Listen to this articleThe basics:
- Super Bowl LX airs Feb. 8 from Levi’s Stadium with 30-second ads topping $8M
- NJ-linked advertisers include Dove, Hellmann’s, Ritz, Novartis, Ferrero
- First-time or returning advertisers include Grubhub, Liquid I.V. & Nerds
- Brands using the Big Game to spotlight wellness, food, culture & innovation
With less than a month to go before Super Bowl LX, well-known New Jersey-based brands are hard at work preparing for advertising‘s biggest night.
Scheduled for Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., NBCUniversal sold out its inventory of in-game spots last fall. According to Adweek, 30-second ads reportedly sold for more than $8 million apiece.
Fox broadcast the 2025 game. Last year’s showdown between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs attracted 127.7 million viewers across television and streaming platforms. Those figures make it the most-watched Super Bowl of all time, the National Football League reported.
This year’s returning advertisers include several companies with ties to New Jersey, such as top-selling mayonnaise Hellmann’s, popular beauty label Dove, pharma giant Novartis and beloved cracker brand Ritz. Local newcomers include Liquid I.V., Grubhub and Ferrero North America.
Dove will return to the Super Bowl for the third year in a row with an ad focusing on the brand’s mission to empower girls in sports with confidence.
In 2024, the Hoboken-based Unilever brand appeared during the event for the first time in eight years, debuting a campaign centered on keeping girls in sports. For that promotion, the brand teamed up with Kylie Kelce. The field hockey coach is also the wife of retired Philadelphia Eagles player Jason Kelce.
Dove said it continues its partnership with Kylie Kelce this year to help highlight the importance of “raising and protecting self-esteem in girls both on and off the field.”
Marcela Melero, chief growth officer for Dove, shared, “Sports have the power to build confidence, resilience and joy, yet body pressures continue to push too many girls out of the sports they love. That’s why we’re returning to football’s biggest night to lift up their body confidence and shout: You’re amazing. You’re strong. You belong.”
Liquid I.V.
Unilever-owned functional hydration brand Liquid I.V.’s prime-time debut will occur during the first half of the Big Game.
Acquired by Unilever in 2020, Liquid I.V. is considered the No. 1 powdered hydration brand in the U.S. Its lineup of non-GMO electrolyte drink mixes is available online and at over 112,000 retailers nationally.
In recent years, Liquid I.V. has had a presence at other major events, as well, such as the Lollapalooza music festival and the Formula 1 Heineken Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Liquid I.V. Chief Marketing Officer Stacey Andrade-Wells said, “We’re here to flip the script on what wellness looks like in culture. On the biggest stage in American sports, we’re showing up to remind the world that hydration isn’t optional. It’s essential.”
To carry out its “mission to hydrate America,” she said, “We’re not just showing up, we’re taking over because your dehydration has been talking, we’re just bold enough to answer and fearless in pushing the boundaries.”
Hellmann’s Mayonnaise
Hellmann’s Mayonnaise will return to the Super Bowl for the sixth year in a row.
In a press release announcing its plans, the condiment brand noted a growing “meaningful presence within football culture” that includes a fashion collection and promotions highlighting creative recipes featuring mayonnaise.
Jessica Grigoriou, senior vice president of marketing for condiments at Unilever, commented, “Returning to the Big Game reflects our commitment to celebrating fans of all kinds over a common love for game day dishes.”
“This year’s ad is all about delivering the kind of unexpected fun people love from Hellmann’s. We’ve re-imagined a mealtime moment and turned it into something unforgettable. It’s a fresh reminder that great taste can enhance the enjoyment of any moment and has the power to bring people together,” she said.
Last year’s spot was one of the most popular commercials of the night. It featured Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal re-creating the “I’ll have what she’s having” lunch scene from the 1989 hit rom-com “When Harry Met Sally.”
Mondelēz International
East Hanover-headquartered Mondelēz International cracker brand Ritz will follow up its 2025 Super Bowl debut during the third quarter of this year’s game.
It also marks the third year in a row that Mondelēz will have a commercial for the event. In 2024, Oreo cookies came back for the first time in a decade, airing a 30-second spot.
Ahead of the Big Game, Ritz released a new limited-edition football-shaped cracker. The treat features “the same salty, buttery-flavored experience fans love in a touchdown-worthy new shape.”
