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Honestly, the Super Bowl is barely about football anymore. It’s a cultural monster, a multi-billion dollar stage where brands pay millions for 30 seconds of your attention. And if there is one person who has basically mastered this stage without ever needing to put on a helmet, it’s Serena Williams.
You’ve probably seen her. Maybe she was walking through a tunnel in a gold varsity jacket for Rémy Martin, or perhaps she was staring down Brian Cox on a golf course while channeling her inner Caddyshack. Serena Williams at Super Bowl events has become as much of a tradition as overpriced nachos and questionable halftime show lip-syncing. But it’s not just about the fame. It’s about how she transitioned from being the GOAT of tennis to being the GOAT of "The Big Game" marketing.
The strategy is fascinating. Most athletes disappear after retirement. Serena? She just got louder.
The Kendrick Lamar Cameo: What Actually Happened in 2025
Let’s talk about the most recent shocker. Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. The energy was already through the roof because Kendrick Lamar was headlining. But when Serena Williams walked onto that stage, the internet basically broke.
She wasn't there to give a speech. She was there to dance.
During Kendrick’s performance of "Not Like Us"—you know, the track that essentially ended the 2024 rap wars—Serena appeared in a blue tennis skirt set. She did the Crip Walk. She looked like she was having the time of her life.
Naturally, the "petty" rumors started immediately. People pointed out that Serena and Drake were linked way back in 2011. They assumed her dancing to a Drake diss track was a targeted jab. Serena, being Serena, cleared the air a few months later. She told TIME in April 2025 that she has "never had negative feelings" toward Drake.
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"Who would have thought that a tennis player from Compton would be regarded as one of the best tennis players of all time? It was just putting an exclamation on it."
Basically, it was a Compton thing, not a "shade" thing. Both she and Kendrick share those roots. It was a celebration of where they came from. Still, the visual of a 23-time Grand Slam champion hitting those moves on the world’s biggest stage is a core memory now.
Why Michelob Ultra Can’t Get Enough of Her
If you look back over the last few years, Serena has basically become the face of Michelob Ultra. It’s a smart pairing. The brand pushes this "Joy is the whole game" narrative, and who better to sell that than someone who spent decades being the most intense competitor on the planet?
The Caddyshack Parody (2023)
This one was a vibe. Serena played a version of Ty Webb from the movie Caddyshack. She was at "Bushwood Country Club," wearing purple plaid, taking on Brian Cox (the terrifying Logan Roy from Succession). It was a star-studded mess in the best way. You had Tony Romo, Alex Morgan, and Canelo Álvarez all hanging out in the background.
What’s cool is that Serena admitted she isn't actually a golfer. She spent the whole shoot worried about her facial expressions and making her swing look halfway decent.
The "Superior Bowl" (2022)
A year earlier, she was in a bowling alley. This ad was directed by Rachel Morrison and featured Steve Buscemi behind the counter. Serena walks in, the room goes silent, and she just dominates.
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She’s spoken about this before—being in a Super Bowl commercial was a "vision board" item for her. As an athlete, you haven't really "made it" in the eyes of the general public until you're the star of a 60-second spot during the second quarter.
Breaking Down the "Serena Effect" on Ad Revenue
Brands don't hire her just because she's famous. They hire her because she actually moves the needle. When Serena Williams appears in an ad, the "Likeability Score" and "Attention Index" (metrics companies like iSpot.tv use) usually skyrocket.
For example, her 2022 Michelob Ultra spot had an Attention Index of 177. That means people were 77% more likely to keep watching that ad than the average commercial. In a world where everyone uses the bathroom during the breaks, that’s huge.
Beyond the Screen: The Presence in the Suites
It's not just the commercials. Serena Williams at Super Bowl games usually involves a lot of "suite-hopping." In 2025, she was spotted at the Caesars Superdome with her husband, Alexis Ohanian, and their daughter Olympia.
There was actually a funny moment involving Taylor Swift. Serena mentioned later that they considered taking Olympia over to Swift’s suite for an autograph, but Serena decided against it. Why? Because the Chiefs were losing at the time.
Serena knows better than anyone: don't bother an athlete (or an athlete's girlfriend) when they're down on the scoreboard. That’s the kind of nuanced perspective you only get from someone who has been in the trenches of pro sports.
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What Most People Miss About Her Super Bowl Strategy
A lot of folks think these appearances are just easy paychecks. They aren't. Serena is very selective about what she’s representing.
- Gender Equality: She specifically praised Michelob Ultra for their $100 million commitment to women’s sports.
- Representation: She pushes for ads that have an equal number of male and female athletes.
- Brand Alignment: You’ll notice she rarely does ads that feel "stiff." She’s either laughing, dancing, or playing a version of herself that feels human.
She is building a business empire. Every Super Bowl appearance is a brick in that wall. By the time 2026 rolls around, she’s likely to be involved in even more "shoppable" TV segments where you can buy the products she’s holding directly through apps like Instacart.
What to Watch for Next
If you’re tracking her moves, pay attention to the partnerships. She’s moving away from just being a "face" and moving toward being a "partner."
- Investment Ties: Look for Serena to appear in ads for companies her venture capital firm, Serena Ventures, has invested in.
- Interactive Ads: With the rise of AR and "shoppable" media, don't be surprised if her next Super Bowl spot allows you to buy her outfit with a QR code on the screen.
- The "Post-Retirement" Pivot: She’s proving that you don't need to be active in your sport to be the most relevant person in the room.
The reality is that Serena Williams has cracked the code. She’s turned a one-day football game into a recurring masterclass in personal branding. Whether she's crip-walking with Kendrick or golfing with Logan Roy, she’s the one we’re all talking about on Monday morning.
If you want to understand how she does it, start by looking at her venture capital portfolio. It'll give you a much better idea of which commercial she’ll be starring in next year than any sports pundit could.