M&M’s ‘spokescandies’ return after Super Bowl ends
That was quick.
The so-called “spokescandies,” a lineup including the red, yellow, green and purple M&M’s, were back as the stars of M&M’s commercials after the conclusion of the Super Bowl.
Earlier in the evening, an ad starring Maya Rudolph taking over as spokesperson and wrecking havoc on the iconic candies. She renamed them Ma&Ya’s and changed them to chocolate-covered clam bites. The original ‘spokescandies’ returned to the relief of consumers.
Last month candy maker Mars said it was replacing the candy icons with Rudolph after facing right-wing criticism over its mascot makeover. On Sunday it declared the spokescandies were “back for good.”
–Lillian Rizzo
The Chiefs are champs again
The Kansas City Chiefs have won their second Super Bowl under coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the NFL MVP. Final score: 38-35. A classic.
Did you just click the Tubi app? No, that was an ad
Free streaming service Tubi had Super Bowl viewers thinking they flipped the channel on Sunday.
In what appeared to be a return from the commercial break, with Fox broadcasters Kevin Burkhardt and Greg Olsen front and center, suddenly the Tubi interface appeared.
The ad-supported streaming service, owned by Super Bowl broadcaster Fox Corp, brought viewers into its interface, as if they were clicking around in the app. Front and center was Fox Nation original content, like “Yellowstone One-Fifty,” the Kevin Costner-narrated program celebrating the national park’s 150th anniversary. Super Bowl watchers tweeted their confusion.
–Lillian Rizzo
Chiefs take the lead with seconds left
Harrison Butker redeemed an earlier miss to give the Chiefs a three-point lead with mere seconds left in Super Bowl LVII.
‘Grease’ is the word for T-Mobile 5G commercial
T-Mobile is calling out to “Grease” fans with its Super Bowl commercial.
The wireless company tapped John Travolta to reprise his part in the “Summer Lovin'” duet from the 1970s film to spread the word about its 5G home internet. Travolta gets some assistance from Zach Braff and Donald Faison, costars from the long-running sitcom, “Scrubs.”
T-Mobile has been pushing its 5G internet and creating competition that has been hitting traditional cable providers recently.
Also on Sunday, the company released an advertisement for its internet featuring actor Bradley Cooper and his mom Gloria. The spot features a series of bloopers of the mother-son duo and playful jests about Bradley’s bright pink shirt that Gloria said made him look like a “flamingo.”
–Lillian Rizzo
Melissa McCarthy travels in musical Booking.com ad
Booking.com features Melissa McCarthy singing an ode to the travel agency website in its second Super Bowl ad ever.
Throughout the 30-second spot, the Emmy award-winning comedy star and producer takes seconds-long visits to luxe locations. While popping into places like a Malibu beach house, a poolside resort, and a mountainside ski lodge, she sings the Booking.com original song “Somewhere, Anywhere.”
Booking.com, a brand housed within Booking Holdings, debuted its first Super Bowl commercial last year starring Idris Elba, adding to the wave of travel promotion looking to capitalize on vacation demand pent-up from the pandemic.
The Super Bowl ad is a part of a larger Booking.com ad campaign with McCarthy. To launch the marketing effort, the travel agency is giving away 10,000 travel credits to 50 winners who enter the sweepstakes on social media.
— Rebecca Picciotto
Jalen Hurts scores a third rushing touchdown
Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts set a record for quarterbacks by scoring his third rushing touchdown of the game. And then he tied it with a two-yard conversion run.
He tied the overall rushing touchdown record held by running back Terrell Davis, too.
Ram addresses ‘Premature Electrification’
Ram’s 60-second “Premature Electrification” spot spoofs commercials for male sex-enhancement drug ads and indirectly takes shots at anxiety points associated with current all-electric vehicles, specifically pickup trucks.
The ad features electric vehicle owners, including couples, discussing problems they’ve had with their electric trucks in an innocent, yet sexually proactive way.
The spot debuts the production version of the all-electric Ram 1500 REV pickup that is expected to begin production next year. The truck debuted last month as a concept at the CES technology show.
It stars actor Jason Jones, a Canadian-American comedian best known for his work on HBO’s “The Flight Attendant” and “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.”
– Michael Wayland
Chiefs now lead by 8
The Kansas City Chiefs are on a roll. After the longest punt return in Super Bowl history, the team scored a touchdown. They now lead 35-27 with under 10 minutes to go.
Turf war at State Farm Stadium
Kansas City Chiefs’ wide reciever Kadarius Toney step into the end zone and scores a touchdown during Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on February 12, 2023.
Angela Weiss | Afp | Getty Images
A shootout between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs has been overshadowed by the very field Super Bowl LVII is being played on.
Throughout Sunday’s game, players have had a hard time keeping their footing on the grass field at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
The new playing surface, which was installed two weeks ago, reported cost close to $1 million and was was grown at a local sod farm in Phoenix.
