Ben Stiller And Steve Martin Are Gracing A Super Bowl 2023 Pepsi Ad With Their Comedic Presence

Super Bowl LVII is quickly approaching, and fans couldn't be more excited to see this massive sports event. According to CBS Sports, the Philadelphia Eagles will face off against the Kansas City Chiefs in Arizona's State Farm Stadium on February 12. Along with the fans lucky enough to take in the spectacle in person, many more will be glued to their TVs to see which team emerges victorious. Nielsen reports that over 99 million people watched Super Bowl LVI in 2022, with 72% of homes tuning into the big game.

In addition to the action on the field, many Super Bowl viewers are also highly invested in the commercials that appear between plays. Looking back to 2022, Variety reports that Fox, the station that aired the event, sold out most of its ads months before the game even aired. Additionally, the ad revenue for the last Super Bowl amounted to approximately $434.5 million. Because so many viewers are watching the game, ad placement can mean that millions of people all over the country are simultaneously exposed to a brand. Super Bowl ads are also a great way to advertise updated products, which is precisely why Pepsi enlisted two heavy hitters of comedy to herald its latest release.

As a legendary soda company, Pepsi is always looking for ways to enhance its sweet offerings. According to CNN Business, the soda manufacturer recently revamped its recipe for Pepsi Zero Sugar, which resulted in a lower caffeine beverage that provides a delectable "real cola taste." While fans of the beverage have been singing its praises since its release, Pepsi is pulling out all the stops to ensure the new launch is a resounding success.

Along for the ride are Ben Stiller and Steve Martin, each of whom will star in their very own Super Bowl commercials for Pepsi Zero Sugar, per EOnline. While fans must wait until the big game to see the commercials for themselves, Pepsi has already released two different teasers in anticipation of the ads. The comedic icons trade humorous barbs in both teasers. In the first teaser, Martin introduces himself as "better actor Steve Martin," which humorously earns him Stiller's ire. In the second teaser, Martin refers to Stiller as a "nepo baby" in reference to Stiller's parents (the legendary comedy team of Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara). 

Pepsi also released the teasers on its Twitter page, which resulted in comments from fans like "iconic" and "3 of my favorites." It's likely that the soda company hopes its new commercial enters the pantheon of memorable advertising spots from Super Bowls. Before the big game, let's take a trip down memory lane to see where the new ad's biggest competition lies.

According to Parade, the history of iconic Super Bowl ads stems all the way back to 1977. That was the year a Xerox ad featuring monks made a major splash during the game, with some considering the advertisement to be the world's "first viral ad." It also kicked off America's obsession with Super Bowl commercials, which was further inflamed by the "Mean" Joe Greene advertisement (commonly known as "Hey Kid, Catch!") launched by Coca-Cola in 1979.

In the decades since the tradition began, the Super Bowl has featured a plethora of legendary ads. 1984 saw the premiere of an Apple ad directed by Ridley Scott (who also helmed the '80s sci-fi masterpiece "Blade Runner"). Unsurprisingly, Super Bowl commercials have become known for featuring big-name celebrities and athletes, including Cindy Crawford, Michael Jordan, David Letterman, Bryan Cranston, and even that incomparable paragon of grace and beauty, Miss Piggy. Brands like Old Spice and Budweiser are also known for their irreverent, tongue-in-cheek spots, while others, like a 2019 Microsoft ad featuring differently-abled kids, tug at the heartstrings. 

There's no telling what the future holds for this year's event, but it's safe to say that most of America will be hanging around during commercial breaks.