Beyond the celebrities, spectacle, and punchlines, each spot during the Big Game sends powerful signals about the human values a brand stands for and who it is really trying to connect with. At Aletheia, we apply Values-Driven Marketing, a behavioral science approach that goes deeper than demographics to understand the motivations that shape how people feel, choose, and act. We asked our leading values experts to analyze four Super Bowl LX ads to decode the values they activate and the audiences they are most likely to resonate with. Originally published on LinkedIn by Colleen Howell, VP of Research at Aletheia, and Rick Byrne, CMO and co-founder of Pluralytics, these analyses come together here as a single look at how the most expensive ad stage in the world is really being used and whether it is working.
Budweiser’s 2026 Super Bowl spot is built around the idea that some things matter because they’ve always mattered: commitment, responsibility, hard work, and taking care of your neighbor (even if you’re a horse and your neighbor is a baby bird).
The spot clearly caters to Tradition types, which also happen to be Budweiser’s core audience. Tradition types care about maintaining customs, fulfilling obligations, and proving loyalty over time. That shows up in the ad’s use of familiar symbols, its steady emotional rhythm, and its sense that doing the right thing doesn’t require applause.
Even the moments of humor feel grounded and natural, not ironic or performative. When the ad delivers its unexpected reveal (we won’t spoil it for you), it reinforces the feeling that this was always about something bigger: cultural identity. Budweiser then leans explicitly into that identity and adds a splash of nostalgia with the text on the screen:
Made of America. For 150 years, This Bud’s for you.
That line, “Made of America,” is an intentional twist on the standard phrase, suggesting in a visceral way that the essence of America is the essence of the brand.
Importantly, this doesn’t feel like an ad designed to drive sales or to attract a new audience. Instead, it reinforces Budweiser’s role as a familiar, dependable presence.
For a Tradition-driven brand, that kind of reassurance — “we’re still here, and we still stand for what we’ve always stood for” — may be the most important job an ad can do in a world that feels like it’s constantly changing.
Pringles went all-in on absurdity this year in its Super Bowl spot featuring Sabrina Carpenter and the romantic partner she constructs out of chips.
Our values-based analysis suggests it should find great appeal among Pleasure Types drawn to indulgence, stimulation, and entertainment-first humor. It’s especially tuned to younger, Pleasure-driven audiences who enjoy off-the-wall, meme-able comedy, and self-aware “cringe” and chaotic dating jokes. The shareability here is high.
The storyline escalates through ridiculousness, sexual innuendo, and physical comedy, keeping the snack at the center of the story the entire time. And the ending is a pure Pleasure-coded punchline: she loses the “man” but still gets the chips, reinforcing that the only real and reliable relationship in the story is the one she has with Pringles.
Brand-wise, the spot fits Pringles’ long-standing voice. Pringles has always been goofy, weird, and snack-first. This ad just takes it to a new level.
Heading into the big weekend, we ran this Pringles Super Bowl ad through our Pluralytics AI values-intelligence platform.
While most commentary will focus on the creative, we’re looking at something different:
who this ad is actually built to resonate with.
Our second-by-second analysis predicts it will strongly connect with a values segment we call PleasureTypes: audiences who respond to messages of spontaneous fun, novelty, and enjoyment without overthinking the cost.
In other words: this spot isn’t just entertaining, it’s strategically aligned with the people most likely to act on it.
Now if only we could predict who’ll win the game…
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After more than a week in the wild, Rocket + Redfin’s Super Bowl ad teaser featuring Lady Gaga is a bold, Values-led brand statement: Community is built, not born. And it’s built with kindness, compassion, and connection.
By reimagining Mr. Rogers’ “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”, the spot leans into the idea of what it means to belong somewhere. It’s local. It’s about the people you live near, the everyday bonds that hold a neighborhood together, and the shared expectation that you look out for each other. This is deeply Tradition-coded values language.
Yet the choice of Lady Gaga as the messenger signals Freedom values: openness, self-expression, and inclusivity. In other words, Rocket is holding onto the warmth of “neighborliness,” while widening the definition of who gets to feel included. That’s a powerful move, and a slightly risky one if it doesn’t land as authentic.
This ad also marks a shift for Rocket. Compared to its earlier comedic Super Bowl spots (Tracy Morgan in 2021 and Anna Kendrick in 2022), Rocket is growing up creatively and using its influence (and its ad dollars) to remind people that neighborliness is not a “soft” virtue, but a strong foundation for civility, stability, and the American Dream.
Creative can win attention, but values alignment drives action. Aletheia helps brands evaluate whether their messaging is reaching the right audiences for the right reasons. Contact us to analyze your campaigns and uncover the values signals shaping performance.