Super Bowl LX is here! And iSpot is already out ahead of the trends that could shape the ad conversation around this year’s game.
For an up-to-date look at released Super Bowl ads and teasers, you can check out our annual VIP Ad Center here. But based on what’s appeared so far, here are some of the highlights:
Big Emotions
So far this year, 63% of teasers are scoring for “funny” according to iSpot Creative Assessment. That’s down from last year’s high of 72%, but sits in line with Super Bowl humor norms since 2014.
Following recent trends, that humor also seems to be playing it safer. Just 11% of teasers have scored for “left field,” indicating that brands are opting for straightforward humor that eschews “weirder” themes.
Where laughs may be taking a hit this year could come from the number of ads from industries that don’t typically score highly for “funny” – like pharmaceuticals and technology. The larger presence of those industries could also mean a lower number for “heartfelt” ads (currently at 14%). Though it’s notable that last year’s most likeable Super Bowl spot, “Knockout,” scored very well for heartfelt emotions and was indeed a pharma ad.
Also worth watching this year is the possible return of “risque” ads. Only a handful of spots have scored for risque in recent years (including last year’s Coffeemate spot), yet 7% of teasers are currently scoring for risque.
Hot Industries
Food and beverage brands have been rising steadily in recent years, from 22% of Super Bowl ad minutes in 2022, up to 36% in 2025. Super Bowl LX’s crop of ads heavy on beverages – both alcoholic and non-alcoholic – and snacks could challenge that number, though.
As mentioned, pharma and tech should also have a large footprint. AI figures to play a factor in at least 10 of the ads airing during this Super Bowl (including Svedka’s spot created with AI), and pharma/health brands will have at least four spots this year.
And after years of reduced minutes during the Super Bowl, automakers could be in for a comeback in 2026, with at least three brands already set to air ads (Toyota, Cadillac and Volkswagen).
Celebrity Surge
Celebrities have grown as a key aspect of most Super Bowl ads in recent years, flipping from 31% having them in 2010 to 68% in 2025 (peaking at 78% in 2020). Meanwhile, multi-celebrity ads have also become the norm, at 51% last year, as brands try to hit as many audience quadrants as possible in their small 30-second window.
Celebrity ads don’t necessarily yield higher likeability, however, with recent years showing celebrity ads performing slightly below the all-Super Bowl norm by that metric.
Looking at some of the best-performing Super Bowl releases so far, it’s a bit of a mixed bag in terms of likeability vs. celebrity. The current top ad from Pepsi Zero Sugar doesn’t include a celebrity, but ads from brands like Bud Light and Hellmann’s (both currently among the top five by likeability) have multiple.
That’s just a sample of how iSpot understands the Super Bowl ad landscape. Come back here for more Super Bowl trends through the game, and be sure to tune into our AdAge webinar on Tuesday after the game for a thorough look at the biggest trends that shaped this year’s Big Game.