Kendrick Lamar Performs During Super Bowl Halftime Credit: A. Clary T. (2025). Kendrick Lamar Halftime [Photo]. AFP via Getty Images.

The Super Bowl is not solely football’s stage but a platform for marketing and messages. The game simultaneously brought a surprise Kansas City Chiefs defeat while bringing an unusual mix of politics and nostalgia compared to years past. 

Some figures and commercials throughout the broadcast used their time for powerful and symbolic messages. 

The topic of female power and rights was a theme throughout multiple notable commercials. Nike featured athletes such as gymnast Jordan Chiles and basketball player Caitlin Clark as they celebrated women’s sports and the act of defying expectations placed on females. Dove, a renowned body care brand used their screen time to speak on the harmfulness of body shaming directed towards young girls specifically. 

Then, the moment of the night that represented the most notable use of a platform for speech was Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance. First, actor Samuel L. Jackson was a surprise guest dressed as one of the most integral characters in American history, Uncle Sam. Throughout the performance, he interjected with commentary on American society’s treatment of Black culture. 

In Lamar’s very first song, he shouted to the crowd, “The Revolution about to be televised. You picked the right time but the wrong guy.” This refers to a line from Gil Scott-Heron’s 1971 song“The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.” Heron was known as a Civil Rights activist and figure of Black protest culture. Many have intercepted Lamar’s statement as a direct call to the current state of America. This is notable as President Donald Trump was in attendance at the game. 

Lamar has a history of using music as social commentary. In fact, this trait and passion led him to make history as the first non-classical or jazz artist to receive the Pulitzer Prize. 

Lamar’s performance and the mentioned commercials were one of few to use the broadcast as a platform. A majority of the Super Bowl moments (outside of the football) included comforting, nostalgia-filled advertisements. 

Hellman’s did a play on the beloved 80s romantic comedy, When Harry Met Sally with the inclusion of its original stars Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan with the surprise addition of up and coming actress Sydney Sweeney. When Harry Met Sally is considered timeless amongst viewers young and old. 

Instacart’s ad featured the team up of random but iconic brand mascots from Koolaid, Mr. Clean, and others. 

A majority of the 2025 Super Bowl ads evoked similar feelings to that of Hellaman’s and Instacart’s. One might wonder if this has to do with the dangers of risk-aversion advertising, especially since many of these advertisements would have been planned during the uncertain 2024 election season. 

At the end of the day, depending on the year, the Super Bowl is seen as a reflection of American popular culture and politics. In this time of uncertainty, both politically and socially, the 2025 Super Bowl witnessed a call for political awareness from its halftime show more than a majority of the advertisements who played their cards safe, whether it was for better or worse.