Super Bowl ad rates hit record as brands pivot to star power and AI

WASHINGTON — The price for a 30-second Super Bowl commercial has surpassed $10 million for some brands this year, forcing advertisers to overhaul their marketing budgets as the standard rate hits $8 million.

Industry sources say brands are responding to the rising costs by cutting celebrity talent fees. A-list stars are currently earning between $3 million and $5 million per spot, a significant drop from previous years when payouts reached as high as $15 million.

Advertisers are instead pivoting to a strategy of using ensemble casts with multiple small cameos. This approach allows brands to stretch their budgets while targeting diverse demographics through a mix of social media influencers, actors, and professional athletes.

While individual pay has dipped, the prevalence of famous faces is at an all-time high. Roughly 70% of Super Bowl ads feature celebrities this year, a sharp increase from just 30% in 2018.

Artificial intelligence has also emerged as a dominant theme for the broadcast. The game features a public showdown between tech giants OpenAI and Anthropic, both of whom are competing for airtime and market dominance.

The evolution of Super Bowl advertising strategy represents more than mere fiscal tightening in the face of rising costs; it signals a fundamental recalibration to meet America’s increasingly fragmented media and cultural landscape. The industry’s pivot from the singular "mega-star" model to an ensemble approach is a calculated tactical shift. Brands have recognized that no individual figure can command the undivided attention of a polarized audience. By leveraging a mix of TikTok creators, legacy Hollywood actors, and professional athletes, advertisers are engineering touchpoints across disparate generational cohorts and interest groups simultaneously.

While individual talent fees may be moderating, the sheer volume of celebrity cameos suggests that a Super Bowl appearance remains the ultimate benchmark for cultural relevance. For the talent involved, these slots are less about immediate compensation and more about securing a position within the American public consciousness.

However, the most significant shift is the emergence of an "AI arms race" on the airwaves, led by giants like OpenAI and Anthropic. This move marks the official transition of generative artificial intelligence from specialized tech circles to the vanguard of mainstream consumer culture. Much like the dot-com advertising blitz of the late 1990s, the Super Bowl has become the primary battlefield for shaping public perception of a technology destined to redefine the future.

The Super Bowl has evolved into a cornerstone of American pop culture, and for many Vietnamese-American families, it has become a key occasion to gather and celebrate. Whether it’s a watch party in the heart of Little Saigon or a casual get-together after a long shift at the nail salon, the event is now a staple of the diaspora experience. The iconic commercials are an essential part of the spectacle, often becoming a major talking point over bowls of phở and reflecting the community's deep-rooted integration into the American mainstream. From families who arrived decades ago on F2B visas to professionals here on H-1B tracks, participating in this shared cultural ritual highlights how the community has truly woven itself into the fabric of the country.