Super Bowl LVII commercials will look a lot like they have in recent years—big-name celebrities, light-hearted jokes and high-profile musical appearances. An economic downturn, much like the pandemic years before it, is forcing many brands to stick with the tried and true. But there are still a few unexpected trends to this year’s commercial game. 

Here’s a look at the biggest trends and tactics—both longstanding and emerging—to watch in Super Bowl 2023.

Partnerships

Several brands have decided to buddy up for their Super Bowl marketing efforts. Both Michelob Ultra and General Motors are working with Netflix—Michelob Ultra is working with the streaming giant to promote its beer alongside the new series “Full Swing,” while General Motors and Netflix will focus on their combined electrical vehicle efforts.

Molson Coors tapped DraftKings (another Super Bowl advertiser) to let viewers place a bet on its Super Bowl ad. While none of the companies disclosed the financial terms of the deals, working together on Super Bowl campaigns certainly can be a way to help drive scale and reach larger audiences.

Alcohol brands buy in

One of the biggest questions heading into the game is how many beer and alcohol brands would seize on the opening created by Anheuser-Busch InBev giving up its category exclusivity, and how much AB InBev would still spend. AB InBev still has a decent presence with four ads across three brands (Bud Light, Michelob Ultra and Busch Light).

So far, Crown Royal, Rémy Martin and Molson Coors are in, as well as Heineken, which is pitching a non-alcoholic beer (with the help of Ant-Man). While that means viewers will see a bigger variety of alcohol ads this year, plenty of big beer and liquor brands stayed on the sidelines including Constellation Brands, maker of Corona and Modelo Especial. One reason there isn’t an influx of beer ads? Summer, not winter, is peak beer season, which is one of the factors AB InBev has alluded to when discussing its decision to sacrifice exclusivity. It wants to spread its marketing more evenly across the calendar year.

Weaker auto category

The auto category—once a Super Bowl stalwart—has become a lot less predictable. After brands shrugged off supply concerns to push electrical vehicles in last year’s game, several automakers pulled back on their spending this year, as executives brace for softening sales amid the economic downturn. Kia, General Motors and Stellantis will run a total of four ads. That is down from last year, when six automakers ran eight ads. Also, used car retailers Carvana and Vroom are not coming back after running ads in 2022. The category’s recent high-water mark came in 2018, when 11 auto brands ran ads.

QR codes and emerging tech

Super Bowl advertisers have used the game the last few years to experiment with emerging tech. In 2022, some brands leaned into the craze surrounding NFTs, crypto and the metaverse. This year, the buzz seems to be around QR codes. 

Coinbase garnered plenty of attention when it aired its first Super Bowl commercial last year, which was just a QR code bouncing on the screen. Its success with that spot (it crashed Coinbase’s website and won a Grand Prix award at Cannes) has spurred other advertisers to try their hand at the tech this year. This includes AB InBev label Michelob Ultra, Avocados From Mexico and Web3 gaming company Limit Break, among others.  

Avocados From Mexico also intended to experiment with another emerging tech—generative AI—but reversed course and decided to pull those plans.

Nostalgia

As has become a trend in Super Bowl marketing, brands are leaning into IP that brings back a sense of nostalgia—at least, for Super Bowl viewers of a certain age. Rakuten is breathing new life into the 1995 hit movie “Clueless,” with Alicia Silverstone reviving her role as Cher. Michelob Ultra has its cast of celebrity athletes reenacting scenes from the 1980 movie “Caddyshack.” And Frito-Lay’s PopCorners is bringing back “Breaking Bad” for its first Super Bowl ad, with Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul and Raymond Cruz all reviving their characters from the series, which ran from 2008 to 2013. The spot was also directed by the show’s creator, head writer and executive producer, Vince Gilligan. 

Even the musicians starring in spots are meant to appeal to those looking to relive their glory days. Workday’s ad features no less than five rockstars, including Ozzy Osbourne, Joan Jett, Billy Idol and Paul Stanley of Kiss. Meanwhile, Dave Grohl, Foo Fighters frontman and one-time Nirvana drummer, appears in Crown Royal’s spot.