Super Bowl LIX is fast approaching, and while the game itself is a spectacle, the ads are just as highly anticipated. With 30-second slots costing over $7 million, only the biggest brands can afford to play on this stage. But for brands without that kind of budget, there are still valuable lessons to take from the trends we expect to see in 2025.
Based on early teasers, industry insights, and past years' patterns, here are the key advertising trends we anticipate—each with a real Super Bowl 2025 example—and how your brand can apply them effectively.
1. Nostalgia Continues to Resonate
What We Expect:
Brands will lean into nostalgia, bringing back iconic moments, beloved celebrities, and references from the past to spark emotional connections. Super Bowl ads have long relied on this tactic, and in 2025, expect more brands to tap into familiar pop culture moments.
Example:
Hellmann's has recreated the legendary deli scene from When Harry Met Sally, starring Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal. By reviving this classic film moment, the brand aims to capture audience attention through shared nostalgia.
How to Apply It:
Tap into generational nostalgia: Reference pop culture moments your target audience grew up with.
Use nostalgia in social content: You don’t need a celebrity—recreate iconic visuals or moments that align with your brand.
2. User-Generated Content Takes Center Stage
What We Expect:
More brands will involve their audiences directly in campaign creation—whether through contests, interactive experiences, or featuring real customer stories in ads.
Example:
Taco Bell is incorporating footage from its Live Más Drive-Thru Cams in its Super Bowl ad, showcasing real customers rather than relying on actors or celebrities.
How to Apply It:
Run a contest: Encourage customers to submit videos or photos for a chance to be featured in your marketing.
Use real customer testimonials: Showcase authentic user experiences in your ads and social campaigns.
Create interactive social polls: Let your audience vote on new products, packaging, or ad creative.
3. Humor with Relatable Scenarios
What We Expect:
Super Bowl ads have always been known for their humor, but in 2025, expect brands to mix humor with cultural relevance. The best ads will be funny and timely, making them more engaging and shareable.
Example:
Coors Light’s teaser features actor Timothy Simons struggling to deliver his lines on a sitcom set—a highly relatable moment for anyone who's experienced stage fright or public speaking anxiety.
How to Apply It:
Lean into everyday humor: Highlight relatable, funny moments from daily life.
Test humor on social media first: See what resonates with your audience before rolling it out in paid campaigns.
Use humor in short-form content: TikTok and Instagram Reels are perfect for quick, lighthearted moments.
4. Interactive and Fan-Centric Campaigns
What We Expect:
Consumers don’t just want to watch ads—they want to be part of them. Expect brands to lean into interactive experiences like voting, real-time engagement, and gamification.
Example:
Doritos has brought back its famous Crash the Super Bowl contest, where fans submit their own ad concepts. The winning commercial will air during the game, and the creator will receive a $1 million prize.
How to Apply It:
Launch a UGC challenge: Ask fans to create their own version of your brand message.
Incorporate QR codes in marketing: Drive audiences to exclusive digital experiences or product drops.
Create choose-your-own-adventure content: Engage audiences by letting them make decisions in your storytelling.
Final Takeaway:
You Don’t Need a Super Bowl Budget to Make a Super Bowl-Worthy Impact
Even if your brand isn’t spending millions on a game-day ad, you can still tap into these trends for effective marketing in 2025. Nostalgia, humor, user-generated content, interactivity, and purpose
driven storytelling are strategies that any brand—big or small—can use.
By adapting these approaches in your own campaigns, you can create memorable marketing moments that engage audiences—without a $7 million price tag.
