Every Super Bowl sparks the same debate: too many celebrities, not enough ideas.
This year, that framing misses the point.
Celebrity wasn’t overused. It was normalized. Across those discussions, one realization resurfaced:
Celebrity is no longer the shortcut.
When more than half the ads feature talent, star power becomes table stakes. The brands that broke through were the ones with the clearest intent. Especially when the casting felt unexpected or unconventional.
Over the past week, SonderCo partners Jessie Mash and Sean Akaks were part of several industry conversations examining what worked in Super Bowl LX advertising — and what’s starting to feel like expensive noise.
Below we share our perspectives as published in Adweek and Campaign:
→ Star Power Isn’t a Shortcut Anymore: What the Super Bowl Gets Right and Wrong About Celebrity Ads
Campaign
As spending on celebrity talent continues to climb, the Big Game exposes the widening gap between thoughtful partnerships and empty spectacle.
→ Super Bowl 2026 Was Packed With Celebrities, but Not as Many as Expected
Adweek
Despite the expectation of celebrity overload, 62% of Super Bowl 60 ads featured top talent, raising the bar for differentiation, not lowering it.
→ Creatives React: Coinbase Brings a Puzzling Karaoke Moment to Super Bowl 60
Adweek
Ad industry veterans weigh in on whether experimentation without cultural fluency creates intrigue or confusion.
→ 3 Reasons Why It’s Rare to See a Super Bowl Ad Without a Celebrity
Adweek
With TV measurement firm iSpot projecting that nearly 70% of Big Game ads will feature talent, celebrity has officially become the baseline.
If you’re thinking about how talent fits into your 2026 strategy, let’s talk.