Anheuser Busch and the Super Bowl go together like chips and guac. As the largest advertiser for Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026, their plan to feature Michelob ULTRA, Budweiser, and Bud Light ensures a massive peak in national awareness. However, for category leaders, a single 30 second spot is no longer the finish line. It is the starting gun.
The question every CMO in the beverage and CPG space must ask is: How do we convert a one day surge into a year long cultural presence?
Surrounding the Moment: The New Consumer Journey
The traditional marketing funnel has collapsed. We now operate in an infinite consumer journey where 60% of searches end without a single click, according to reports from Bain & Company. Today’s shoppers enter the brand ecosystem at any point. They might be triggered by a halftime show trend or a creator’s tailgate recipe and move directly to conversion.
Sophisticated brands win by surrounding the moment. This means treating cultural events like the Super Bowl as amplification zones that begin weeks before kickoff and sustain momentum long after the final whistle. To bridge the gap between digital discovery and real world transactions, CPG brands are shifting budgets toward creators who move at the speed of culture.
The Tiered Influence Framework
To embed a brand within daily life, advertisers must activate across the entire spectrum of influence:
- Celebrity and Mega Influencers (Inspiration): Beyond a commercial cameo, they provide cultural authority. When a celebrity brings a brand into their authentic social environment, it creates a halo effect that keeps the product aspirational.
- Mid Tier Influencers (Curiosity and Trial): These creators are the bridge to specific communities. They turn attention into intent through authentic use cases, helping consumers understand how a product fits their specific lifestyle.
- Micro and Nano Influencers (Loyalty and Advocacy): This is where the path to purchase is finalized. In an era where 81% of commerce still happens offline, these creators provide the peer to peer reassurance that drives foot traffic.
The Framework in Action: From “Hoaxes” to “Hustle”
We can see this tiered approach in the history of Big Game activations. In 2024, CeraVe utilized Mid Tier influencers to seed a weeks-long conspiracy that Michael Cera created the brand. By the time the TV spot aired, they had already earned 9 billion organic impressions.
Similarly, Anheuser Busch has mastered the 360 degree ecosystem. Michelob ULTRA does not just buy a commercial. They partner with lifestyle and fitness creators to show the product in a real world, post workout context. By linking these creator moments to delivery platforms like DoorDash, they effectively Connect Culture to Cart in real time.
Driving Measurable Growth in 2026
In a commoditized market, brand loyalty is no longer guaranteed. Brands must transition from generic promotions to invaluable relationships. While building awareness remains a top goal, driving online sales is now a top priority for 32% of brands leveraging the creator economy, according to the IAB. Notably, CPG brands are leading this charge, with ad spend in the sector estimated at $5.5B last year.
By leveraging a tiered creator strategy, brands achieve personalization at scale. Using creators to build an always-on content engine ensures your brand is not just seen during commercial breaks but remains a trusted participant in the communities where your customers shop.
As brands look toward the future of the creator economy, the integration of human storytelling and data driven commerce has never been more vital.
“The Super Bowl is no longer a sixty minute game; it is a sixty day conversation,” says Frank Carvalho, EVP of Sales and Marketing at IZEA. “In 2026, the brands that win will not just be the ones with the biggest TV spend, but the ones that successfully bridge the gap between cultural relevance and the checkout counter. At IZEA, we are focused on helping our partners navigate this Culture to Cart journey by leveraging creators who do not just reach audiences. They move them to action.”
Let’s Build Your 2026 Strategy
Is influencer marketing a strategic pillar of your 2026 growth plan, or just a line item? With 48% of ad spenders now considering creators a must buy channel, the opportunity to own the cultural conversation has never been greater.
Reach out to our team today to discuss how we can help you own the conversation throughout the year.
John Francis is the VP, Sales & Marketing Operations at IZEA, where he champions the alignment of sales and marketing to accelerate innovation and fuel strategic growth within the Creator Economy.