What Makes Super Bowl LIX Ads Emotionally Impactful? AI Explores Brand Emotion Appeal in Pringles & Uber Eats

In Super Bowl LIX’s ad lineup, brands play with emotions to surprise, delight, and create moments that resonate long after the final whistle. We previously analyzed the Ray-Ban Meta Super Bowl 2025 Ad using our Emotion AI to explore its emotional impact. Building on this approach, we now turn to two standout Super Bowl LIX ads—Pringles and Uber Eats—to uncover how these brands leverage emotions to captivate audiences and create a lasting impression.

Big Game ads are like mini masterpieces, blending creative storytelling with strong brand emotional appeal. Emotional branding drives this process, as brands craft narratives that go beyond selling and forge lasting emotional connections with viewers.

Why do brands invest heavily in crafting Super Bowl ads with humor, nostalgia, and emotional appeal to make them memorable and emotionally impactful?

The answer lies in emotional branding—brands strategically tap into universal emotions to make their messaging feel personal and relatable. Video advertisements during this Big Game build anticipation and excitement, bringing families and friends together in a shared experience. 

​​The shared experience of watching Super Bowl ads ties into social bonding and collective emotion in psychology. 

Here are a few key concepts behind it:

Social Identity Theory – Proposed by Henri Tajfel, this theory suggests that people define themselves based on group membership. Watching the Super Bowl and its ads together reinforces a sense of belonging, strengthening social connections.

Emotional Contagion – This is the phenomenon where people pick up and mirror the emotions of those around them. Laughing at a funny ad or reacting to an emotional moment together intensifies the experience, making it more memorable.

Parasocial Interaction – Even though viewers don’t directly interact with advertisers or celebrities in commercials, they develop a sense of connection with the brands and personalities featured, enhancing engagement.

Tradition & Nostalgia – Repeating shared experiences, like watching Super Bowl ads every year, creates a sense of continuity and nostalgia. These traditions become emotionally significant, reinforcing the excitement and emotional investment in the event.

Let us go through the psychological breakdown of Super Bowl Ads 2025 (Pringles and Uber Eats) using our Emotion AI. 

Our psychology expert analyzed the video ads, interpreting the emotional data provided by our Emotion AI. Our expert unpacks how humor, emotional contrast, and psychological principles work together to make the Pringles and  Uber Eats Super Bowl ads so effective by examining the ad’s emotional cues (both explicit and subtle).

First, let’s explore the Pringles Super Bowl LIX ad and how it uses humor and emotional contrast.

Experience the Emotion AI analysis of the Pringles Super Bowl LIX Ad

Pringles Ad Emotion Analysis

Deadpan Humor: The Power of Emotional Contrast

At the core of the Pringles ad’s comedic tone is the speaker’s neutral facial expression, which plays a crucial role in deadpan humor. 

This psychological technique works by presenting an emotionally charged scenario with an unreactive delivery, creating an ironic mismatch.

The human brain naturally seeks congruence between verbal and nonverbal cues. When those cues conflict—such as an expressionless face discussing an exaggerated crisis—it creates cognitive dissonance, which the brain resolves through laughter. 

This subtle tension forces the viewer to pay closer attention, enhancing engagement and making the humor more effective.

Benign Violation Theory: Making Small Problems Funny

The speaker’s disgusted audio tone magnifies what is, in reality, a minor inconvenience—running out of Pringles—by presenting it as if it were a disaster. 

This taps into the benign violation theory, where something is perceived as both slightly threatening (the ‘crisis’) and fundamentally harmless, making it funny.

_{If you're interested in reading further, check the 'Theory in Context' section at the end of the blog to understand how Benign Violation Theory applies in this context.}

To escalate the humor, the ad introduces an absurd suggestion: blowing into the empty can to trick oneself into thinking there are more chips. This dramatic overreaction mirrors real-life moments of frustration over small annoyances, making it both exaggerated and deeply relatable. The humor here is rooted in psychological projection—viewers see their overreactions in the character’s response, making it even funnier.

Contrast Theory: The Emotional Flip That Leaves an Impact

The ad’s final twist—text on screen expressing gratitude and approval despite the speaker’s annoyed tone—leverages contrast theory, where an unexpected shift in emotion intensifies the overall impact.

At first, the speaker’s frustration dominates. But then, the ad reframes the problem: running out of Pringles isn’t just a disappointment, it’s proof of enjoyment. This subtle reappraisal taps into positive psychology’s emphasis on savoring experiences—turning dissatisfaction into a moment of reflection on life’s fleeting pleasures. The shift from negativity to gratitude softens the humor and leaves the audience with a sense of warmth.

A Playful Commentary on Consumer Behavior

Beyond humor, this ad reflects on modern consumer tendencies and how companies use brand emotion appeal to turn everyday frustrations into engaging storytelling that resonates with audiences. By framing a simple snack shortage as an existential dilemma, Pringles taps into everyday emotional exaggeration in a way that is both satirical and self-aware.

This approach strengthens the brand’s emotional connection with the audience, presenting Pringles as a brand that not only understands humor but also human nature. The result is a Super Bowl ad that entertains while subtly resonating with viewers’ own experiences.

Now, let’s move on to our second video ad emotion analysis—Uber Eats—and examine how it engages viewers through its unique emotional and psychological approach.

Uber Eats Ad: Emotional Breakdown Across Modalities

Explore the emotional impact of the Uber Eats Super Bowl LIX Ad with our Emotion AI and engage with its rich analytical features. 

Facial Emotion Analysis

The analysis of facial expressions reveals how the ad’s humor leans into subtle satire rather than overt comedy.

• Neutral (52.32%) – The dominant neutral expression suggests that the humor is cognitive rather than purely expressive, aligning with the satirical tone of the ad’s conspiracy theme. In comedic advertising, a neutral response often indicates engagement with humor that requires thought, rather than immediate laughter.

