NEW YORK\u2014Along with puppies and babies, celebrities are a Super Bowl advertising staple. And this year is no exception.<\/p>\n
Using stars is a surefire way to grab attention during advertising\u2019s most competitive night, when a crowded field of 40-plus marketers vie for the attention of the more than 110 million viewers expected to tune in to the Super Bowl on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Advertisers use celebrities to \u201chelp insure the success of their creative investment,\u201d said Devra Prywes, vice-president of marketing for research firm Unruly.<\/p>\n
But it doesn\u2019t always work. In order for an ad to go viral, it needs to connect emotionally or give the audience multiple reasons to share, Prywes said.<\/p>\n
\u201cA celebrity can\u2019t save an ad that doesn\u2019t do those things, but the right celebrity can help amplify it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
This year, advertisers are choosing quirkier celebrities and poking fun at bigger names. For instance, Katie Couric and Bryant Gumbel make fun of their inability to understand the Internet in 1994 in a BMW ad. And character actors Steve Buscemi and Danny Trejo star in a Snickers spot.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a look how brands are using celebrities in this year\u2019s Super Bowl ads.<\/p>\n
In keeping with its 5-year-old \u201cYou\u2019re Not You When You\u2019re Hungry,\u201d campaign that shows hungry people resembling humorous celebrities, Snickers 30-second ad recreates the famous Brady Bunch episode in which the oldest daughter, Marcia, gets hit in the nose with a football. Florence Henderson and action movie \u201cMachete\u201d star Danny Trejo also make appearances.<\/p>\n