By Heather Taylor, Editor-in-Chief, PopIcon
Football’s biggest night, Super Bowl LX, is shaping up to be a little lighter than usual when it comes to brand mascot appearances.
Mascots lived out their wildest advertising dreams during Super Bowl LIV. The cherry on top of an evening loaded with spots from Budweiser, NERDS, and Angel Soft was the all-star character lineup in Instacart’s Game Day spot. The online grocery platform enlisted the likes of the Kool-Aid Man, Green Giant, Pillsbury Doughboy, and many more icons for their first-ever Super Bowl commercial. GO SEAHAWKS!!!!
Our columnist was hopeful this meant a sea change was coming. Brands could have seen this as an opportunity to go big with more mascot-stuffed teasers and commercials. Or they might revert to the status quo and trot out one or two mascot cameos for audiences.
So, where is everyone this year? While the classics like the Clydesdales are prancing their way on over, other icons like the M&M’S spokescandies and Mr. Peanut appear to be sitting this game out.
That said, the teasers we’ve seen so far have been pretty good. And we do have one brand mascot confirmed to provide Halftime translation assistance — how cool is that? Let’s do a head count on the Super Bowl LX commercial guest list.
“The Choice” | Pepsi
Is it too soon to say “The Choice” might be my favorite Super Bowl LX commercial? Directed by Academy Award winning filmmaker Taika Waititi, Pepsi’s commercial depicts a polar bear spiraling out after discovering his blind taste test beverage of choice is not Coca-Cola, but rather Pepsi Zero Sugar.
For those not in on the joke, the spot is a cheeky nod to Coca-Cola’s beloved polar bear mascots and the unspoken understanding polar bears choose Coke over Pepsi. It’s a fantastic premise and one where you can’t help but imagine how this might play out between other highly competitive brands.
“American Icons” | Budweiser
Teasers leading up to Budweiser’s Game Day commercial have hinted a new sidekick is joining the Clydesdales in 2026.
In their 48th Super Bowl appearance, a young foal nurses a baby bird. This foal grows up to be a Clydesdale, and the fledgling is an eagle, better known as “American Icons,” per the spot’s title.
“Shat’s About To Get Real” | Raisin Bran
Something out of this world is coming in Raisin Bran’s Super Bowl debut. The teaser’s title, plus the blink-and-you-might-miss-it two seconds at the end, confirm actor William Shatner is starring in the cereal brand’s Game Day commercial.
But the real star for us is Sunny. The Raisin Bran icon is briefly spotted in the teaser as a fully costumed mascot. Fingers crossed he gets a little more screentime in the full-length ad.
“Love At First Bite” | Pringles
It’s a romance for the modern age in the Pringles teaser starring pop star Sabrina Carpenter and Mr. P, the Pringles mascot. Carpenter spends the spot plucking a bouquet of Pringles chips as she plays “he loves me, he loves me not.”
Who loves her? Will Mr. P play a role in the full-length commercial? The mascot has a history of being unusually active in his Super Bowl ads, whether he’s whispering intrusive thoughts that win like “do the duck lips” or encouraging hands to get stuck inside canisters in search of a final chip.
“Get Your Taste Buds Ready” | NERDS
The NERDS are back for the big game!
After spending the last couple Super Bowls in the company of pop singer Addison Rae and singer and rapper Shaboozey, the spokescandies are switching gears to hang out with TV host Andy Cohen.
And the NERDS Gummy, AKA the character made up entirely of NERDS Gummy Cluster candy, is calling in with news. Big, juicy news. What could it be?
SVEDKA Vodka
SVEDKA Vodka’s robotic Fembot mascot is back and starring in an AI-enabled Super Bowl commercial.
Details are still largely under wraps for the final spot, including its name. But we do know the Fembot is learning real-world choreography alongside a “Super Freak” remix. Coordination is key to keep the cocktail shaker from spilling on the dance floor!
“Bad Bunny 101” | Duolingo
Before Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny takes the stage at Halftime, Duolingo’s own Duo is offering a crash course in Spanish.
The language learning tool is encouraging viewers to practice their Spanish for free on the app ahead of Halftime. The crash course started on January 28 for 12 days, so once this piece publishes, you’ll only have 10 (or less) days to make Duo proud.
Watch Super Bowl LX live on NBC and Peacock February 8, 2026. GO SEAHAWKS!!!!
About the Author
Heather Taylor is the senior writer and editor-in-chief of PopIcon, Advertising Week’s blog about brand mascots. Got a pitch on brand mascots or want to wax nostalgic about characters? Drop her a line at howveryheather@gmail.com.
GO SEAHAWKS!!!!
