Super Bowl Commercials: Celebrity Ads
Football stars make the game, and celebrities add the spice to the Super Bowl ads. Advertisers who spend millions of dollars for 30 to 60 seconds of international exposure often recruit celebrities - comedians, movie stars, pop singers, athletes - to star in their ads and increase the chances of viewership. Here are a few of the all-time favorite celebrity Super Bowl ads (at right, comedian Will Ferrell as an athlete).
Created by : Susan MacDonald
Subject : Marketing and Advertising
Tags : advertising, celebrity, celebrity ads, marketing, museum of advertising, super bowl

Guide Creator

  • Susan MacDonald

Current Editors

  • Mer Holthaus
  • Pete Blackshaw
  • Sundar Kadayam

Contributors

  • None
Section

YouTube Videos of Celebrity Appearances

Collapse this Section
Most fans of celebrity Super Bowl ads are interested in the WHO: who's appearing, is their appearance convincing, and will it be memorable? Here are some of the most memorable ads from recent Super Bowls.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrNipeP4HvQ
Rapper MC Hammer and former TV sidekick Ed McMahon starred in a 2009 ad for "Cash for Gold."

Click to Close Video Player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =TrNipeP4HvQ
Rapper MC Hammer and former TV sidekick Ed McMahon starred in a 2009 ad for "Cash for Gold."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sz57McRaCNU
Check out the Super Bowl ad from PepsiCo that will have millions of viewers wondering if they accidentally hit the mute button on their remote.

Click to Close Video Player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =Sz57McRaCNU
Check out the Super Bowl ad from PepsiCo that will have millions of viewers wondering if they accidentally hit the mute button on their remote.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_EbfosQZJ8
Denny's (restaurant) first-ever Super Bowl ad, developed and produced by San Francisco based, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, takes a humorous shot at mobsters.

Click to Close Video Player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =3_EbfosQZJ8
Denny's (restaurant) first-ever Super Bowl ad, developed and produced by San Francisco based, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, takes a humorous shot at mobsters.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tkjViZodfk&feature=related
Sunsilk's commercial from Super Bowl XLII featuring Madonna, Shakira, and Marilyn Monroe.

Click to Close Video Player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =_tkjViZodfk&feature=relat ed
Sunsilk's commercial from Super Bowl XLII featuring Madonna, Shakira, and Marilyn Monroe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4Rk97DzAjY
LatinWorks Super Bowl XLII commercial for Bud Light: Comedian Carlos Mencia's pupils have advanced to learning how to properly flirt with the opposite sex as they learn English for the first time.

Click to Close Video Player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =P4Rk97DzAjY
LatinWorks Super Bowl XLII commercial for Bud Light: Comedian Carlos Mencia's pupils have advanced to learning how to properly flirt with the opposite sex as they learn English for the first time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wqvC_E0zI8
Saturday Night Live's famous "What is Love?" sketch, with comedian Chris Katan, is spoofed in this 2008 Pepsi ad.

Click to Close Video Player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =5wqvC_E0zI8
Saturday Night Live's famous "What is Love?" sketch, with comedian Chris Katan, is spoofed in this 2008 Pepsi ad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjVy7TOgCnU
Perhaps one of the hottest babe commercials ever?

Click to Close Video Player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =sjVy7TOgCnU
Perhaps one of the hottest babe commercials ever?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-XbmIntWn8
Will Ferrell Bud Light Commercial in 2008, with Ferrell appearing as fictitious athlete Jackie Moon, pitchman for Bud LIte beer.

Click to Close Video Player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =I-XbmIntWn8
Will Ferrell Bud Light Commercial in 2008, with Ferrell appearing as fictitious athlete Jackie Moon, pitchman for Bud LIte beer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZv-36CV4XE
Pop star Kevin Federline dreams of a big-time career as a pop star while working the fry machine at a fast-food joint.

Click to Close Video Player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =ZZv-36CV4XE
Pop star Kevin Federline dreams of a big-time career as a pop star while working the fry machine at a fast-food joint.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tntp7zMgmWU
Kiss rocker Gene Simmons stars in a 2009 ad for Pepsi.

Click to Close Video Player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =Tntp7zMgmWU
Kiss rocker Gene Simmons stars in a 2009 ad for Pepsi.
http://www.spike.com/video/ford-ford-hybrid/2695147
Kermit the Frog stars in a 2006 Ford ad promoting hybrid vehicles, the Ford Escape Hybrid.

Click to Close Video Player
http://www.spike.com/video/for d-ford-hybrid/2695147
Kermit the Frog stars in a 2006 Ford ad promoting hybrid vehicles, the Ford Escape Hybrid.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbSpAsJSZPc
Terry Tate, Linebaker, knows how to shake up the office in these hard-hitting ads from Reebok in 2006.

Click to Close Video Player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =tbSpAsJSZPc
Terry Tate, Linebaker, knows how to shake up the office in these hard-hitting ads from Reebok in 2006.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Iwnq0sFwRE
"Have a Coke and a smile" is featured in this Mean Joe Greene ad, and one young fan walks away happy with an athlete's jersey.

Click to Close Video Player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =_Iwnq0sFwRE
"Have a Coke and a smile" is featured in this Mean Joe Greene ad, and one young fan walks away happy with an athlete's jersey.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oACRt-Qp-s
This 1993 ad pits basketball stars Larry Bird against Michael Jordan to see who wins a Big Mac.

Click to Close Video Player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =_oACRt-Qp-s
This 1993 ad pits basketball stars Larry Bird against Michael Jordan to see who wins a Big Mac.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrzeP4TvzXc
This 2006 ad is about the Tribeca Film Festival in support of sponsor American Express and features actor Robert Deniro.

Click to Close Video Player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =HrzeP4TvzXc
This 2006 ad is about the Tribeca Film Festival in support of sponsor American Express and features actor Robert Deniro.
Section

Articles & Media Coverage

Collapse this Section
Some advertisers keep their ads under wraps until game day while others like to leak tidbits of information leading up to the big even to build interest and momentum.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2007-01-17-nationwide-federline-usat_x.htm
Only hints about plot or celebrity stars are dropped to try to tease interest. ... most game advertisers, it put its 2006 Super Bowl ad online only after the game. ...
http://celebrity.lovetoknow.com/Kevin_Federline_to_Appear_in_Super_Bowl_Ad
Kevin Federline to Appear in Super Bowl Ad. From LoveToKnow Celebrity. Kevin Federline is taking his status as a punch line and using it to his advantage. ...
USA Today: Tim Tebow to Star in Super Bowl Ad for Focus on the Family
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2010-01-16-tebow-super-bowl-commercial_N.htm?csp=34sports&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+UsatodaycomSports-TopStories+%28Sports+-+Top+Stories%29
Heisman Trophy nominee and football star Tim Tebow will star in a 2010 Super Bowl ad for the group Focus on the Family.
Section

User Contributions

Collapse this Section
Comments Expand this Section
No Comments


Post a comment on this guide