Super Bowl Commercials Review: Advertisers Mask Edgy Future in Waves of Nostalgia

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorStanley Tucci’s next trip to Italy will face a slight delay.CNN will bump the debuts of a handful of looming original documentary projects due to its ongoing coverage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The second season of “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy,” will premiere on CNN later in the spring, as will the new series “Nomad with Carlton McCoy.” Meanwhile, the WarnerMedia network will push back the debut of “Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain” to Sunday March 13 at 9 p.m., a week later than its previously scheduled March 6 launch.The network has built a new business out of documentaries and docuseries, but it must balance those projects with the demands of the news cycle.

Kelly Clarkson has revealed she will be performing a tribute to Dolly Parton during the 2022 Academy of Country Music Awards.PHOTOS: Inside Kelly Clarkson's jaw-dropping $5.4m LA mega-mansionSharing the news during Wednesday's episode of her hit talk show, Kelly revealed that she is "super stoked" to be "performing at the Academy of Country Music Awards on March 7".WATCH: Kelly Clarkson to perform Dolly Parton tribute at 2022 Academy of Country Music Awards "I am super stoked because the one and only Dolly Parton is hosting and I have a special tribute planned just for her," Kelly shared, before shocking her audience by admitting that they had all won tickets to the ceremony which is being held in Las Vegas.The news comes a week after she delivered a very honest account of what home life is like for her as she had been quarantined with her two children.MORE: Carrie Underwood to make comeback on American Idol's upcoming series? All we knowWOW: Rebel Wilson, Taraji P. Henson and Kelly Clarkson sparkle as they celebrate 2022 NFL HonorsThe star called into her own chat show and discussed her current situation with guest host Taraji P. Henson.

Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan are among the many country music stars confirmed to perform at this year's 2022 Academy of Country Music Awards.MORE: Carrie Underwood to make comeback on American Idol's upcoming series? All we knowDetails on Carrie's performance remain up in the air but it is thought she may perform alongside Jason. The singer is nominated for four awards this year, including Entertainer of the Year; she has won the award three times already and is the only female artist in history to do so.WATCH: The 57th Academy of Country Music Awards will take place on Monday 7 March 2022Luke, who is the reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year, will pre-tape a special performance of his sentimental ballad Up.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorAMC Networks will unveil a new ad-sales initiative called “Avenue” aimed at helping advertisers reach diverse audiences more effectively and more frequently.Slated to be unveiled at a virtual “upfront” event on Thursday, “Avenue” aims to give advertisers more resources to reach different audiences and new events that will make that outreach possible throughout the calendar year, says Kim Kelleher, , president of commercial revenue and partnerships for AMC Networks, in a recent interview.“We are part of this greater industry that’s really striving to be more representative, and more authentic in that representation,” says Kelleher. “What we have done is organized our audiences, our data tools, and our creators in a way that can more easily be tapped by our advertising and marketing partners.” “Avenue” will initially focus on five key groups: women, Black audiences, LBGTQ+, Asian-American Pacific Islanders) and Hispanic/Latinx.

Actor/filmmaker Ben Stiller is no stranger to examining the rigors of the American workplace. Ever since he shined a light on everyone’s favorite cable guy in, well, “The Cable Guy,” Stiller has spent some time dwelling on the relationship we have with our work and those who work with and for us.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorThe hunt for an elusive South American flower is at the heart of the latest addition to the Peacock streaming service, but the creators of the new show aren’t from the typical Hollywood studio.“Unlocked,” a short film that debuts Friday on the NBCUniversal broadband outlet, is the creation of tech giant Hewlett-Packard and the agency Giant Spoon. The mini-movie tells the story of data scientists hoping to track down a rare plant that might just offer a cure to a mysterious neurological disease that ails the world, but it might solve some other problems as well, like how to get ad messages in front of consumers who are increasingly accustomed to avoid such things when they hunker down for a new bingeworthy session.

Halle Berry was one of the many celebrities that starred in a Super Bowl commercial this year. The actress played Cleopatra in the campaign for Caesers Sportsbook and on Sunday she shared some behind-the-scenes photos with JB Smoove who, also starred in one of the ads.A post shared by Halle Berry (@halleberry)Halle Berry explains why her wedding prank went wrong: ‘This was not supposed to happen’Super Bowl: Take a look at Taylor Rapp’s marriage proposal after winning with the RamsEiza González celebrates Rams’ Super Bowl victory holding the Lombardi trophyThe Sportsbook commercial wasn’t the only screen time Berry had during the Super Bowl.

