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In the first pandemic Super Bowl, all bets were off.
Some of the Big Game’s longtime advertisers chose to remain on the sidelines, while newcomers flocked to the broadcast spectacle in droves. For the most part, brands avoided reflecting the realities of the pandemic, economic hardship and politics, or aligning themselves with causes—instead giving viewers an escapist reprieve full of celebrities, humor and nostalgia.
While on first glance it may appear to be an anomaly, the year’s topsy-turvy ad landscape grew out of brand and consumer changes in 2020 and may point to some lasting changes.
Avoiding the elephant in the room
“It’s the most unusual year in Super Bowl advertising that I’ve ever seen,” Charles R.
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