Players on the Eagles were seen swapping out their cleats, opting for footwear with higher spikes, in order to get a better grip on the loose surface. During the third quarter, Eagles kicker Jake Elliott skidded during a kickoff and slipped to the ground.
— Sarah Whitten
The Chiefs take the lead
Patrick Mahomes marched Kansas City down the field to open the fourth quarter with a touchdown. The Chiefs now have their first lead.
Comedians roast Mr. Peanut in Planters’ commercial
Planters’ mascot Mr. Peanut gets roasted by a plethora of comedians in the Hormel brand’s commercial.
Jeff Ross, Natasha Leggero, Atsuko Okatsuka, Frank Castillo, Yamaneika Saunders, David Lucas, and Sarah Tiana step on stage to insult the cartoon character.
Despite roasting Mr. Peanut, it’s a relatively tame commercial for Planters, who previously killed him in its 2020 spot and revived him as a baby in its 2021 ad. Mr. Peanut makes a reference to that death at the end of this year’s commercial, saying he wished that Planters had killed him again instead.
– Amelia Lucas
‘Binky Dad’ goes viral in Kia Telluride ad
When parents forget a favorite binky for their baby, things can go sideways quick. It’s why moms and dads will go to extreme lengths to keep or retrieve the child’s treasured item.
That’s the premise for Kia’s 60-second “Binky Dad” ad that features a father driving a 2023 Telluride X-Pro who goes viral for attempting to retrieve a forgotten binky.
The commercial is set to 1976’s “Gonna Fly Now,” which is better known today as the “Rocky” movie theme music.
— Michael Wayland
Eagles kick field goal
Philadelphia went up 27-21 with a field goal in the third quarter. It was one of the seemingly rare times this game the Eagles didn’t go for it on fourth down.
Rupert Murdoch, Elon Musk spotted together
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch was spotted sitting next to Tesla CEO Elon Musk during the Super Bowl.
The chairman of Fox, which is broadcasting the matchup, as well as News Corp was also seated with daughter, Elisabeth. Fox’s broadcasters pointed out the duo of CEOs, while others tweeted about it, during the third quarter.
– Lillian Rizzo
‘Air’ trailer
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have reunited for “Air,” the story of the game-changing partnership between Michael Jordan and Nike’s basketball division.
Affleck and Damon reunite as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro and Nike co-founder Phil Knight. Viola Davis stars as Michael Jordan’s mother Deloris Jordan.
– Sarah Whitten
Rihanna unveils pregnancy
Rihanna brought down the house with her Halftime performance – and also revealed she is pregnant.
The Grammy-winning pop singer donned a red, partially latex outfit. At one point, when the camera zooms out on her, she reveals her belly. After Rihanna rubs her stomach, Twitter was set into a frenzy of speculation she was announcing she is pregnant.
Her rep later confirmed the baby news to The Hollywood Reporter.
This marked Rihanna’s first performance in seven years, and also since becoming a mother in 2022. The singer and rapper A$AP Rocky had a baby boy together last year.
– Lillian Rizzo
The Chiefs are still alive
The Chiefs scored a touchdown after a 10-play drive to open the second half. It’s now 24-21, Eagles.
Rihanna seizes the Super Bowl spotlight
Rihanna performs onstage during the Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show at State Farm Stadium on February 12, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona.
Ezra Shaw | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images
Halftime performer Rihanna descended into State Farm Stadium on Sunday, singing hit song “B—- Better Have My Money” before transitioning into a mash-up of “Rude Boy,” “Where Have You Been,” “Only Girl In the World” and “Diamonds.”
Throughout the performance dozens of costumed performers danced on multiple elevated stages that hung from the stadium ceiling.
Here’s Rihanna’s full set list:
- “B— Better Have My Money”
- “Where Have You Been”
- “Only Girl (In the World)”
- “We Found Love”
- “Rude Boy”
- “Work”
- “Wild Thoughts”
- “Pour It Up”
- “All of the Lights”
- “Run This Town”
- “Umbrella”
- “Diamonds”
— Sarah Whitten
‘Creed III’ trailer hits the Super Bowl
The trailer for the next installment in the “Creed” franchise aired during the Super Bowl on Sunday. The film arrives in theaters on March 3. Michael B. Jordan will reprise the role once again, this time battling Jonathan Majors in the movie.
–Lillian Rizzo
Apple in. Pepsi out.
For the first time in a decade, the Super Bowl halftime performance is not being sponsored by Pepsi. Sunday’s game marks the first year in a five-year deal that Apple will host the iconic musical event.
Rihanna is this year’s halftime performer.
Over 120 million viewers watched the 2022 Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show, which featured Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar.
The partnership with the National Football League will be a key promotional platform for Apple, which has been associated with music since 2001 when it introduced the iPod digital music player. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
— Sarah Whitten
‘Ant-Man and the Wasp in Quantumania’ trailer
“Ant-Man and the Wasp in Quantumania” arrives in theaters Feb. 17.