Steven Saenen, category president of savory snacking, remarked, “For over 90 years, the Ritz brand has brought connection to family tables. Although we’re immensely proud of this legacy, we’re equally committed to delivering on cultural impact and relevancy for this iconic brand. Returning to the world’s biggest advertising stage allows us to make a bold statement in this moment.”
In its 2025 ad, Ritz introduced a lounge in Utah’s salt flats that hosts “salty” personalities. Celebrities who dropped into the “Ritz Salty Club” include Aubrey Plaza, Michael Shannon and Bad Bunny (see the video below). Saenen said, “In 2026, our salty Big Game commercial will reinforce our commitment to delivering impactful, game-changing experiences fans have come to expect from the Ritz brand.”
Novartis
Drugmaker Novartis – which has its U.S. base in East Hanover – will unveil its second Super Bowl ad this year, according to Ad Age.
The 2025 commercial featured comedian and breast cancer survivor Wanda Sykes with musician-actress Hailee Steinfield. The ad encouraged women to get their annual mammograms.
A month after the Big Game, the drugmaker signed on to become the National Football League’s first-ever corporate pharmaceutical partner. As part of the multiyear deal, the Swiss pharma giant said it aims to empower football fans to make proactive decisions about their health, better understand screening guidelines and plan for a healthier future.
Grubhub
Growing food hall concept Wonder acquired Grubhub for $650 million earlier this year. Now, the on-demand delivery platform is preparing its first Super Bowl ad.
In a LinkedIn post, the brand wrote, “For over 20 years, Grubhub has pioneered food delivery, and now, as part of Wonder Group we can’t wait to share what we’ve been cooking up.”
Marnie Kain, vice president, head of brand at Grubhub, shared this “first-ever national Big Game spot is the most definitive signal of our renewed investment in the Grubhub brand and a massive brand refocus for the category we helped build.”
“The Big Game is where brands make their biggest statements, and we can’t wait to remind America why we are the authority in food delivery and what that means for our future,” Kain added.
Wonder’s footprint of 80-plus locations includes about two dozen in New Jersey. The New York City venture also has an R&D facility in Parsippany.
Mars Inc.
Pringles potato chips, part of Kellanova will reportedly return to the Super Bowl for an ninth-straight year. Newark-headquartered Mars Inc. recently acquired the food company for $35.9 billion.
Last year’s commercial featured actors Adam Brody and Nick Offerman, along with Los Angeles Clippers’ James Harden and Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid. In the spot, each paid tribute to the snack brand’s mustachioed mascot. The commercial ranked in the top 1% for most effective Big Game ads, according to Ipsos data shared by Pringles.
Ferrero North America
Parsippany-based confectionary giant Ferrero North America will unveil its first Super Bowl ad this year.
The move comes as part of a $100 million marketing campaign centered on major upcoming sports events.
The company will unveil a commercial showcasing Ferrero’s Kinder Bueno brand. Additionally, it will roll out special displays, packaging, limited-edition flavors and a consumer promotion ahead of the game.
Then starting in June, Ferrero will launch a slate of promotions for the World Cup. Ads for the company’s products will play before and after soccer matches. Additionally, it plans to ramp up marketing for roughly two dozen of its brands.
In a statement, Ferrero North America President and Chief Business Officer Michael Lindsey said, “The investment marks a defining moment for Ferrero in North America. We’re going ‘All In’ on these transformational campaigns because we recognize the incredible opportunity to showcase our brands amid the world’s biggest cultural moments.
“This is not just our most historic marketing investment ever, but our boldest statement of confidence in our North American growth trajectory and our commitment to continue making Ferrero and its brands household names across America.”
Nerds
Owned by Ferrero North American subsidiary Ferrara Candy Co., Nerds candy will reportedly return to the Super Bowl for the third year in a row in 2026.
After its first ad in 2024 with actress-singer Addison Rae, Nerds dropped a commercial last year featuring singer-songwriter Shaboozey:
Commenting on the 2026 campaign, Ferrara Chief Marketing Officer Greg Guidotti promised a “bigger and bolder” comeback.
“Our whole team is ready to deliver unforgettable moments our fans crave and introduce millions more to the ultimate game day treat. What we have planned for 2026 is next level … and something everyone’s taste buds will be craving!” he said.
