Super Bowl ads try to bring health, caring and gentle laughs

This year’s Super Bowl commercials mix messages about health and community with comic spots and celebrity appearances, while several ads use AI tools; they arrive amid reported national unease and lower consumer confidence.

Advertisers used this year’s Super Bowl to pair messages about health and caring with moments of humor. Several commercials highlight community and safety themes, including neighbors helping one another, reminders about seatbelts and a medical screening ad. The spots come as reports note increased unease in the U.S., including a drop in consumer confidence and severe winter weather. A branding expert said such ads can offer a rare shared respite. Notable elements: - Health and safety messages appeared in multiple spots, such as a prostate cancer blood test and a reminder about seatbelt use. - Caring and neighborly themes recur, including an ad about finding lost pets and two spots that invoke Mister Rogers' songs. - Comedy and celebrity-driven ads remain prominent, with examples featuring Pringles, Instacart, and appearances by well-known actors and performers. - Artificial intelligence featured in several commercials, from AI-enabled glasses to AI-assisted creative production. Summary: These commercials aim to mix comfort and entertainment amid a tense national mood and widespread reporting of unease. Advertisers emphasized health, community and humor while new AI elements also appeared; how audiences will respond is undetermined at this time.