The film kicks off phase five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and centers on Scott Lang (Ant-Man) and Hope Van Dyne (The Wasp) alongside Hope’s parents Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne and Scott’s daughter Cassie as the explore the Quantum Realm.
In addition to interacting with strange new creatures, the group encounters Kang, the major villain of the Multiverse Saga, which encompasses phase five and six of the MCU.
— Sarah Whitten
The Farmer’s Dog touches hearts with first ever Super Bowl spot
Direct-to-consumer dog food company The Farmer’s Dog is making a leap at a national audience with its first ever Super Bowl ad.
The company, which makes dog food from human-grade ingredients, unleashed the 60-second spot during the big game Sunday to kick off a sprawling marketing campaign.
The commercial shows a Labrador named Bear growing up alongside a little girl named Ava. As Ava grows up, moves off to college, gets married and has a child of her own, Bear is by her side for all of those big moments.
“This spot is our love letter to dogs,” The Farmer’s Dog co-founder and CEO, Jonathan Regev, said in a news release. “It embodies our mission as a company — everything we do is about helping people give their dogs a full, healthy life.”
The company has delivered half a billion meals since its inception in 2014. It’s seeking to disrupt the $100 billion pet-care industry by selling nutritious, pre-portioned meals created by veterinarians for dogs.
–Gabrielle Fonrouge
The Eagles pad their lead
The Eagles go into halftime up 24-14.
It’ll be a 29-minute halftime. The Chiefs will get the ball to start the second half, but all eyes are on Patrick Mahomes’ injured ankle.
Jack Harlow gives up rapping to play the triangle in Doritos’ commercial
In its 23rd year at the Super Bowl, Doritos’ one-minute commercial spotlights rapper Jack Harlow tackling a new instrument: the triangle.
The spot shows Harlow turning down a collaboration with rapper Missy Elliott to focus on the instrument, teaching triangle-playing classes and hawking his own triangle-themed cologne. But singer Elton John beats him out for the award for best triangle player.
“This is going to be the year of the triangle for Doritos, as you’ll see in the Super Bowl ad,” PepsiCo CFO Hugh Johnston said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Thursday morning after the company reported its fourth-quarter earnings.
– Amelia Lucas
Maya Rudolph turns M&M’s into Ma&Ya ‘clam bites’
Candy maker Mars generated some pre Super Bowl buzz for its M&M’s when it said Maya Rudolph would be its new spokesperson rather than its so-called spokescandies.
Well, Rudolph is turning the M&M’s world upside down. The “Saturday Night Live” alum proclaimed the new name of the candies would be Ma&Ya’s, each donning a picture of her face. But rather than chocolate, they will now be “candy coated clam bites.” We’ll be watching to see what happens the next time Rudolph shows up in the Super Bowl ad parade.
–Lillian Rizzo
Patrick Mahomes hurt on a run
The NFL MVP came into the game with a tender ankle, and it looks like he’s been hurt again. After failing to convert on third down, Mahomes went to the sidelines clearly in pain. The Eagles have the ball.
Pringles ad shows that everyone gets their hands stuck inside their cans
Last year, Pringles imagined the future for someone whose hand was stuck inside their iconic cans. This year, the Kellogg’s brand is sticking to the same theme, just with a more reassuring tone.
The 30-second spot shows surgeons, judges and even bowlers with their hands stuck inside Pringles chips’ can. Singer Meghan Trainor makes a brief appearance petting her dog with her encased hand.
– Amelia Lucas
Jeep uses dancing animals to promote electric SUVs
A 60-second ad from Jeep features animals dancing alongside “4xe” plug-in hybrid electric versions of the brand’s Wrangler and Grand Cherokee SUVs.
The commercial features a remixed version of the 1983 hit “Electric Boogie” by Marcia Griffiths. She sings alongside Grammy Award winning reggae artist and producer Shaggy and other artists.
The song, also known as the “Electric Slide,” was initially released by the late Bunny Wailer in 1976. The automaker released the new version of the song via streaming services in an attempt to have it go viral.
– Michael Wayland
The president says the Bidens are rooting for the Eagles
Joe Biden on Sunday tweeted that as the U.S. president he’s not picking sides in the Super Bowl. But in solidarity with his wife, he’s rooting for the Eagles.
The first lady tweeted a video sporting an Eagles jersey with Biden and the number 46, in honor of the 46th president, on the back. “FlyEaglesFly,” she added as a hashtag.
–Lillian Rizzo
Google is fixed on Pixel and improving your photos
Google’s answer to fixing your blurry, blemished photos – and removing the people and objects you don’t want in them – will be the center of its Super Bowl commercial this year as it pushes its Pixel smart phones.
The ad promotes the AI tools used on Pixel phones. It begins with pulling on heartstrings but quickly evolves into poking fun at photo mishaps. Comedian Amy Schumer chimes in, “Wait, I can erase my exes?” and starts the parade of celebrities promoting what its Pixel phones can do. Google unveiled its new the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro phones in September, which still capture a small part of the smart phone market.
