For its third consecutive Super Bowl ad, Nerds candy is once again pairing a celebrity with a CGI animation of its candy come to life. But while the previous two spots featured musical performers — Gen Z/millennial favorites Addison Rae in 2024 and Shaboozey in 2025 — this year the brand has selected TV and radio personality Andy Cohen as the human star.

Although the producer of Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise and host of “Watch What Happens Live” is a Gen Xer with significant appeal among adults 35-64, hiring him is not necessarily a play for an older audience, according to Jenny Brownson, Global Marketing Director at Nerds Candy. He was selected in large part because “not only is he a lifelong Nerds fan, but as a talk-show host he connects with others.”

Thanks to his genuine love of Nerds, Cohen was also happy to work with the brand beyond the 30-second ad and the teaser spot. “We have lots of collaboration with Cohen … It’s blowing up bigger” than with past partnerships, Brownson says.

Beyond the Super Bowl commercial, the campaign includes retail displays, paid media and especially social media. “We know social channels and influencers work really well for us, so we’re continuing to lean into it,” Brownson says. The commercial will also continue to air after its Super Bowl debut.

New Product, New Customers

This year is the first time Nerds is using the Super Bowl to introduce a new product: Juicy Gummy Clusters, an extension of star product Gummy Clusters. Sales of Gummy Clusters exceeded $500 in 2024, according to the Wall Street Journal, and are believed to account for nearly 90% of Nerds’ overall revenue. The new product debuted at select retailers several months prior, but this is the big launch, according to Brownson.

Featuring covers of 1983’s Irene Cara hit “Flashdance… What a Feeling” and the Louis Armstrong classic “What a Wonderful World,” the previous two Super Bowl ads tapped into the “newstalgia” trend favored by millennials and Gen Z. This year’s creative, however, plays up Cohen’s gossipy, celeb-loving persona, with the host helping the jumbo CGI Gummy Clusters mascot get decked out to hit the red carpet. Titled “Taste Buds” — since the mascot and Cohen are positioned as besties — the ad is louder and flashier than previous spots, in keeping with the sense of excitement Nerds hopes to generate.

Beyond encouraging viewers to try the new product, Nerds is seeking to drive household penetration, brand awareness and relevance with the campaign, while the previous two Super Bowl ads were more about reaching new customers, Brownson says.