4 Popular Brands Debuting Their First Super Bowl Commercial In 2024
Every year, sports fans gather to watch the Super Bowl, whether or not said fans' favorite teams are even competing for the Vince Lombardi Trophy. For some people, though, the game is immaterial; any two teams could be facing off while they eat nachos and wings. Indeed — some Super Bowl viewers simply want to enjoy the entire enterprise as a showcase for big-budget corporate ads, which is occasionally interrupted by a football game.
Giant corporations spare no expense when it comes to Super Bowl ads, which makes sense considering that the game tends to draw some of the highest viewership ratings of the year. From Budweiser's singing frogs to Betty White getting tackled for Snickers to Larry David's ad for the now-disgraced and bankrupt cryptocurrency company FTX, Super Bowl commercials are nothing if not memorable, which is likely why these companies decided to join the fray in 2024. Whether they're selling sweet treats or crispy fried chicken, here are four huge brands launching their inaugural Super Bowl commercials during the big game on February 11.
Drumstick ice cream cones will make their Super Bowl commercial debut with an eccentric comedian
Nestlé products have definitely featured during the Super Bowl before, but their beloved ice cream cone — the famous Drumstick — is finally getting its day in the sun. So who's appearing in the ad? That would be subversive comedian Eric André, known for "The Eric André Show" and shows like "Don't Trust the B– in Apartment 23" and "Man Seeking Woman," who was chosen to represent the ice cream treat. The ad will feature the cone's cheeky "mascot" Dr. Umstick, a CGI character who's represented the brand in other commercials.
So how does André feel about starring in this ad? When Forbes writer Scott King asked if the comedian was nervous, André said, unequivocally, that he definitely is, but that's sort of his default setting. "I'm nervous every day," André told King. "Every day I hyperventilate my way through life. It's a crushing, oppressive anxiety in my brain that I carry around with me 24/7. It's a cage. My mind is a cage, and I'm the only prisoner in solitary confinement."
"Anyway, eat a drumstick," he concluded. We'll just have to see what André's Drumstick ad is really like when it airs on February 11.
Ice Spice and Starry are making their Super Bowl commercial debut together
Safe to say, 2023 was, to put it lightly, a huge year for rap princess Ice Spice. She released her first EP, "Like...?" and was featured on the "Barbie" soundtrack alongside the legendary Nicki Minaj. She joined pop superstar Taylor Swift for a remix of Swift's song "Karma" (from her celebrated 2022 album "Midnights"), appeared in the music video with Swift as some sort of celestial being, and even performed with Swift at a few stops on the singer-songwriter's massive Eras Tour. In 2024, she'll continue her winning streak by showing up in her first-ever Super Bowl ad for Starry — though she's no stranger to big ads after appearing in a Dunkin' Donuts commercial with Ben Affleck.
What's Starry? It's forgivable to not yet be familiar with this soda brand, which is actually the newest launch from PepsiCo. A lemon-lime soda (consider it a revamped version of Sierra Mist), Starry needs to get its name out there, and Ice Spice's mere presence will definitely help. According to a PepsiCo statement obtained by Billboard, "Ice Spice's charm and charisma are unmatched, making her the perfect fit for the brand's first Super Bowl commercial." Ice Spice also told Billboard she's excited about the ad, telling the outlet, "I'm hyped to star in the first-ever Starry Super Bowl commercial. Trust me, Starry is a vibe."
Popeye's is introducing wings in their first-ever Super Bowl ad
Everyone already loves Popeye's chicken — it wasn't that long ago that consumers were lining up outside of Popeye's locations to try their brand-new chicken sandwich. Now, they're launching wings, and to promote this new menu item, the fast food chain is airing its first-ever Super Bowl ad.
According to Variety, Popeye's is using its Super Bowl ad time to show off its new chicken wings, which will come in six flavors: ghost pepper, sweet & spicy, signature hot, roasted garlic parmesan, and honey barbeque. There's a twist, though. If any NFL team with "wings in its name, logo, or on its mascot" ends up winning the Super Bowl, customers can get a free 6-piece order of wings.
"If you're going to do something to be part of the Super Bowl, you want to have something relevant to say," the president of Popeye's operations in the United States, Sami Siddiqui, told the outlet. "This is a long-term game for us. We are going to continue to grow this, innovate with sauces. We hope that the wings really take flight during the Super Bowl."
Nerds, a classic candy, is springing for its first Super Bowl spot
It might be surprising to learn that Nerds, the teeny-tiny little pebbles of sweet and sour candy, have been in existence since 1983. Lately, though, they've become massively popular once again thanks to their newest product, Nerds Gummy Clusters, which are basically bite-sized portions of the Nerds Ropes beloved by candy lovers everywhere. Now, they're ready to make their Super Bowl debut.
According to AdAge, the Nerds ad will be about 30 seconds long and will star the candy's classic mascots, which look sort of like if actual Nerd candy pieces grew legs and a head, and they'll "[engage] all of the senses" during their time on-screen. Not only that, but the commercial will feature Nerds Gummy Clusters, which is pretty unsurprising. Considering just how expensive Super Bowl spots are, it's pretty impressive that Nerds are making their mark on the big game, and Nerds lovers will just have to wait until February to see what the candy brand has in store.