–Lillian Rizzo
Jalen Hurts redeems himself
The Philly QB scored his second rushing touchdown to give his team the lead late in the second quarter. Earlier his fumble led to the Chiefs tying the game.
WeatherTech celebrates U.S. manufacturing
The longest-running company for Super Bowl advertising isn’t an automaker, it’s accessory company WeatherTech, which is celebrating its 10th-consecutive year advertising during the big game. Watch the ad.
This year’s 30-second ad promotes the Illinois-based company’s U.S.-made products, showing bank executives and others criticizing the company for its American investments and production.
Aside from employees, keep an eye out for Scout, WeatherTech’s golden retriever mascot. Before the dog passed away from cancer, Scout appeared in several WeatherTech commercials.
– Michael Wayland
Chiefs score on a huge fumble recovery
Jalen Hurts was having a stellar Super Bowl until he fumbled more than five minutes into the second quarter. The Chiefs ran it back 36 yards, and tied the game.
Will Ferrell promotes GM’s EVs and Netflix
General Motors and Netflix partnered for a 60-second ad starring actor and comedian Will Ferrell driving GM electric vehicles in popular Netflix shows and movies to promote the products and the streaming service using more EVs in its productions.
Ferrell is featured in scenes with actors and actresses from Netflix productions including “Stranger Things,” “Squid Game” and “Bridgerton.”
Ferrell also appeared in a GM Super Bowl ad two years ago promoting EVs. He waged a battle for the U.S. to outsell Norway in all-electric vehicles.
– Michael Wayland
Stars tee off in ‘Caddyshack’ ode from Michelob Ultra
A star-studded lineup including tennis legend Serena Williams and “Succession” star Brian Cox were sipping Michelob Ultras and teeing up in the beer company’s Super Bowl spot.
In the ode to “Caddyshack,” former NFL quarterback Tony Romo (channeling Bill Murray), soccer player Alex Morgan and boxer Canelo Alvarez also joined in on the ode to 1980s flick “Caddyshack.”
–Lillian Rizzo
‘The Flash’ trailer
Just days before the Super Bowl, Warner Bros. dropped its first teaser poster for the upcoming DC superhero film “The Flash.”
The film, starring Ezra Miller, is the first standalone Flash film and will feature Michael Keaton reprising his role as Bruce Wayne, aka Batman. The film centers on Barry Allen traveling through time to prevent the murder of his mother and accidentally creates a multiverse.
“The Flash” is one of just a handful of films attached to the old regime at DC Studios. James Gunn and Peter Safran were named as the new heads of the studio in October, and revealed their plans for the future of the studio’s film and television plans last month.
Among them are new feature films centered on Batman and Damian Wayne as well as Superman and Supergirl. Television content includes an Amanda Waller series and a “Game of Thrones”-style show set in Wonder Woman’s home Themyscira.
— Sarah Whitten
The Eagles jump to a lead early in the second quarter
Jalen Hurts found AJ Brown deep for a quick score to open the second quarter. The Eagles lead 14-7.
Multiple Adam Drivers take the wheel in Squarespace ad
Adam Driver is multiplying in Squarespace‘s Super Bowl on Sunday.
The website maker employed Aoife McArdle, one of the directors behind Apple TV+’s “Severance,” to direct the spot, called “The Singularity.” Driver asks, what appears to be an existential question to him, “Squarespace is a website that makes website?” It leads to his reality unraveling and multiple versions of Driver filling up the screen.
This marks the company’s 20th anniversary and points to its roots as a website builder. Squarespace went public on the NYSE in 2021.
–Lillian Rizzo
The game is tied after one quarter
After a quick start, the Eagles and Chiefs settled down. The game is tied at seven after the first quarter.
Kansas City fails to take the lead
The Chiefs attempted a 42-yard field goal to take the lead, but it doinked off the left upright. The game remains tied at 7.
Serena Williams gives motivational speech in Rémy Martin’s first Super Bowl ad
Rémy Martin made its Super Bowl ad debut with an inspirational locker room speech from none other than Serena Williams.
The newly retired tennis legend delivers a motivational talk to a locker room full of athletes in between cuts of her sitting bar-side with a glass of cognac, along with scenes from football fields, busy kitchens, and performance stages.
The 60-second spot is based on the 1999 football film “Any Given Sunday,” in which the movie’s fictional head coach, played by Al Pacino, delivers his iconic “Inch by Inch” speech, which is now the name of Rémy Martin’s Super Bowl campaign.
The commercial, which was licensed by Warner Bros. Discovery, marks the third Super Bowl ad of parent company Rémy Cointreau.
— Rebecca Picciotto
Pepsi Zero Sugar highlights Steve Martin’s and Ben Stiller’s acting skills
PepsiCo is highlighting its recently revamped formula for the zero-sugar version of its namesake soda through two commercials, starring actors Steve Martin and Ben Stiller.
