The Super Bowl is advertising’s biggest stage – a place where brands don’t just show up, they perform.
This year’s game delivered plenty of spectacle. Star power was everywhere, with brands leaning heavily into celebrities to cut through the noise. Familiar faces dominated the breaks, each one engineered to spark social chatter and instant recognition. Even the spots that tapped into licensed properties – from Ken’s appearance in Expedia’s campaign to Jurassic Park powering Xfinity’s creative – stood out precisely because they brought something extra to the screen.
And that 'something extra' is worth talking about.
While celebrity-driven ads grabbed attention, this year’s line-up felt comparatively light on beloved entertainment IP and iconic fictional characters - the very ingredients that have historically helped turn Super Bowl spots into cultural moments.
Attention vs. Emotional Equity
Celebrities are a proven tactic. They generate headlines, boost pre-game buzz and provide immediate stopping power. In a fragmented attention economy, that’s valuable.
But attention and emotional equity aren’t the same thing.
Fictional characters – especially those with decades of cultural history – arrive with something celebrities often don’t: narrative depth. Audiences already know them. They’ve grown up with them. They understand their quirks, motivations and world.
That familiarity allows brands to shortcut exposition and go straight to emotion. A single frame can unlock nostalgia, humour or shared cultural memory. The story is already half told.
Characters Carry Stories, Not Just Faces
Super Bowl ads are expensive because they’re designed to endure. The best ones don’t just trend on Sunday night; they embed themselves into brand lore.
Characters help make that happen because they carry stories with them. They bring established traits, emotional associations and built-in fan bases. They enable brands to dramatise product benefits inside worlds people already care about.
When Jurassic Park dinosaurs crash into a broadband narrative, or when Ken’s identity is reimagined for a travel brand, it’s not just a cameo – it’s cultural shorthand. The audience understands the stakes and the joke instantly.
That narrative scaffolding can be far more powerful than simply placing a well-known actor in an unexpected setting.
Longevity Beyond the Final Whistle
Another advantage of entertainment IP is longevity.
Celebrities are often anchored to the cultural moment. Their relevance can fluctuate. A fictional character, by contrast, can transcend generations and geographies. They’re rediscovered, reinterpreted and re-shared.
Historically, character-led Super Bowl campaigns tend to enjoy longer lives online. They become memes. They’re quoted. They’re referenced years later. That enduring shareability matters when a 30-second slot costs millions.
And from a commercial standpoint, IP opens doors beyond broadcast: retail tie-ins, digital extensions, experiential activations and long-tail licensing opportunities that can continue well after the confetti falls.
When Talent and IP Work Together
This isn’t a case against celebrities. In fact, the most powerful campaigns often combine both elements.
When a known actor steps back into an iconic role – as Bill Murray did with Groundhog Day for Jeep – the effect is multiplied. The talent provides immediacy. The character provides emotional weight. Together, they create something bigger than either could alone.
It’s a reminder that star power doesn’t need to replace storytelling – it can enhance it.
A Bigger Opportunity for Brands
Super Bowl LX was entertaining, ambitious and packed with production value. But as the industry looks ahead to next year, there’s a clear opportunity: lean further into the worlds audiences already love.
Entertainment IP and fictional characters offer more than recognition. They bring narrative depth, cultural fluency and multi-generational appeal. They allow brands to tell stories that feel bigger than the product itself.
On the biggest advertising stage in the world, that kind of emotional advantage isn’t just creative flourish – it’s strategic firepower.