Listen: Super Bowl LV ads play to a resilient American consumer

To air a 30-second commercial spot during Sunday night's Super Bowl LV costs a minimum $5.5 million in what is the world’s most expensive sales pitch. Although the advertising spend remains eye-watering, this year's crop will look a bit different amid the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Brands in the US have 'leaked' their Super Bowl commercials ahead of time even as some of the biggest legacy brands such as Budweiser and Coca-cola sit this year out. Newcomers such as the Robinhood stock trading app and website maker Squarespace are getting in on the game. So what does the most-watched sporting event reveal about the state of American consumerism and advertising? Co-hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner discuss.

In this episode: What is the Super Bowl? (0m 38s) What changed this year? (2m 56s) Featured commercials (4m 05s) The Weeknd's contribution (10m 54s)

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

PSA DUBAI WORLD SERIES FINALS LINE-UP

Men’s:
Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY)
Ali Farag (EGY)
Simon Rosner (GER)
Tarek Momen (EGY)
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
Nick Matthew (ENG)

Women's:
Nour El Sherbini (EGY)
Raneem El Welily (EGY)
Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
Laura Massaro (ENG)
Joelle King (NZE)
Camille Serme (FRA)
Nouran Gohar (EGY)
Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)

The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young