively.
   The AI industry is expected to invest $332 million (about 380 billion won) in Super Bowl ads in 2024, more than double the amount of the previous year, in a strategic move to promote AI technology to the masses and strengthen brand awareness.
2. "Trending Ads" to Strengthen Brand Awareness
   One of the most important elements of a Super Bowl commercial is to increase brand awareness. This year, many companies are expected to grab consumers' attention with unexpected productions and strong messages. This year, streaming service tubi surprised viewers with its 2023 "Channel Change" commercial.
   This year, expect to see aggressive marketing to build buzz with ads that confuse viewers in this way. DoorDash will feature a 30-second spot in its 2025 Super Bowl ad featuring Bargatze promoting DashPass, the delivery app's membership program that was key to saving money.
3. Traditional brands continue to participate in Super Bowl advertising
   Traditional brands that are a staple of the Super Bowl each year also showed strong performance. Budweiser, Doritos and Dunkin' are all expected to return this year with ads that combine emotional storytelling and humor. In particular, the Dunkin' ad featuring Ben Affleck has been a hot topic for three years in a row, further building brand awareness.
4. Creative Guerilla Marketing Strategy
   Super Bowl advertising is not limited to airtime. Some companies are taking a creative approach to Super Bowl marketing instead of paying for expensive advertising.
   The Kelsey Brothers' Garage Beer is drawing attention by launching its own Garage Bowl campaign, taking advantage of the fact that it cannot afford the cost of a Super Bowl ad. In addition, there are more and more cases of brands using social media campaigns or on-site promotions tied to the Super Bowl.
5. Advertising strategies that combine emotion and humor
   Super Bowl ads that combine emotional storytelling with humor are getting a lot of attention.
   This year, Hellmann's, a food company that sells sauces such as mayonnaise and ketchup, is promoting its humorous Hellmann's Mayonnaise by having Billie Crystal and Mac Ryan recreate the famous deli scene from the movie When Harry Met Sally.
   Häagen-Dazs also featured the actors from the Fast and Furious franchise in a Super Bowl ad, enjoying ice cream with the words "NOT SO FAST, NOT SO FURIOUS. This is Häagen-Dazs' first Super Bowl ad.

2025 SUPER BOWL MEETS AI

Google, Verizon, Supercell, and other tech companies have used the Super Bowl to promote their innovative products and services, but the 2025 Super Bowl is drawing attention because OpenAI, a tech company at the forefront of its field, is making its first appearance in a Super Bowl commercial. In particular, the launch of DeepSeek in China has generated both controversy and discussion, so the Super Bowl ad is an opportunity for OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, to get one step closer to the public.

OpenAI is trying to change its brand image by focusing on strengthening its marketing, including its first rebranding with a new logo and font ahead of the Super Bowl on February 9. As technology advances and consumer trends change, so does advertising, and Super Bowl ads are expected to remain a key element of brand strategy.

Now all viewers have to do is enjoy the Super Bowl on February 9.