Super Bowl 2026: Viewership, engagement, and ads analysis
Super Bowl LX delivered 66 ads and 18 new advertisers at an estimated $8M per 30-second spot, producing heavy social lift but mixed creative sentiment. Overall, ad “amusement” dipped from 2025 while nostalgia grew.
Early engagement winners included AI.com, which saw a TV Outcomes Score of 9.1x the median ad engagement, and Universal’s Minions spot at 9.09x the median ad engagement. This score measures the impact each had on consumer engagement, placing a value on how effectively an ad pushed consumers to purchase.
Lay’s, Netflix, and Dunkin’ rounded out the top five outcome scores, while Budweiser, Lay’s, Pepsi, Dunkin’, and Michelob Ultra scored the highest by sentiment ratings. Wix, Salesforce, and Coinbase were among the ads with the lowest sentiment ratings.
B2B needs more Super Bowl thinking
B2B brands were largely absent from the Super Bowl ad lineup. And for many B2B marketers, the logic holds. The audience is too broad, the cost too high, and the buying cycle too long.
But that mindset is facing pushback. B2B brands don’t need Super Bowl ads, but they do need to stop treating awareness like a waste.
B2B’s obsession with efficiency — targeting only known buyers in low-attention environments — may be backfiring. Precision doesn’t guarantee impact. In fact, it often leads to ads that are ignored entirely.
Instead, Tindall points to the value of presence over precision. Familiarity builds trust, especially in high-risk, high-value B2B deals. Brands like Salesforce and Workday are using their game-day spots to make themselves look safe, established, and inevitable, not explain what they do.
Have Super Bowl commercials lost their appeal due to streaming? : r/television
Many users argue that Super Bowl commercials aren’t as exciting, unique, or noteworthy as they once were because of changes in how people watch content and how brands release and promote their advertising.
Users pointed out that people can skip ads online or avoid them entirely with ad‑free services, so commercials no longer have captive, collective audiences. That shift has diluted the surprise and impact that turned mere ads into cultural moments.
Another common theme was overexposure and predictability. Users said brands often release their ads before the game, which makes the big spots feel familiar instead of fresh. Several also noted that heavy reliance on cameos, nostalgia, and outdated jokes makes ads feel less original.
However, not all reactions were negative. Some users still enjoy the spectacle and see value in the creativity that goes into big‑budget TV spots, especially compared with everyday commercials.