Martin and Stiller star in their own spots, both of which call attention to their acting skills and ask viewers try the drink for themselves. Stiller’s ad also features a cameo from his “Zoolander” character and comedian Rachel Dratch.
During Pepsi’s earnings call on Thursday, CEO Ramon Laguarta said that the zero-sugar soda will eventually be a big part of the brand in the U.S. and the rest of the world. In the fourth quarter, Pepsi Zero Sugar’s volume surged 26%, despite flat demand overall for the company’s beverages.
– Amelia Lucas
‘Cocaine Bear’ trailer
Universal’s “Cocaine Bear,” due in theaters Feb. 24, is an oddball comedy based on a true story about a bear who ingested a duffel bag of cocaine in 1985.
Directed by Elizabeth Banks, the film follows a group of cops, criminals, tourists and teens in a Georgia forest who encounter the 500-pound coked-up beast.
— Sarah Whitten
‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ trailer
For the first time in 15 years, Harrison Ford returns as Indiana Jones in Disney’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.”
The film, due out June 30, is the fifth in the series and stars Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Jones’ goddaughter and Mads Mikkelsen as a former Nazi who has been hired by NASA.
During Disney’s D23 Expo in September Ford, who was visibly emotional while on stage, received a standing ovation and said the new “Indiana Jones” is “a movie that will kick your a–.”
He also noted that this will be he last turn as the archeologist adventurer saying, with a laugh, “I will not fall down for you again.”
— Sarah Whitten
Ben Affleck surprises Dunkin customers, Jennifer Lopez being one of them
Ben Affleck surprised customers in a Dunkin’ drive-thru and the shocking moments made their way to the coffee and doughnut chain’s Super Bowl spot on Sunday.
Even more surprising, Jennifer Lopez made a cameo in the spot. The pop singer showed up at the drive-thru for her Dunkin’ fix to find her husband serving customers. “Grab me a glazed,” she called out to Affleck.
– Lillian Rizzo
And KC fires right back
The Chiefs tied the game with their own touchdown. MVP Patrick Mahomes hit the league’s best tight end, Travis Kelce to help even things up with the Eagles.
Anti-Tesla ad from Dawn Project says self-driving vehicles are dangerous
Tesla will be featured in the commercial lineup on Sunday, except its plea for viewers not to buy the electric vehicles.
The ad, funded by the organization Dawn Project, features videos of Tesla self-driving cars running over baby carriages and a mannequins of a child, as well as blowing past traffic signs and school buses. The ad claims Tesla is “endangering the public.”
The organization founded by tech entrepreneur Dan O’Dowd, whose Twitter bio states he’s “running a campaign to make computer safe for humanity and ban Tesla Full Self-Driving.” Tesla, which tends not to use traditional advertising, previously threatened to sue O’Dowd over the ad campaign. In a cease-and-desist letter last August, Tesla said the the ads amounted to “misinformation about Tesla.”
– Lillian Rizzo
Watch the trailer for ‘Fast X’
Coming to theaters May 19th is Universal Studios’ “Fast X.” The tenth film in the Fast and Furious franchise, the film is the end of the road for Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his found family.
The newest film centers on the villainous Dante Reyes (Jason Momoa), the son of the Brazilian drug king pin the team defeated in 2011’s “Fast Five.” Dante has spent more than a decade masterminding his revenge against Dom.
— Sarah Whitten
Avocados from Mexico reimagines life if Eve ate a different fruit
Avocados from Mexico shares its own spin on the Biblical story of Adam and Eve in its spot.
The commercial stars actress Anna Faris as a version of Eve who ate an avocado after the apple in the Garden of Eden. She and Adam still get kicked out, but a flash-forward to the modern day shows that nudity is in and New York City’s nickname is the Big Avocado.
– Amelia Lucas
Philly rolls to a TD on the first drive
Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles throws a pass during the first quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium on February 12, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona.
Rob Carr | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images
The Eagles are the best team in the league opening games with a drive, and they showed it in the Super Bowl.
The NFC champions scored a touchdown in just under five minutes. Jalen Hurts ran it in on a quarterback sneak.
– Mike Calia
Eagles get the ball at their 25
Philadelphia took a touchback and began Super Bowl LVII at their own 25 yard line. The Eagles are the best team in the league at starting games, including 10 touchdowns and only one three-and-out. They get a first down on third and five and quickly get another one.
‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ trailer
The Guardians of the Galaxy are back in their third standalone Marvel Cinematic Universe film due out on May 5.
Directed by James Gunn, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” centers on Rocket Raccoon when parts of his past resurface. Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) must lead the Guardians on a dangerous mission to protect his friend that could lead to the team dissolving forever.
— Sarah Whitten
‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ trailer
For the first time in five years, Paramount is releasing a Transformers film.
Set in the ’90s, “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” centers on a pair of archaeologists from Brooklyn who come in contact with three factions of the Transformers race: The Maximals, the Predacons and the Terrorcons.
The film arrives in theaters June 9.
