With 2.71 million online mentions during Super Bowl LIX, brands weren’t just competing for TV eyeballs; they were fighting for social supremacy.

But the biggest wins didn’t come from $7 million ad spots alone. The brands that truly stole the show engineered social-first moments—blending influencers with pop culture, humor, and interactive content to extend their reach far beyond game day.

From Instacart’s nostalgia-fueled mascot mayhem to e.l.f. Beauty’s ad-free takeover, we’re breaking down the brands that turned second-screen scrolling into lasting brand impact. Let’s dive into the viral plays, meme-worthy moments, and campaign strategies that made this year’s Super Bowl one for the social media history books.

Super Bowl’s Biggest Social Media Moments

The Super Bowl LIX was a goldmine for social media engagement: 2.71 million online mentions erupted during the game. Even the halftime show fueled the fire: Kendrick Lamar’s performance peaked at 33,000 mentions per minute, outperforming the game itself in social chatter.

At $7–8 million per 30-second ad spot and up to $12 million for premium placements, brands gambled big on game-day visibility. Yet the highest ROI didn’t come from the ads themselves—it came from campaigns engineered to spark social media wildfire.

Instacart’s nostalgic mascot campaign became a standout example of how to dominate both TV and second screens. The ad featured iconic brand mascots like the Pillsbury Doughboy, Mr. Clean, and the Kool-Aid Man racing through the streets to deliver groceries. This clever nod to Gen X nostalgia not only captured attention during the game but also ignited a wave of social media buzz. Fans shared memes and GIFs of the mascots, with the hashtag #MascotMadness trending on X within minutes of the ad airing.

But not all brands played the TV game. e.l.f. Beauty skipped the $7 million ad tax entirely, investing instead in The e.l.f. Time Show—a live, interactive stream across YouTube, TikTok, Twitch, and Instagram.

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Social-First Brands and Campaigns That Stole the Show 

The brands that won didn’t just buy airtime—they engineered social ecosystems. For example, Uber Eats paired their TV ad with a TikTok micro-influencer blitz, targeting users searching for food mid-game. 

Let’s break down the campaigns that turned second-screen scrolling into long-term brand loyalty.

1. The Halftime Show Hijack

Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us” became the night’s most viral moment, sparking 80 million social engagements and 183,000 posts by 11 p.m. Brands seized the drama:

  • Apple Music (Halftime Show sponsor) doubled down on the hype with a lyric-driven post: “They not like us” (271K+ likes).
  • United Airlines meme-ified Lamar’s camera spin with “My bag watching me follow it around the carousel” (6M views, 54K likes).
  • Heinz capitalized on producer Mustard’s cameo, teasing a limited-edition “Mustaaaarrrd” flavor collab during Lamar’s performance.

Takeaway:  Rapid response social media teams connect the cultural lightning rods in real time—audiences reward brands that ride the wave.

2. The Comedy Playbook

Humor ruled social feeds, with brands weaponizing wit to cut through the noise:

  • Duolingo trolled Drake with “Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A minor” (a lyric diss), declaring allegiance to #TeamKendrick.
  • Totino’s eulogized its alien mascot Chazmo (crushed in its ad) with a TikTok alternate cut showing his eyeball popping out—dark humor done right.
  • Crocs trolled Travis Kelce’s loss with “No ring? We’ve got holes for that” (58K retweets).

Takeaway: Self-aware, meme-ready content earns shares—and earned media.

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3. Brand Banter & Clapbacks

Competitors turned rivals into collaborators:

  • Pringles × Little Caesars bonded over flying facial hair (mustaches in Pringles’ ad, bushy brows in Little Caesars’) with a Collab Instagram post: “Great minds groom alike.”
  • Coors Light × Peloton teamed up post-game, riffing on Coors’ sloth-filled spin class ad with workout challenges
  • Tostitos × Avocados From Mexico teamed up with a social post featuring a chip and guac: “It’s not a party without BOTH of us.”

Takeaway: Playful partnerships and rivalry humanizes brands and amplifies reach.

4. The Anti-Advertisers

Brands that skipped the $7M ad spot won with grassroots creativity:

  • Skittles called its X post “Our Big Game ad”—a cheeky nod to frugality.
  • Ulta Beauty mocked the NFL’s clear bag policy: “Beauty girlies bringing their 10-step routine to the game” (featuring mini serums and lip glosses).
  • AriZona Iced Tea roasted ad budgets: “I’m not gonna waste millions on a commercial” (245K+ likes).

Takeaway: Authenticity > budget. Lean into your brand’s personality, not just your wallet.

5. The Legacy Moves

Some brands played the long game:

  • Nike celebrated female athletes post-ad with “Icons don’t need intros” posts, turning a 90-second spot into a month-long empowerment campaign.
  • Dunkin’ turned comedian Druski’s fake Ben Affleck impression into a “Coulda Been Records” meme series, blending UGC with paid content.

Takeaway: Use the Super Bowl as a launchpad, not a finale.

@dunkin

coulda been a DunKing

♬ original sound – Dunkin’

A Super Bowl ad is just the kickoff—the real winners are social-first brands keeping the momentum going. From second-screen engagement to year-round storytelling, discover how brands leverage the power of creators to turn fleeting moments into lasting impact: Super Bowl Marketing Isn’t Just About the Ad—It’s About What Comes Next.

Dominate Game Day—and Every Day After with Viral Nation

The best event campaigns aren’t just watched—they’re played, shared, and remembered. The Super Bowl isn’t won in a single play—it’s about strategy, precision, and turning moments into social movements. 

Just like the brands that leveraged multi-screen audiences, influencer blitzes, and cultural conversations to own the 2025 game, Viral Nation’s social media marketing services can turn your next big event into a year-round victory lap.

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