Super Bowl 2026 Novaris.
Versions of AI and the companies behind them took out line honours in this year’s Super Bowl advertising stakes.
Google Gemini took home the top spot in the 22nd Kellogg School Super Bowl Advertising Review with its ‘New Home’ ad, an emotional clip that showcased how AI can support life transitions through creativity and human connection.
This is the fourth time Google has claimed the top position in the Kellogg panel’s rankings by Northwestern University.
Other commentators went more traditional.
The New York Times placed Squarespace as number one, followed by Dove and Pringles but acknowledged the momentum of AI.
“What’s new this year is the onslaught of commercials trying to convince us that artificial intelligence is going to change our lives, with more than a dozen ads for A.I. chatbots or other AI-based services,” the NYT said.
“But, aware of the fear AI inspires in many people, the ads mostly offer to change our lives in small, unthreatening ways.”
In the Kellogg School Super Bowl Advertising Review, other brands that earned top marks included Anthropic’s Claude with its Can I get a six pack quickly? and Novartis’s Relax Your Tight End.
Not every advertiser hit the mark, including Coinbase and ai.com, which received low grades during this year's Ad Review.
Google’s top-ranked ad stood out for balancing emotional resonance with a clear demonstration of product value.
The ad echoed the spirit of Google’s iconic ‘Parisian Love’ spot from 2009, offering a nostalgic reminder of what has long defined the brand while updating it for a new era of AI-powered tools.
“This ad captures what Google has historically done best: pairing genuine emotional storytelling with a clear illustration of how the product fits naturally into people’s lives,” said Tim Calkins, clinical professor of marketing and co-lead of the Kellogg School Super Bowl Advertising Review.
Several brands made their debut this year, underscoring both the expanding range of advertisers and the game’s continued role as a launchpad for emerging brands.
First-time advertisers included Tecovas, Fanatics Sportsbook, Liquid I.V., Ring, Ro, and Novo Nordisk, the latter two marking notable debuts for weight-loss medication advertising on the Super Bowl stage. Anthropic also made its first appearance, with a spot promoting its ad-free AI platform.
“Anthropic’s message stood out because it was simple and clearly differentiated,” said Derek Rucker, the Sandy & Morton Goldman Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies in Marketing and co-lead of the Ad Review.
“In a crowded environment of AI brands, that clarity made the ad especially effective.”
Several brands, including Microsoft, Amazon, and Genspark, used the Super Bowl stage to define how their technologies fit into everyday life, ranging from emotional narratives to more functional demonstrations of performance and productivity.
Meta returned with two spots highlighting its AI-powered eyewear, this time emphasising the product’s “athletic intelligence.” AI also played a role behind the scenes, as Svedka’s spot featuring dancing robots was primarily created using AI, according to the brand.
Not all made it big on advertising’s biggest stage.
Coinbase aired a spot built around a karaoke-style use of a Backstreet Boys song, but the creative failed to establish a clear connection to the brand or its value proposition, resulting in a low rating from the Kellogg panel.
ai.com also received a low grade, with panelists left unclear on what the product actually offered.
“When you’re advertising new technologies, there’s a lot to learn from classic brand building,” said Calkins. “ai.com is a good example of what can go wrong, after watching the ad, people were still left wondering what the product was.”
Celebrity power was on full display, with brands stacking household names to break through the clutter.
This year's spokespeople included Matthew McConaughey, Bradley Cooper, and Parker Posey for Uber Eats, Danny McBride, Hailee Steinfeld, Keegan-Michael Key, Bon Jovi, and KATSEYE for State Farm and Peyton Manning, Post Malone, and Shane Gillis for Bud Light.
Nostalgia continued to be a reliable creative lever, with several brands tapping into 1990s pop culture to connect with millennial audiences now firmly in their prime purchasing years.
Dunkin’s spot parodied a 1990s sitcom, featuring Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, and Ted Danson, among other 1990s TV stars. The Backstreet Boys were featured by two different brands, Coinbase and T-Mobile, while Xfinity ran a Jurassic Park-themed spot with the 1993 movie’s original cast.
“Many advertisers appeared to be playing it safe this year. Nostalgia and well-liked celebrities are two of the most reliable ways to do that,” said Calkins.
“Familiar faces and throwback references offer a shortcut to attention, but they still need to be paired with a clear brand message to be truly effective.”
The Kellogg School Super Bowl Advertising Review uses an academic framework known as ADPLAN to evaluate the strategic effectiveness of Super Bowl spots. The acronym helps viewers grade ads based on Attention, Distinction, Positioning, Linkage, Amplification, and Net Equity.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.