— Sarah Whitten
KC wins the coin toss
The Eagles will get the ball to start the game after the Chiefs win the toss and defer.
State Farm skips traditional TV commercial in favor of TikTok
Those tuning into the Super Bowl on their TVs this year won’t be seeing a State Farm commercial.
The insurance company, whose “Jake from State Farm” ads are a regular during regular season NFL games and past Super Bowl matchups, is skipping the traditional TV spot this year instead opting to put its ad dollars into TikTok.
State Farm is instead launching a TikTok advertising campaign strategy. The strategy shift comes as more and more younger Americans are looking at social media on their phones versus watching traditional TV. Only 17% of Gen Z is expected to watch the Super Bowl this year versus 60% of Millenials, according to adtech data firm Attain.
On top of this, the switch comes as prices for 30-second spots peaked at $7 million this year. Fox, which will be broadcasting the game on Sunday, said it will be a record Super Bowl for the company with about $600 million in gross advertising revenue coming in.
–Lillian Rizzo
Disney celebrates 100 years of wonder
Disney celebrates its 100th anniversary this year so the company has launched a Super Bowl commercial to commemorate the occasion.
The Disney 100 special look features scenes from iconic films, TV shows, stage productions and theme park moments.
“Disney100 represents a celebration of all of our fans and families, and our storytellers and creative visionaries whose talents and imaginations have created the magical moments that make Disney such an enduring part of the global culture,” CEO Bob Iger said in a statement.
— Sarah Whitten
DraftKings bets on gaining the most subscribers during Super Bowl Sunday
DraftKings is betting the Super Bowl will not only be its biggest new customer acquisition event of the year, but its biggest Super Bowl to date.
“This one should be the biggest ever for us. Every year seems to be growing and at some point that will end, but we are in a nice growth trajectory now for the industry so we expect big numbers for the Super Bowl,” said CEO Jason Robins on CNBC’s Tech Check last week.
Robins noted efficiency will be priority for these sportsbetting companies on Sunday. This will be the second Super Bowl for DraftKings on its own tech platform versus a third party, but Robins said the transition last year went smoothly. “I think a lot of the industry is dealing with huge volume increases and that’s tough to keep up with.”
–Lillian Rizzo
TikTok ramping up its Super Bowl presence
PARIS, FRANCE – NOVEMBER 01: The logo of the mobile video sharing and social networking application TikTok, developed by the Chinese company ByteDance is displayed during Paris Games Week 2022 at Parc des Expositions Porte de Versailles on November 01, 2022 in Paris, France. After two years of absence linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, Paris Games Week is making a comeback in Paris. The event celebrating video games and esports will be held from November 2 to 6, 2022. (Photo by Chesnot/Getty Images)
Chesnot | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images
TikTok is ramping up its presence in the NFL, particularly at this year’s Super Bowl.
TikTok is partnering with the NFL for the third year in a row for the pregame “TikTok Tailgate,” a virtual livestream experience that will feature musical performances by Jason Derulo and The Black Keys. In the week leading into the Super Bowl, TikTok has been sharing behind-the-scenes content from athletes, stars, local small businesses and other special guests. State Farm has even opted for TikTok rather than an ad during the game this year.
While the social media platform has become the target of widespread concerns that the Chinese government could access information on Americans using the app, it is increasingly popular with younger Americans. TikTok touts 90 billion combined views for terms like #NFL, #NFLPlayoffs and #SuperBowl.
–Lillian Rizzo
FanDuel CEO expects ‘banner Super Bowl,’ hypes up Gronkowski ad
![FanDuel CEO Amy Howe: We are expecting 17 million bets this year](https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/107192625-16760360071676036004-28137953465-1080pnbcnews.jpg?v=1676038079&w=750&h=422&vtcrop=y)
Gambling companies are betting on a big payday this Sunday.
For the first time ever, the Super Bowl is taking place in a state where gambling is legalized. FanDuel CEO Amy Howe said they are “on track for this to be the single biggest day” in the sports betting company’s history on CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” last week. Howe said the company expects to take 17 million bets on the platform, double from last year.
The Super Bowl is a big moment for sports betting companies like FanDuel as it’s considered the “single biggest acquisition moment of the year,” Howe said. FanDuel expects to bring in about half a million new customers on Super Bowl Sunday, and about 2.9 million active customers to bet on the game.
To amp up the promotion, FanDuel recruited the NFL’s Rob Gronkowski for its “Kick of Destiny,” a live commercial in which he will attempt to hit a 25-yard field goal during the third quarter. Those who bet $5 or more could win a piece of a $10 million pot.
– Lillian Rizzo
Americans expected to make $16 billion in Super Bowl bets
Hirurg | E+ | Getty Images
Sports betting is expected to rake in a record amount this Super Bowl, especially with the big event taking place in Arizona, where gambling is legal.
An estimated $16 billion is expected to be wagered this Sunday, more than doubling last year’s estimates, according to a survey from the American Gaming Association. A record 50.4 million adults are expected to place bets on the Super Bowl, a 61% rise from the record set last year, according to the survey.
