The Super Bowl isn’t just the pinnacle of a gruelling six-month American Football season. Given the “greatest show on turf” also generates stratospheric viewing figures - more than 120 million viewers tuned in to last year’s contest in the US alone - it’s also one of the most highly-anticipated events in the advertising calendar. This is an opportunity for brands to flex their creative muscles and insert themselves into the cultural narrative.

The problem is, too many brands are taking the easy route– relying on celebrity elements rather than crafting a truly memorable campaign. Celebrities have become the default solution for grabbing eyeballs as if their presence alone is enough to make an ad effective. In reality, when a Super Bowl ad is built entirely around a famous face, the brand itself disappears. 

This is known as the ‘vampire effect’- when a celebrity overshadows the brand, they suck all the attention away from the product itself. People remember the famous face, not what they were selling. This isn't just a theory–research from the International Journal of Research in Marketing confirms that when celebrity endorsements aren’t strategically executed, they can weaken a brand's identity rather than strengthen it.

Christopher Walken, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck fronted some of last year’s big-budget Super Bowl ads - but what were they even selling? Most people don't remember. The ads relied so heavily on the celebrities that the product became an afterthought. If you strip away the star, there's nothing left. No strong idea. No ownable identity. Just a fleeting moment of attention that fades as quickly as the game itself. 

It’s not just a creative problem - it’s a financial one. Super Bowl ads are some of the most expensive airtime in the world, with Fox recently securing $8 million for a 30-second spot - a new record. However, $1.4 million of every Super Bowl is essentially wasted, because 20% of viewers have no idea what brand each ad is for. If the only thing people remember from the ad is the celebrity, not the product, that’s a rather costly mistake. 

The weakness of rented fame

Celebrities don't create lasting brand associations. They are borrowed, not built-in, and that makes them a risky investment. A famous face might get a brand noticed for a moment, but will it make the product memorable? Probably not.

The risk is even greater when you consider how unpredictable celebrities are. One year they’re your Super Bowl star, the next they’re endorsing your competitor. David Beckham is currently the face of Stella Artois, but he’s fronted so many brands over the years from Adidas to Nespresso and Ninja to Boss that it's become near impossible to link him to a single one. 

Build brands, not billboards

There's a better way to create a memorable Super Bowl ad. Instead of renting recognition from a celebrity, brands should first focus on distinctive assets that are unique to them and them alone. Instead of relying on celebrities as the entire concept, brands should use them to amplify an already strong idea. 

Food brands, in particular, have an incredible opportunity to build brand memory through their product—think Corona’s lime wedge or Cheetos dust on your fingers. These are more than marketing tricks; they’re brand signatures. They create mental shortcuts that instantly connect a product to a moment, a feeling, a need. 

Ubert Eats upcoming Super Bowl spot exemplifies using a celebrity alongside a gold-standard creative idea. The ad features Javier Bardem’s well-known reputation for villainous roles, using humour and self-awareness to make a memorable impact. 

Bardem’s comedic frustration at always being cast as the bad guy mirrors the everyday annoyance of forgetting to add essentials to an order—seamlessly tying into Uber Eats’ core message. While his presence adds charm, the concept is strong enough to stand on its own, proving that a well-executed creative idea can drive engagement even without celebrity endorsement. This approach reflects a growing trend in advertising, where relatable storytelling and sharp humour take precedence over mere star appeal.

Amazon’s Alexa ad with Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost is funny because of its premise, not because of its celebrity status. The joke (that Alexa knows too much) is what makes it work. Similarly, Tide’s ‘“It’s a Tide Ad” Campaign with David Harbour would still be brilliant even without him. He enhances it, but the creative concept is key to its success. There's also the legendary ‘you’re not you when you’re hungry’ Snickers campaign. Betty White made the Super Bowl ad iconic, but the concept of hunger transforming you was so strong that any actress or actor could have carried it without taking the whole spotlight. 

That's the difference between an ad where the brand is in control and one where the celebrity takes over. One builds long-term brand memory. The other is a flashy moment that disappears as soon as the game is over. 

A call to the creative community 

Any ad should be about the brand, not just big names. Before booking the hottest celebrity for next year's campaign, ask the important questions. What makes the brand distinctive? What is its core story? If the brand identity isn't clear, no amount of star power will fix it. 

So let's stop renting fame. Let's build something that lasts. Let's create ads that don't just entertain for a moment but cement a brand's place in people's minds for years to come. Otherwise, we’re just making commercials for celebrities, not the brands that pay for them. We can all do better than that.