From AI de-ageing to a Pringles boyfriend, controversial Super Bowl adverts stole the show

The Super Bowl returned last night, and alongside the touchdowns and halftime spectacle came the adverts: Bigger, stranger and more headline-grabbing than ever.

With the Seattle Seahawks beating the New England Patriots in front of a huge global audience, brands from Pepsi to Dunkin’ pulled out all the stops to win over viewers during the most expensive ad slots on television.

Super Bowl commercials remain one of the biggest marketing stages in the world. Last year alone, advertising sales generated more than $800 million, with brands like Instacart, Pringles and Uber Eats dominating online conversation.

Serena Williams’ weight-loss jab advert sparked backlash

One of the most talked-about ads featured tennis legend Serena Williams. After appearing during Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance last year, Williams returned in a very different role: promoting telehealth company Ro and its GLP-1 weight-loss drugs.

In the commercial, Williams narrated how she was “moving better” and “feeling better”, even appearing to inject a syringe on screen. The advert quickly divided people online, with some criticising the promotion of weight-loss medication during a family-focused broadcast and questioning the ethics of celebrity endorsements in the booming GLP-1 market. The controversy was heightened by the fact that Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, is an investor in Ro and sits on its board.

Dunkin’ leaned on nostalgia, and AI, to de-age sitcom icons

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Dunkin’ also generated conversation with its Matt Damon and Ben Affleck-backed “Good Will Dunkin’” advert, a fake ’90s sitcom pilot celebrating the brand’s iced coffee origins. Packed with familiar TV faces including Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc and Ted Danson, the ad digitally de-aged the stars to resemble their 1995 selves.

While many loved the throwback humour, others criticised the growing use of AI and digital manipulation in advertising, arguing it raises questions around authenticity, consent and the future of celebrity image rights.

Pepsi poked fun at Coke with its polar bear stunt

Pepsi leaned into brand rivalry with a cheeky polar bear commercial,  a clear nod to Coca-Cola’s long-standing mascot. In the ad, a blindfolded polar bear chose Pepsi Zero Sugar over Coke Zero in a taste test before appearing on a concert “kiss cam” holding Pepsi cans, referencing last year’s viral Coldplay moment.

Kendall Jenner’s sportsbook ad broke the internet

Kendall Jenner caused a social media frenzy with a Fanatics Sportsbook ad released ahead of the game. The commercial poked fun at her high-profile NBA dating history, blending self-aware humour with glamorous visuals as she joked about the so-called “curse” surrounding her exes.

People online praised the tongue-in-cheek tone, with celebrities including Hailey Bieber calling it “genius.”

Sabrina Carpenter and Pringles delivered pure chaos

Pringles opted for absurd comedy, casting Sabrina Carpenter as she literally built her dream man out of crisps. The bizarre romance, complete with kiss-cam mishaps and a dramatic snack-fuelled finale, quickly became one of the most meme-worthy adverts of the night.

Uber Eats doubled down on its NFL conspiracy

Meanwhile, Uber Eats continued last year’s conspiracy-theory theme with Matthew McConaughey returning to argue that the NFL exists purely to make people hungry. This time, Bradley Cooper joined in as McConaughey followed him around explaining why a quarterback “scramble” is secretly a breakfast reference.

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