Seven million dollars is the sum that dozens and dozens of companies paid this year to have their 30-second commercials aired during the quintessential American sports event, the Super Bowl.
The 58th edition, which took place in Las Vegas, saw the Kansas City Chiefs (perhaps you’ve heard of them because Taylor Swift’s highly talked-about new boyfriend, Travis Kelce, plays for them) emerge victorious against the San Francisco 49ers. But as with every Super Bowl, the outcome is just a small part of what is considered one of the most anticipated events, both in sports and beyond, of the year.
The audience’s eyes were therefore not only on the 22 players on the field but also on Usher, who, along with a few friends – Alicia Keys, HER, Ludacris, Lil Jon – gave us a show that made us feel the nostalgia of the late ’90s and the early 2000s, and of course, on the commercials.
Every year, companies allocate budgets with six zeros to create commercials ready to circulate globally in just a few minutes, often enlisting Oscar-winning directors and actors. From Martin Scorsese to Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, from Jennifer Aniston with David Schwimmer to Beyoncé, who seized the opportunity to release two singles and announce the arrival in March of Renaissance Act II.
