• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, February 7, 2025

Sneaker brands always love the Super Bowl, and this year, viewers can expect surprises. Elmo is making an appearance with tennis legend Roger Federer for On. And NFL coach Andy Reid steps into his first spot for Skechers, revealing his secret side hustle as a male hand model.

On’s ad is a regional buy scheduled to run in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Miami. Federer, a brand ambassador for On, the fast-growing Swiss company running rings around competitors like Nike and Adidas, sits next to “Sesame Street’s” Elmo. The adorable puppet carefully reads the brand’s logo on Federer’s shoes: Q and C.

Federer corrects him, but it could be that Elmo has a better command of the alphabet.

"As On continues to grow, we are always looking for new and inspiring ways to stand out,” says Alex Griffin, On's CMO, in the announcement. “This starts with our logo, which, while simple, is often amusingly misread as ‘QC’—something we’ve long wanted to clear up in a fun and memorable way.”

Flower Shop is the agency.

Griffin adds that the company is also working with Elmo on an upcoming campaign focusing on softness.

And speaking of softness, consider the exquisitely moisturized hands of Andy Reid, who coaches the Kansas City Chiefs, in his first ad for Skechers. The ad promotes Skechers Hands Free Slip-ins, with Reid saying they’re a perfect pair because of his secret side hustle as a male hand model.

This is Skechers' 12^th time advertising during the Super Bowl. The Los Angeles-based company has used the game to showcase some of its most memorable ads, including the first with Joe Montana in 2010, with other notables including Mr. T and Tony Romo, Snoop Dogg, Martha Stewart, Willie Nelson, Mark Cuban and Quiggly, the French bulldog.

There’s no word yet on what sneaker powerhouses Nike and Adidas may have up their sleeves. But both have been running ad spots highlighting stars likely to shine during Sunday’s play. Last year, Adidas used the game to launch “You Got This,” an ambitious campaign aimed at dialing down pressure for young athletes, starring Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

And Nike has been making plenty of football moves in the last month with “I Told You So,” part of the #WinningIsntForEveryone platform. The ad includes the now-iconic backward hurdle of Saquon Barkley, who will be on the field for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Nike also announced plenty of plans for the upcoming NBA All-Star Weekend, with a full slate of events, exhibitions and product drops across Nike, Jordan Brand and Converse.