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For NFL teams, the Super Bowl means so much. For teams like the Cincinnati Bengals, who have waited over 30 years since their last appearance in the Big Game, it means having relevance.
Relevance is important in the world of sports. Players compete for championships in the hopes of bringing home a trophy, raising a banner, and donning diamond-studded rings. They might also use this relevance as a means to negotiate new contracts or to attract offers in free agency. For organizations, team owners, and whole cities, winning championships are good for business — they help sell merchandise, fill seats, even put your city on the map.
The event industry isn’t so different. As you know, your audience wants to hear from the most talented, knowledgeable, and compelling keynote speakers — those who have been on the biggest stages. With an estimated 117 million people tuning in on Sunday, there aren’t many stages bigger than this.
I’ve put together this cheat sheet for event producers covering the celebrities, performers, and media personalities who are about to benefit from the high-powered relevancy machine that is Super Bowl LVI. Let’s dig in.
Celebrities with high profile Super Bowl LVI ads
We begin, of course, with the ads. As we’ve seen from previous research, it’s estimated that roughly 20% of Super Bowl viewers only watch for the commercials. That means upwards of 19 million viewers who tuned in last year were there to have their heartstrings tugged by Jessica Long’s ad for Toyota more than they were to see Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes slugging it out.
This year, a fresh set of ads featuring star-studded celebrity cameos will premier throughout the Big Game. And many are already available for viewing across social media. Here’s a rundown of the ones we have been able to track down:
- Hollywood power couple Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost for Amazon
- Olympic and Paralympic competitor Brian McKeever and brother Robin for Toyota
- Comedy duo Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd for Lay’s
- Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Coolidge, and Trevor Noah for Uber Eats
- Funny man Kevin Hart for Sam’s Club
- Award-winning actress and singer Zendaya for Squarespace
- Legendary actor, athlete, and politician Arnold Schwarzenegger for BMW
- Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao for Budweiser
- Former NFL linebacker Jerod Mayo and comedian Pete Davidson for Hellman’s Mayonnaise
- Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham for Rakuten
- NFL great Peyton Manning for Michelob Ultra
- Former Community co-stars Joel McHale and Ken Jeong for Planter’s
- A self-deprecating Lindsay Lohan for Planet Fitness
- “The Mayor of Flavortown” Guy Fieri for Bud Light
Super Bowl LVI broadcast team in the booth and on the field
If you’re anything like me, this may be the only NFL game you watch from start to finish this year. For the millions of viewers who fall into this category, it will be the job of the broadcasting team and sideline reporters to fill in all the knowledge gaps around rules, play calls, and player storylines — to bring the game into clearer focus for us casual fans.
This year’s broadcasting team will be led by Al Michaels, on the call for his 11th Super Bowl, and NFL player turned broadcaster Cris Collinsworth. This pair will occasionally toss it down to the field where sideline reporters Michele Tafoya, who has said this will be her last broadcast for NBC Sports, and Kathryn Tappen, who is making her debut as a Super Bowl field reporter.
Artists ready to rock millions before the game at halftime
For musicians, a performance at the Super Bowl can catapult careers to new heights and make already illustrious legacies shine just a bit more. The headliners for this year’s Super Bowl halftime show have more combined star power than we’ve seen in recent memory. And let’s just say, fans of 90’s-00’s hip hop are going to enjoy this one.
At halftime, N.W.A. rapper and producer Dr. Dre will be the main attraction, appearing alongside a whole host of hip hop heavyweights including Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, and “Queen of Hip Hop Soul” Mary J. Blige.
But before that, Grammy-nominated country artist Mickey Guyton will kick things off on the field, performing the national anthem. R&B singer Jhené Aiko, whose parents’ hometowns are both represented in the big game (LA and Cincinnati), will sing “America The Beautiful.” Gospel duo Mary Mary will perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” accompanied by the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles. And Grammy-winning producer Zedd will be the pregame DJ during player warmups.
For football fans, the Super Bowl is the event of the year
The stage is set. And as over 100 million people prepare to watch the Big Game on Sunday — and probably eat too much dip — it’s not just the players in helmets and shoulder pads playing to win. Every person making an appearance at Super Bowl LVI, whether they’re rapping on stage, reporting from the sideline, or appearing in an ad, has the potential to make waves across the internet and drive demand in the event industry.
Whether or not the Big Game ends up going your way, AAE Speakers Bureau is here to ensure that your next event does. We work with the most talented speakers in the industry and provide our clients unparalleled service across hybrid, virtual, and in-person events. Make us a part of your team.