Super Bowl on the Small Screen: Users Embrace Streaming Apps; Digital Investment Soars

Key Takeaways

Super Bowl LIX was the most-viewed in history, drawing in 127.7 million viewers — roughly equivalent to the entire population of Mexico. With so many eyes glued to  the screen, advertisers who invested in digital campaigns  leading up to the big event had an unparalleled opportunity to engage consumers. However in spite of this record viewership, the match itself was (in the words of football fans) a “total blowout”, with the Eagles dominating throughout and boasting a final score of 40 to the Chiefs’ 22.  

The contrast between a wildly popular halftime show performance by Kendrick Lamar and a lackluster game raises key questions:

• How did viewership fluctuate throughout the night — and did late-game ads suffer from declining engagement?

• Which brands were able to make the biggest splash, successfully capitalizing on unprecedented levels of attention?

• How did industry players use strategic digital campaigns to complement their game day efforts?

Download our comprehensive Super Bowl LIX report for these insights and more:

Active Users: Chiefs Lose, Viewership Fluctuates

After several years of closely contested games, the 2025 Super Bowl was largely an uncompetitive match. Despite this, Sensor Tower data suggests that this year’s broadcast stirred increased consumer interest: during the mid-game period of 5pm - 9pm EST,  average US mobile app active users on live TV streaming providers were 31% higher than during the previous year’s game. 

Still, Super Bowl viewership doesn’t remain static — it ebbs and flows based on the quality of the game. Sensor Tower data shows that viewers began to drop off later in the evening, at which point the Eagles’ victory had already become abundantly clear. There were 27% fewer US mobile app active users on live TV streaming providers during 10pm - 11pm than there were throughout the same period in 2024. 

Further showcasing the impact of the Super Bowl’s outcome for advertisers in 2025, Sensor Tower data shows that average US mobile app daily active users (DAUs) on streaming services at 10pm EST declined roughly 31% compared to the prior hour,  contrasted with a 14% increase during the same period the year before. This likely decreased the efficacy of ads running during that slot, as significantly fewer consumers were reached. 

Ad Spend Intelligence: Investment Soars to New Heights

Given the astronomical price tag associated with game day commercials ($8mn per 30 second ad), advertisers often supplement their strategy with heightened digital investment. Super Bowl LIX advertisers spent 45% more in the six weeks leading up to the 2025 game than they did in the same period in 2024. Meanwhile, debut Super Bowl advertisers, including Red Bull and Haagen Daz,  increased their US ad spend by 60% YoY for the week of the game. This upwards trend highlights the topical impact of Super Bowl commercials and the increasing importance of the digital ad spend that accompanies them. 

Advertisers allocated a high portion of their US digital ad spend to video-led channels, evidenced by the fact that YouTube and OTT accounted for 25% and 20% of spend, respectively, in the six weeks leading up to the game. This video-first approach could suggest that brands were repurposing the commercial assets that they produced for the game across these additional channels. 

In the week leading up to the match, four of the top 15 advertisers on Tubi — which streamed the game free of charge — were sports betting apps, including Underdog Fantasy, FanDuel, PrizePicks, and DraftKings. It’s unsurprising that the upcoming draw of the yearly event drew in topical advertisers on the platform; Super Bowl viewers are a prime audience demographic for sportsbooks and many fans place bets leading up to and during the game.

Finally, Hulu and FOX — two competitors to Tubi that also offered live streaming options for Super Bowl LIX — also advertised heavily on the platform in the week prior to the game; both advertisers were amongst the top 15 by US ad spend on the channel. 

Industry Spotlight: CPG Brands Bet Big 

Food brands tend to invest heavily in Super Bowl campaigns, and this year was no different. The cohort that ran commercials during the game kickstarted their US ad spend aggressively in 2025, up 220% WoW the first week of January. However, even food brands that didn’t air game day ads saw a significant lift, contributing to a 70% WoW increase in ad spend across the broader food category.  

Among the biggest movers, Reese’s and Ritz stood out. The popular snack brands had the highest WoW spend of any food brand in the first full week of January, up 80x and 50x WoW, respectively — while Totinos Pizza Rolls (up 115% WoW) and Pringles (up 50% WoW) saw smaller gains. 

Looking at the creatives themselves, top brands leaned into humor and wordplay. Reese’s commercial, “Don’t Eat Lava” was a cheeky nod to their new Chocolate Lava Big Cup. The brand opted to forego celebrity cameos in favor of an absurdist sketch that promoted the offering. Digital efforts the week of the game complimented this promo, with ads funneling users to a landing page for the chocolatey treat. Ritz, on the other hand, did choose to invest in celebrity appearances, with their commercial “Ritz Salty Club” featuring fan favorites Aubrey Plaza, Michael Shannon, and Bad Bunny.  

Companies that ramped up advertising efforts in the weeks leading up to the match continued to invest closer to the game. For the week of the Super Bowl (2/3-2/9), food brands that ran commer

cials increased their US ad spend by 15% WoW vs an industry average of 5% WoW, as the increased topicality impacted digital advertising budgets 

Overall, the spend patterns leading up to and during the course of this year’s event display brands’ heightened prioritization of digital efforts to complement traditional TV spots. With advertisers ramping up their budgets in tandem with unprecedented viewership, the 2025 Super Bowl reinforced its status as a critical moment for brands to maximize consumer engagement. With a whole year to plan for the next game, only time will tell how industry players adjust their strategies to bolster share of voice and stand out from the competition when February 2026 rolls around.