In late 2019, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) ruled that Canadian broadcasts of the Super Bowl are prohibited from featuring American ads.
This meant that during last year’s Super Bowl LIV, Canadians were only able to watch Canadian ads on Bell’s networks, the exclusive broadcasters of the big game in Canada.
What this also means is that Canadians tuning in to this year’s Super Bowl LV will once again only be able to watch Canadian ads, rather than their buzzworthy American counterparts.
Therefore, keep this in mind if you’re interested in watching the game on Sunday, February 7th. If you want to see some of the U.S. ads — which include Michael B. Jordan using Amazon Alexa and Toronto’s own Mike Myers in a Wayne’s World reunion for Uber Eats — you’ll just need to find them online after they air during the broadcast.
It’s also important to note that the Super Bowl ads this year will be a little different than usual due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, there reportedly won’t be many film trailers due to release dates constantly shifting — a stark contrast to the Fast 9, Black Widow and No Time to Die spots that ran during Super Bowl LIV.
Instead, some companies are said to be gearing up to promote their streaming content. Disney, in particular, is expected to show new footage from upcoming Marvel Disney+ shows like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (premiering March 19th) and Loki (TBA May). Amazon is preparing to showcase Coming 2 America. However, Netflix and Apple TV+ are reportedly not running any ads.
Outside of all this, Canadians can expect ads for general products, particularly food and drink items. So far, we know that carbonated water brand Bubly will have a new Canadian-focused ad starring Burnaby, B.C.’s own Michael Bublé.
Beyond the ads, Toronto’s own The Weeknd will also perform during the Super Bowl halftime show.
For more on Super Bowl LV, check out all of the ways Canadians can tune in here.
Image credit: NFL