Super Bowl broadcast wasn’t just about football — with many viewers tuning in to simply see the TV commercials that aired in between the on-field action. NBC expected 100 million Americans to watch the event, meaning they were able to charge close to $7 million for a 30-second ad slot.

in the 60-second commercial, which aired during the second quarter of Sunday evening’s game. “The Sopranos” showrunner David Chase directed the ambitious ad, which recreates the iconic opening of the original show and rewrites its famously ambiguous final episode. In the original series, the opening credit sequence sees protagonist Tony Soprano driving his Chevy Suburban from Manhattan to New Jersey as the song “Woke Up This Morning” by Alabama 3 plays in the background.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorPret-ty, pret-ty, pret-ty….surprising.FTX, the cryptocurrency exchange, did its best to stand out in its first time advertising at the Super Bowl by tapping an actor who has never appeared in commercials before: Larry David.David, best known for his contrarian, curmudgeonly humor, took to the Super Bowl stage for FTX in a minute-long commercial that showed him turning down some of history’s best ideas, era by era. In various historical mini-dramas, David dismisses the wheel, the fork, the toilet, the electric light bulb, the Walkman and even the notion of American independence (because “even the stupid ones” will get a chance to influence major political decisions.)He isn’t much for cryptocurrency, either.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorLast year, Dolly Parton contributed a song for a Super Bowl commercial. This year, she’s raised her game, by appearing in two.The iconic singer and songwriter was planning to be at home Sunday night watching NBC’s broadcast of Super Bowl LVI with plenty of snacks, dips and wings on hand so she could see her performance in two short Big Game commercials from T-Mobile.“I have to watch it this year, ‘cause I’m in it,” Parton quipped during a phone interview earlier this week.Parton debuts alongside Miley Cyrus, making a rare joint appearance with the singer who also happens to be her goddaughter (see their past antics in episodes of Cyrus’ Disney Channel mainstay “Hannah Montana”) for T-Mobile, the telecommunications carrier.

Vanessa Bryant showed off her hometown pride in the latest Super Bowl commercial. During the spot, that premiered Sunday, ahead of the big game, the Los Angeles native, celebrated the city that her late husband, Kobe Bryant, called home and played for the Los Angeles Lakers for 20 years, until his retirement in 2016. In the commercial, Vanessa parks next to a mural of Kobe and their daughter, Gianna Bryant, who died in 2020, as clips roll from Kobe's historic time on the Lakers and Oscars win.

Jennifer Coolidge hilariously plays Lady Luck taking a much-needed vacation for Fan Duel’s hilarious Super Bowl LVI commercial. The gist is that Fan Duel is offering such incredible odds (56-1) for betting on either the Cincinnati Bengals or LA Rams to win Sunday’s big game that Lady Luck can finally relax and take some time off. And Jennifer/Lady Luck intends to do just that, as she is spotted at an airport on her way to Bora Bora. But while going through security, Jennifer runs into a bit of trouble as she is smuggling a leprechaun. “Oh, he’s only 3 ounces,” Jennifer pleads to the guard. As the commercial concludes with Jennifer making her way to the plane, a voiceover is heard saying, “The Super Bowl is your luckiest day ever!” Jennifer coyly adds, “Mine too, buddy boy.”

Greetings, lovers! John Legend, 43, has a seductive new offer just in time for Valentine’s Day, and it involves him sleeping beside you and whispering into your ear…platonically, of course! In a new Super Bowl commercial for mindfulness company Headspace, John invites fans to “sleep with him” just in time for Valentine’s day, by listening to the soothing Sleepcast he recorded for Headspace’s app.

Our favorite Catwoman is back! In a new commercial, Halle Berry teamed up with Caesars Sportsbook and Best Friends Animal Society to put some adorable kittens on display during the Super Bowl‘s other big game on Sunday: the Puppy Bowl.

Devotees of the hit TV show Community will be greeted with some familiar faces (and attitudes) in a new Super Bowl commercial starring Ken Jeong, 52, and Joel McHale, 50. The two actors, who starred on the NBC fan-favorite as unlikely classmates at a community college, bicker just like they’re back in class in the silly new ad, where Ken and Joel argue for different approaches to enjoying a snack of Planter’s Mixed Nuts.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorNBC will run dozens of commercials during the Super Bowl for potato chips, cryptocurrency, beer and electric cars. And it will also run dozens for itself and its parent company.By the time viewers finish watching the network’s broadcast of Super Bowl LVI, they are likely to hear a lot about the return of “Law & Order” and the arrival of new series like “Endgame,” “American Song Contest” and “The Thing About Pam.” There will also be room for talk about NBC comedies; shows on Peacock like “Bel Air”; and offerings from NBC News, and Universal Orlando Resort.There’s good reason to talk up as much as possible. NBC will spend part of Super Bowl Sunday showing part of the Winter Olympics and will air that before and after its coverage of the Big Game.

Super Bowl without some must-see, star-studded commercials! Every year, families gather around the television on Super Bowl Sunday to watch the fun and exciting TV spots — and also a football game.The nation's biggest companies shell out millions to craft hilarious, clever, touching and downright wild ads for the annual sporting event.