Celebrity Versus Ads: Who Really Wins

The Super Bowl LVIII broadcast had a record number of celebrity-studded ads, with a whopping 57 out of 94 product ads featuring famous faces. This is a 22% jump from the previous year. A-listers were paid big bucks, in the $3-$5 million range, for their appearances. But, did these celebrities help their ads stand out more than others? Not as much as you might think. Despite the star power, ads featuring celebrities didn't always top the engagement charts. According to EDO, a TV market research company, 60% of the top 50 ads had a celebrity. Ram Trucks' ad with Glen Powell (the famous Goldilocks) came in at number 2. Other top ads came from Jeep, with Harrison Ford, Cirkul, with Adam Devine, and a few others. Interestingly, a group of three Gen Z influencers and reality stars (Jake Shane, Alix Earle, and Rob Rausch) edged out many veteran celebrities with their Soda Poppi ad, which ranked at number 9. The trend of celebrity endorsements shows no signs of slowing down. This year, ads with celebrities took 11 spots in the top 20. However, it’s important to note that viewers’ engagement largely hinged on how well the celebrity’s brand aligned with the product. Some recognizable faces, like Kevin Hart, Vin Diesel, and Matthew McConaughey, didn’t make a big dent. Even the much-anticipated reunion of Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal only hit number 49 in the rankings. The ads that made viewers act, looked at brands targeting practical life needs, stood out with the boldest tech and innovative approaches to female empowerment, were the most impressive.

There are other insights. AI-generated ads, another new trend, didn't impress viewers as much as they had hoped. Even though AI ads garnered a lot of buzz, they didn't perform well. According to EDO, the only AI ad that stood out was the Ray-Ban Meta, with AI glasses in the celebrity studded ads. Super Bowl Ads used to have celebrities in 33% of the ads, but post COVID 70% of ads had celebrities. Over the last 5 years, this trend has skyrocketed. This leaves viewers to wonder if Celebrity ads will eventually seem a bit boring. Advertising during the Super Bowl is a major deal for brands and they are looking to attract as many viewers as possible. The ads getting them the most attention don’t always feature celebrities. Most consumers watch the Super Bowl for other things. Even so, Super Bowl LVIII had more celebrity involvement than any year before. Super bowl ads come in all shapes and sizes. Some are CBT-style break downs of consumer behavior while others are popular opinion polls and surveys from viewers. EDO, like other ranking companies, look at different criteria to determine the most effective ads. This way, they can help predict the performance of ads and their impact on sales.

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