The news: Celebrity appearances can boost audience perception of Super Bowl ads, but they also carry the risk of negatively affecting brand image, according to a The Harris Poll report.

• The majority (55%) of younger adults, defined as Gen Z and millennials, stated that seeing a celebrity they like in a Super Bowl campaign makes them feel at least somewhat more favorably about the brand—though only 21% of older adults (Gen X and Baby Boomers) felt this way.
• But over one-third of younger adults (36%) said that seeing a celebrity they dislike in a Super Bowl ad makes them feel more negatively toward the brand, while 28% of older adults said the same.

Star power takes the stage: Celebrities remain front and center in the majority of Super Bowl ads, especially as brands look to target younger consumers driving buyer growth. In 2025, 68% featured a celebrity, and since 2018, celebrity-led spots have consistently made up more than half of all Super Bowl ads, according to iSpot.

The strategy seems to be paying off. Super Bowl ad ROI nearly doubled between 2020 and 2023 alone, increasing from $2.70 to $5.20, per Kantar. Fifty-one percent of US adults say they are excited about Super Bowl ads, up from 37% in 2021.

Celebrities tend to have a positive influence on consumer sentiment beyond the Super Bowl. Forty-two percent of US social media users stated that seeing a celebrity, influencer, or public figure in an ad made it feel more personally relevant, according to Smartly.

The flip side: The growing share of celebrity-driven Super Bowl ads raises the risk of oversaturation. As more brands lean on celebrity endorsements, the strategy becomes less differentiated, potentially reducing its impact with audiences. And with the starting cost for a 30-second ad slot now averaging $8 million—not to mention the additional millions brands pay to get a celebrity on board—brands can’t bet on celebrity presence alone to justify the cost.

Implications for marketers: Celebrities can drive engagement with Super Bowl ads but aren’t enough to guarantee strong results. Marketers who can afford the investment can improve the chances that a Super Bowl ad will pay off by partnering with non-controversial celebrities, prioritizing authenticity, and leaning on humor.

• The Harris Poll shows that adding a celebrity risks having a negative impact on brand reputation. Partnering with figures who have not had major controversies and who maintain wide popularity will yield the best results, the report notes.
• Authenticity is a differentiator. Chosen celebrities must naturally fit a brand’s existing voice and purpose. Seventy percent of younger adults and 48% of older adults say it is at least somewhat important that celebrities in Super Bowl ads seem like authentic fits for the products being endorsed.
• The most successful Super Bowl ads, celebrity inclusion or not, are humorous. The vast majority of consumers across age groups (78%) prefer Super Bowl ads that are humorous, while emotional (14%) and informative (8%) ads fail to impress.