Financial Services Ads Take the Field at Super Bowl LX
Super Bowl LX gave us a decisive 29-13 Seahawks victory over the Patriots, and Bad Bunny delivered a historic halftime show as the first solo male Latin artist to headline. But for us marketing nerds, the real game was in the commercials—and once again, financial services brands made their presence known.
With ad spots costing a record $8-10 million for 30 seconds and inventory selling out before the NFL season even began, FS brands clearly saw the value in reaching over 125 million viewers. The results? A fascinating mix of AI innovation, nostalgia plays, and emotional storytelling. Let’s break down what we saw.
The AI Invasion
If there was one unmistakable trend this year, it was AI taking over the financial services ad block. Multiple platforms made their Super Bowl debut, all promising to revolutionize how we work and manage money.
Anthropic’s Claude introduced their specialized financial services AI solution, positioning themselves as the thinking partner for banking, asset management, and fintech firms. OpenAI continued their push into what analysts are calling the “fintech super app” space and Base44 pitched their AI-powered no-code platform as the future of fintech app building.
The Office Space Comedy Winners
RAMP returned for their second Super Bowl with Brian Baumgartner (Kevin from “The Office”) literally multiplying himself to tackle mountains of expense management work and demonstrate their AI-powered platform’s “force multiplier” effect. There’s even a nod to Kevin’s infamous chili spill scene.
Rippling made their Super Bowl ad debut with comedian Tim Robinson as a corporate mastermind whose elaborate plans crumble due to outdated HR and payroll systems.
The Tax Season Staple
TurboTax showed up for their 13th consecutive year (the Tom Brady of tax software) with Academy Award winner Adrien Brody. The meta-commercial shows Brody filming a TurboTax commercial, bringing his signature intensity until a TurboTax expert reminds him that taxes don’t need to be dramatic. It’s self-aware, funny, and reinforces their core message: we make this easy.
Real Estate Gets Real
Rocket Mortgage took a bold departure from their typical Super Bowl bombast with this ad done in partnership with Redfin. It’s a sentimental spot featuring Lady Gaga singing Mr. Rogers’ “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” and focusing on community, kindness, and what actually makes a house a home: good neighbors.
Banking on Humanity
Two traditional banks made interesting plays for the human touch in an increasingly digital world.
Wells Fargo tapped SNL’s Marcello Hernández for a spot that reframes banking as something that celebrates life’s small victories, not just major milestones. The comedy and warmth make personal finance feel approachable and, well, human.
TD Bank (one of the few Canadian companies advertising in the U.S. broadcast) championed a similar message: that the digital future should also be a human one. Both banks seem to be saying, “Yes, we have the tech, but we haven’t forgotten you’re a person.”
Crypto Karaoke
Coinbase returned with the lone crypto ad this year: a 60-second karaoke-style ad featuring Backstreet Boys’ “Everybody,” complete with low-def TVs displaying sing-along lyrics. After their legendary 2022 QR code commercial that crashed their servers, many felt this ad was… underwhelming. While the sing-along had me had me throwing “my hands in the air like I just don’t care”, some viewers called it lazy, and some watch parties reportedly booed when they realized what it was for.
The Wildcard
Invest America ran a politically charged spot promoting “Trump Accounts”—new investment plans aimed at helping families save for their children while reducing income and opportunity gaps. Whether you love it or hate it, it’s notable that investment policy made it into Super Bowl airtime.
Trends We Spotted
Looking across all 13+ financial services advertisers, we couldn’t help but notice a few things:
AI is the new crypto: The sector that once dominated Super Bowl airtime has retreated, replaced by AI platforms promising to transform finance.
Humor works when it serves the message: RAMP and TurboTax nailed the balance. Rippling missed it.
The human touch matters: In a year of AI overload, Rocket/Redfin, Wells Fargo, and TD Bank all bet on emotional connection—and it paid off.
Nostalgia sells: RAMP used “The Office” to demonstrate benefits. Coinbase used the Backstreet Boys to make you sing. And Rocket had us smiling to the Mr. Rogers theme song.
If nothing else, Super Bowl LX proved that even with $8-10 million on the line, there’s no magic formula. You need the right mix of entertainment, clarity, and genuine connection with your audience. Some brands scored big. Others… well, there’s always next year.
