Super Bowl advertisers are set to air ads filled with fun and humor this year, instead of politics. The lighthearted trend comes on the heels of an NFL season plagued by politics, controversy, and falling television ratings ratings.
Advertisers seem ready to dump divisive politics for a little “silly humor,” the Associated Press wrote after a review of the ads set to air during Super Bowl LII.
With each spot costing advertisers up to $5 million for each 30-second ad, the stakes are high, and after a season that vexed fans more than exciting them, advertisers have a tricky task as they try to interest potential customers.
“Following a year of heated debate over immigration, NFL players taking a knee during the national anthem and the #MeToo movement, … many Super Bowl advertisers are playing it safer by showcasing famous faces, focusing on inoffensive causes and trying to stand out with silly humor,” the AP said.
According to the AP, several ads go for low humor, while others rely on celebrities, “silly humor,” or lighthearted jokes. Some go for heartfelt messages, and one ad goes for action by featuring Marvel superhero “Black Panther.”
Gone will be the overly political ads from last year’s big game. There will be no ads about “diversity,” or any ads touting players’ various social justice causes, according to the report.
Advertisers seem to have correctly read the mood of football fans who are sick and tired of the NFL pushing left-wing politics. When will the NFL learn that lesson?
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.
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