• Sadness (14.42%) – This might stem from the absurdity of the conspiracy theory, reflecting how humor often plays on frustration—such as feeling deceived or manipulated, even in a playful context.

• Happiness (12.31%) – This signals that while the humor is dry, it still generates a positive emotional undercurrent, keeping the audience entertained.

• Disgust (7.3%) – Likely linked to the exaggerated way the ad portrays food (bacon) as part of consumer manipulation, creating a mild sense of comedic repulsion.

• Anger (7.03%) – This emotion could be triggered by the ad’s play on corporate manipulation, a psychological theme often used in satire to provoke mild frustration.

• Fear (2.8%) & Surprise (2.42%) – These emotions may stem from the unexpected and exaggerated conspiracy claim, which humorously suggests football was designed purely to sell food.

• Contempt (1.4%) – This could reflect mockery or skepticism towards how advertising influences consumer desires, aligning with the ad’s satirical tone.

Audio Emotion Analysis

The vocal delivery in the ad further reinforces its mock-serious conspiracy tone, engaging the audience through exaggeration and urgency.

• Anger (30.83%) – The high presence of anger aligns with the narrator’s passionate delivery, which mimics the intensity of real conspiracy theorists. This is a common rhetorical technique that heightens engagement by making the argument feel urgent.

• Neutral (27.04%) – Mirrors the facial analysis, maintaining the tongue-in-cheek, deadpan delivery that enhances the ad’s satirical style.

• Surprise (16.27%) – Reflects how the ad connects unrelated elements (football and bacon) in a way that catches the audience off guard, keeping them intrigued.

• Disgust (12.57%) – Reinforces the satirical undertone, possibly linked to the absurdity of claiming football’s entire existence revolves around selling food.

• Happiness (12.12%) – Helps balance out the critique of corporate marketing, making the humor lighthearted rather than cynical.

Text Emotion Analysis

The text-based emotional cues reveal how the ad shapes audience perception through language, enhancing both cravings and skepticism.

• Love (27.93%) – Represents the affectionate connection to bacon, which is central to the ad’s humor. By emphasizing a love for food, the ad subtly encourages cravings.

• Curiosity (18.90%) – This shows that the ad successfully engages viewers through its conspiracy theory narrative, a psychological tactic that draws people in by challenging their assumptions.

• Disapproval (16.79%) – Reflects the critical tone towards corporate marketing, reinforcing the satirical approach.

Psychological Interpretation of the Uber Eats Ad

Conspiracy Theory Appeal: Why It Works

People are naturally drawn to conspiracy narratives because they challenge conventional wisdom. This ad cleverly exploits that psychological trigger to make its story more compelling. By framing football as a commercial scheme, the ad invites viewers to play along with the absurdity, making it memorable and engaging.

Cognitive Dissonance: Humor in Contradiction

The humorous claim that football was invented to sell food forces viewers to confront the gap between their love for the sport and the hidden commercial interests behind it. This taps into cognitive dissonance—a psychological state where conflicting beliefs create tension. The humor relieves that tension, making the audience more receptive to the message.

Craving Priming: The Power of Repetition

By repeatedly associating bacon with football, the ad primes desire conditioning, making viewers subconsciously link the two together. This technique reinforces the call to action (ordering from Uber Eats) by making food cravings feel natural rather than forced.

Playful Distrust in Marketing: The Meta-Advertising Strategy

Instead of hiding its manipulative marketing tactics, the ad acknowledges them outright, making the audience feel in on the joke. This meta-advertising approach builds trust through irony, making viewers feel intelligent rather than defensive. By mocking corporate persuasion tactics, Uber Eats successfully persuades without making it feel overt.

The Uber Eat Ad’s Emotional Journey: From Skepticism to Craving

The ad’s emotional flow follows a strategic arc, guiding the viewer from curiosity to desire:

• Curiosity & Surprise – The conspiracy theory premise immediately grabs attention by challenging expectations.

• Cognitive Dissonance & Disgust – The absurd football-bacon connection creates a humorous mental conflict, keeping viewers engaged.

• Skepticism & Playful Disapproval – The ad criticizes marketing manipulation, making the audience humorously question corporate influence.

• Love & Indulgent Desire – The undeniable affection for bacon kicks in, overpowering skepticism and leading to craving activation.

• Call to Action Feels Justified – By the end, viewers aren’t just laughing—they’re subtly primed to satisfy their cravings through Uber Eats.

The Uber Eats Super Bowl ad blends satire, humor, and psychology to shape audience perception and behavior. The multimodal emotional data suggests that while the humor is dry and self-aware, it effectively activates curiosity, skepticism, and cravings without making the marketing manipulation feel forced.

Key Takeaways from Both Ads (Pringles & Uber Eats)

• Both Pringles and Uber Eats leverage emotional branding to create ads that feel more like experiences than promotions. 
• Both ads use humor as a tool to enhance emotional engagement.
• Pringles relies on deadpan humor and emotional contrast, while Uber Eats leverages satire and cognitive dissonance.
• Both ads play with consumer psychology—Pringles exaggerates small frustrations, while Uber Eats critiques advertising itself.
• By balancing humor with emotional manipulation, both brands create ads that feel entertaining rather than intrusive.

These analyses reveal how brands strategically use emotions to shape audience reactions. With multimodal emotion recognition, our Emotion AI deciphers emotional cues from facial expressions, audio tone, and text—offering a deeper understanding of engagement, ad effectiveness, and emotional resonance. This technology empowers brands to craft emotionally compelling content with data-driven precision. 

Want to build loyalty like Patagonia?.  Dive into the power of Emotion AI and revolutionize your brand strategy!