The survey found that 30 million adults plan to place a traditional sports bet online at a sportsbook or with a bookie, up 66% from the prior year, while 28 million plan to bet casually with friends or as part of a pool.
Legalized sports betting spreading across the states is clearly driving this activity. More than a third of NFL fans said that thanks to legalized gambling it has made watching games more exciting, according to the AGA.
–Lillian Rizzo
Vita Coco wants to help with hangovers through Doordash partnership
Vita Coco and Doordash are teaming up to offer free hangover essentials — including Vita Coco’s own coconut water — to DashPass members Monday.
In years past, Vita Coco has done similar promotions with Lyft and Postmates on New Year’s Day, but this is the first time it’s targeting hungover football fans on the day after the Super Bowl. It’s part of Vita Coco’s broader push into new occasions, from being a cocktail mixer to helping with the next day’s hangover.
The coconut water brand also recently partnered with Diageo’s Captain Morgan for a line of canned cocktails. Co-founder and executive chairman Mike Kirban told CNBC that the company is planning to expand to bars and restaurants through another partnership with a not-yet-named spirits company.
–Amelia Lucas
Fox Soul interview with Biden canceled
President Joe Biden will not be sitting for a pre-Super Bowl interview with Fox Soul, after all.
It has become a Super Bowl tradition to have a pregame conversation between the sitting president and the network airing the game, though some presidents have refused in the past. In this case, continued miscommunication between the White House and Fox led to the interview’s cancellation.
According to NBC News, Fox proposed to have one of its news anchors conduct the interview, but the president’s team balked. Instead, the White House said it agreed 72 hours before kickoff to do an interview with the network’s streaming channel Fox Soul. Fox Soul is a Fox Corp. streaming platform, designed to target Black viewers.
However, on Friday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre indicated that Fox had canceled the interview. Hours later, Fox responded saying there had been “confusion” between the two parties.
George Bush was the first to sit for the presidential Super Bowl interview in 2004. It became a Big Game custom during the administration of Barack Obama, who sat for the interview throughout his presidency. In 2018, Donald Trump broke the tradition by opting out of the conversation, which would have taken place with NBC.
Biden previously sat for Super Bowl interviews with news anchors for CBS and NBC when the networks hosted the game in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
— Sarah Whitten
Automakers prioritize EV investment over Super Bowl ads
Amid economic and industry uncertainty, automakers are pumping the brakes on spending millions of dollars to produce and air Super Bowl ads.
This year is expected to be one of the least auto-represented Super Bowls in recent memory. It follows the auto industry as a whole representing the largest segment for Super Bowl ads, at $99.3 million, according to Kantar Media’s Vivvix.
The only carmakers expected to advertise during the game are Kia, General Motors and Stellantis‘ Ram and Jeep brands. German sports car manufacturer Porsche said it will air an ad shortly before the game in collaboration with Paramount to promote this summer’s “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.”
Automakers that aren’t returning to the game largely attributed the decision to business priorities or available products and capital. Carmakers are investing billions in electric vehicles and continue to battle through supply chain problems as well as inflationary pressure and rising interest rates that are expected to impact vehicle sales.
—Michael Wayland
Super Bowl advertisers may not make the best investments
Former FTX Chief Executive Sam Bankman-Fried, who faces fraud charges over the collapse of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange, arrives on the day of a hearing at Manhattan federal court in New York City, January 3, 2023.
David Dee Delgado | Reuters
It takes deep pockets to advertise in the Super Bowl. This year, some 30-second spots are setting companies back more than $7 million — and that’s just for the air time. Layer on top of that pricey celebrity endorsements and other production expenses and the true cost soars even higher.
CNBC decided to take a look at last year’s big advertisers to see how their stocks performed in the wake of this big investment. The news wasn’t so good.
Shares of online auto sellers Carvana and Vroom were among the worst performers. Carvana’s stock is down about 90%, while Vroom shares have fallen about 83%, as of Wednesday. Neither will advertise during the game this year.
The big crypto advertisers also didn’t perform that well. Most notably, FTX is bankrupt, and its founder has been criminally charged with fraud, money laundering and campaign finance violations. Coinbase’s bouncing QR code ad was hailed as a huge success. So many people flocked to its app during last year’s game, it crashed. But the crypto exchange’s stock has taken a beating. It’s off about 64% since last Super Bowl.
You can see the full chart here.
— Christina Cheddar Berk
Fox says Super Bowl ad revenue is a record this year
Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen star in Lay’s first-ever Super Bowl spot
Source: Frito-Lay North America
Some people just watch the Super Bowl for the commercials. Advertisers banking on that are paying up to Fox for that.
The Super Bowl proved to be safe from the challenging ad market weighing on media companies. This year Fox said it hit a Super Bowl record after raking in just about $600 million in gross advertising revenue this year. The broadcaster said it sold out on commercial spots this year, which saw peak prices at more than $7 million for 30-second spots. That’s up from about $6.5 million per spot for last year’s Super Bowl.
