(Photo: Stella Artois)
Super Bowl LIX is nearly upon us. Whether you're rooting for the Kansas City Chiefs or Philadelphia Eagles — or maybe just tuning in for Kendrick Lamar and SZA's half-time performance — one thing is for certain. Nearly 50 brands are about to find themselves projected onto the screens of over 100 million viewers nationwide.
30-second ad spots at this year's Super Bowl reportedly cost $7-$8 million, an all-time high that the franchise seems intent to beat time and time again. As usual, the cost of entry is nearly as high as the production value on display. Fans can expect to see Ben and Casey Affleck team up with "Succession" star Jeremy Strong for Dunkin'; "When Harry Met Sally" stars Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal reunite for Hellmann's Mayonaise; and Doja Cat sneak into a no-celebrities-allowed ad for Taco Bell. Doritos has thrown all caution to the wind and allowed fans to create its campaign from scratch (spoiler: expect aliens).
Amid the fray, just five alcohol brands are confirmed to be advertising at Super Bowl LIX. From Coors Light to Michelob Ultra, here's a quick peek at each.
Michelob Ultra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAJW_-i4-kc
Fresh off sharing the screen in "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," actors William Dafoe and Catherine O'Hara have been recruited for this year's blockbuster Michelob ULTRA ad. The Hollywood duo is set to face off against athletes Sabrina Ionescu, Randy Moss and Ryan Crouser in America's trendiest and nosiest sport — pickleball. Rick Ross' 2006 hit "Hustlin'" hums in the background as the actors dominate match after match with beers in hand.
It's the latest in a marketing push positioning Michelob ULTRA as the beer to beat. Anheuser-Busch has invested a staggering amount of money into promoting the brand over the past few years, recruiting a superhero ensemble of celebrities including Lionel Messi, Serena Williams, Canelo Alvarez, Anthony Davis, Peyton Manning, Brooks Koepka and Jimmy Butler for high-profile ads.
Coors Light
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTj2BH0qJjU
While other brands went with celebrities, Coors Light opted for sloths. The ad, which plays out like a 60-second version of that sloth DMV scene in "Zootopia," shows the mammals slumbering through their daily routines with all the urgency of molasses in January. At one point, an office worker faceplants straight into a glass door; at another, cops and robbers engage in an excruciatingly slow-speed chase.
The sloths are part of a broader campaign commemorating what Coors Light calls the worst Monday of the year — "the day after the big game." The brand already rolled out a series of intentionally misspelled ads and is now selling cases of Mondays Light, a cheekily renamed beer slated to go on sale until mid-February. Given that it's the only beer at the Super Bowl not owned by Anheuser-Busch, Coors Light clearly felt that it had to go above and beyond.
Bud Light
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7qbswwBCDo
Post Malone is back for his second Super Bowl ad in a row. This time around, the musician joins forces with Shane Gillis — Bud Light's newly minted brand ambassador — to recruit neighbors for a cul-de-sac party. Beers are shot with reckless abandon from a leaf blower, golf carts drive through fences and a 20-foot-long cooler is lugged out onto the lawn. Peyton Manning, who also appeared in last year's Bud Light spot, makes a cameo appearance.
Truth be told, much of the ad seems similar to last year's, which featured a "Bud Light Genie" granting wishes during an irreverent night out on the town. The brand has leaned hard into this goofy, party-loving mood since the Dylan Mulvaney controversy in 2023, and we expect that its messaging won't change too much anytime soon.
Stella Artois
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYB3nJ9HfQk
Soccer superstar David Beckham is back in the spotlight alongside Stella Artois. But surprising news is afoot: as the athlete sits down with a pint in hand, he's informed by his parents that he has a long-lost twin brother. We'll have to wait until the big game to see exactly who that may be, though we have a sneaking suspicion that Beckham will play both roles.
Beckham was recruited as the celebrity face of Stella Artois in March 2024, just a few months after he severed ties with long-time partner, Haig Club scotch whisky. Speculation has swirled that he may be launching his alcohol brand in years to come, though nothing has come to fruition quite yet.
Budweiser
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0iKgJXy_gk
The Budweiser Clydesdales have starred in 47 Super Bowl ads to date, and 2025 is no different. For this year's take on the concept, we follow a foal too small to join the team as it kicks a keg across the country. The vibe is classically Americana in a way that these Budweiser ads usually tap into, featuring lots of railroads and barren plains as the country music strums. The 98-second spot, titled "First Delivery," can already be watched in full on YouTube.
“With the help of our beloved Clydesdales and a determined foal, this year’s commercial captures our commitment to deliver for consumers since 1876 and toasts to those who put in the hard work it takes to achieve their own goals, despite any obstacles along the way,"Budweiser USA Head of Marketing Kristina Punwani said in a new release.
