It could be the Cincinnati Bengals winning the city’s first NFL title, after San Francisco’s Joe Montana beat them twice in the 1980s.
Or it could be the Los Angeles Rams becoming the first team to win a Super Bowl at their stadium since…well, last year, when Tom Brady’s Buccaneers won in Tampa.
But either way, one thing is clear: viewers will see more bitcoin and crypto ads than they’ve ever been exposed to before. At least six companies run in-game crypto ads: Bitbuy, Coinbase, Crypto.com, eToro, FTX, and Bud Light (a beer ad, but it prominently includes Nouns NFT glasses).
And these are only the advertisements that we know of because they were announced in advance. There’s also expected to be some sort of shoutout from the Bored Ape Yacht Club during the Super Bowl halftime show, as entertainers Snoop Dogg and Eminem both own Apes.
From Matt Damon to LeBron James to Kevin Durant, crypto companies have used celebrity faces to plant a Web3 flag in the American consciousness.
So, will the ads inspire a group of people to dive into crypto who previously stayed away? Or will they serve to discourage people or irritate those who already see crypto as a scam?
Probably both. Stick with us during the game to get all the info on each crypto ad as it appears.
UPDATE: Bud Light is first out (6:50 PM EST)
Budweiser – a staple of every Super Bowl – was the first to flash crypto during this year’s game. At 6:50 p.m. EST, the beer giant released an add-on for its new Bud Light N3XT drink that included a nod to its entry into the Noun DAOs NFT collection.
The reference was subtle: showing the blocky glasses that are the collection’s signature superimposed on an art gallery painting:
Bud Light’s announcement was not so surprising since the company indicated that it would do so last week, because Decrypt reported. Meanwhile, the reaction on Twitter has mostly consisted of comments about what drink Bud is whipping up.
UPDATE: Coinbase QR Code Distribution (7:07 PM EST)
So far, two crypto announcements in the first quarter! Coinbase’s inaugural Superbowl ad was clever: 60 seconds of a floating QR code in different colors. It’s unclear how many were eager enough to hold up their phone’s camera to see the code take them, but, in any case, the answer is that it opens an offer for $15 in free Bitcoin, but only for new customers.
So far, the ad seems to be playing well on Twitter, with people praising its ingenuity. Meanwhile, as this tweet shows, it looks like the announcement was a hit with the canine set:
It seems the announcement generated a great response, so much so that people are tweeting that the site briefly went down. (Not a great look for Coinbase, but any buzz probably equals a clean win).
Although…
Coinbase spends $16,000,000 on a Superbowl ad to drive people to their website and $0 to make sure the website doesn’t crash 10 seconds after the ad starts, it’s so internet.
And finally, Ted Lasso appears at the biggest football game of the day.
Jason Sudeikis was featured prominently in a spot for Intuit’s TurboTax, in which a potential registrant/freelancer asks, “What if…I have no idea how to go freelance but…I’m investing in crypto from my hometown of Gravity, Iowa.”
UPDATE: Larry David for FTX (7:50 PM EST)
Just before halftime, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” star Larry David appeared as various characters throughout history, giving his dim opinion on a number of important innovations (the wheel, the light bulb of ‘Edison, Democracy) before finally, in the modern age, being shown the FTX. mobile app. “Ehh…” he said.
While FTX announced it would be airing a Super Bowl commercial, Larry David’s star turn came as a surprise. The ad, like Coinbase’s, also included a bitcoin giveaway element.
UPDATE: LeBron talks to LeBron (8:25 p.m. EST)
The Crypto.com spot featuring a young LeBron James chatting with an, ahem, older LeBron James aired just minutes after the halftime show ended.
“Deep down, it’s really a story about all of us. We’ve all had to make these big, brave decisions that affect our future,” Crypto.com creative director Ben Lay said in a behind-the-scenes video teasing the ad.
UPDATE: Crypto? Actions ? Where to start? (9:05 p.m. EST)
An eToro ad appeared shortly after 9 p.m. EST.
Instead of opening with an A-list celebrity, the ad started with something much more relevant: a confused guy staring at his phone.
And maybe it worked? At least one Decrypt the reader seems to think so:
E toro commercial gives me a little desire to register.
Trailing late, the Rams rallied to win 23-20 when Matthew Stafford found Cooper Kupp a yard away with less than 90 seconds left, capping a 15-play, 79-yard drive.
Kupp was named the game’s MVP, finishing with eight catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns.