–Lillian Rizzo
Football still matters for network television
Everyone knows the cost of advertising during the Super Bowl keeps reaching higher and higher, as this chart shows. The reason is simple: Football continues to bring in the eyeballs.
About 100 million people are expected to watch the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night. But the rest of the season matters a lot too.
“Thursday Night Football’s” shift to Amazon Prime Video is masking the fact that the sport’s audience is still growing, according to SVB MoffettNathanson, and that it remains a key part of the network television business model.
Analyst Michael Nathanson said that football’s average viewership fell 4% during the 2022-23 season, but the decline was due to a sharp drop in those watching the Thursday night game. Excluding Thursday night, ratings were actually up 1% from last season, driven by gains in the number of people watching Sunday games on CBS and Fox.
— Christina Cheddar Berk
NFL playoffs, regular season ratings spiked in 2022
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) runs the ball in for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium, Oct. 2, 2022.
Kim Klement | USA Today Sports | Reuters
The NFL rakes in some of the highest TV ratings – which is why it nailed more than $100 billion in rights deals for the next 11 seasons – despite more and more people cutting the cord.
The 2022 regular season averaged 16.7 million viewers, while the overall playoff games averaged 35.3 million viewers, up 5% versus the five year average. Together, the conference championship games on Jan. 29, which saw Chiefs beat the Cincinnati Bengals and the Eagles top the San Francisco 49ers to secure their Super Bowl spots, raked in 50.7 million average viewers, the most watched since 2014.
Last year’s Super Bowl between the Los Angeles Rams and the Bengals averaged 112.3 million total viewers across NBC, Telemundo and Peacock.
–Lillian Rizzo
Amazon’s Alexa is prepping for football-related questions
Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant is ready to field questions from fans who might not want to look down at their phone as they watch the game on Sunday. In preparation, Amazon used advanced machine learning systems that can accurately hear and understand questions being asked in noisy environments so they can instantly retrieve and analyze facts that are spewed out in quick answers, said Vishal Sharma, vice president at Amazon Alexa.
Fans were practicing this week. Amazon said these were some of the most popular football-related questions posed to Alexa in the week leading up to the Super Bowl:
- “Alexa, did Tom Brady retire?”
- “Alexa, how tall is Patrick Mahomes?”
- “Alexa, how old is Brock Purdy?”
- “Alexa, how many championships have the Eagles won?”
- “Alexa, what position does Jason Kelce play?”
- “Alexa, who is still in the football playoffs?”
- “Alexa, follow the Kansas City Chiefs”
- “Alexa, follow the Philadelphia Eagles”
–Lillian Rizzo
Eagles fans prefer Miller and Yuengling, Chief fans favor Bud Light and Busch
Eagles fans prefer Miller and Yuengling, while Chiefs fans favor Bud Light and Busch, according to consumer insights company Numerator.
According to a sentiment survey, Eagles and Chiefs fans are divided on their beer, snack brand and grocery retailer preferences. The survey found 61% of consumers plan to watch Super Bowl LVII: 43% are rooting for the Chiefs, while 39% will cheer for the Eagles.
Chiefs and Eagles fans are likely to munch on brands including Frito-Lay, Lays and Doritos. Chiefs fans lean more toward Little Debbie and Cheetos, while Eagles fans opt for Utz and Oreo.
On the grocery side, Walmart tops both lists. Eagles fans then go for Ahold Delhaize, Albertsons and Wakefern, while Chiefs fans favor Kroger, Sam’s Club, and Costco.
The survey found Eagles fans are 31% more likely to be millennials and 36% more likely to be Black. Chiefs fans, though, tend to be more likely to watch NFL games at 78% versus 72%.
–Noah Sheidlower
These are Wall Street’s favorite sports-betting stocks
![Here's how the sports gambling landscape has changed in the last five years](https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/107192655-16760388401676038838-28138443384-1080pnbcnews.jpg?v=1676039290&w=750&h=422&vtcrop=y)
A record 50.4 million American adults are expected to place bets on this year’s Super Bowl, a 61% increase from 2022, according to an American Gaming Association survey. Those wagers are expected to total $16 billion, the survey found. Likely helping fuel the craze is the fact that Arizona, where the game is being played, allows sports-betting.
With that in mind, CNBC Pro compiled a list of analysts’ favorite stocks in the sports-betting space. We screened for a variety of metrics, including a buy rating of at least 60% by the analysts covering the stock and an average price target of over 10%. The stocks also had a market cap of at least $1 billion and were members of Roundhill Sports Betting & iGaming ETF, VanEck Gaming ETF, and/or iBET Sports Betting & Gaming ETF.
One of the names that made the cut is Caesars Entertainment, whose Caesars Sportsbook takes online bets.
For more names on the list and analyst insights, check out our CNBC Pro story.
— Michelle Fox