The history of the 1985 Chicago Bears Super Bowl Shuffle
The 1985 Chicago Bears released the Super Bowl Shuffle, which reached number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 and raised $300,000 for charity. This era of player media predates modern celebrity-driven Super Bowl ads and Travis Kelce's Kelce Jam festival.
The Chicago Bears recorded "The Super Bowl Shuffle" on December 3, 1985, seven weeks before they won Super Bowl XX. This single reached number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100. The music video earned a platinum certification from the RIAA on VHS and Betamax. The group faced stiff competition from Cameo and Run-D.M.C., including the eventual winner Prince with his hit song "Kiss." The team released the track on Chicago based Red Label Records and distributed it through Capitol Records. Through the project, the team raised $300,000 for the Chicago Community Trust. While players like Walter Payton and Jim McMahon performed, Leslie Frazier struggled with the dance steps. I find the decision to record a victory song before the team even reached the playoffs to be bold. The recording took place the day after the 38-24 loss to the Dolphins on Monday Night Football. Jovan CEO Dick Meyer conceived the music video idea, and his spouse wore a referee uniform in the video to blow the whistle. The project helped unite Chicago during the team’s championship run. Mike Singletary believes the project led to deep bonding among teammates. William Perry and other players delivered verses that matched their personalities. The team was 12-0 before the recording.
The Commercial Shift
Modern marketing companies select athletes by analyzing Instagram following and the percentage of authentic followers. In the 2026 Super Bowl, 92 celebrities appeared in in-game ads, which accounts for 70% of all advertisements. Celebrity talent payments reached 253 million dollars. The expected audience for the 2026 Super Bowl is 127.7 million viewers. This total makes it the most watched event in the United States. Svedka used AI-generated images for their "Shake Your Bots Off" advertisement. The advertisement featured a robot character named Fembot and her companion Brobot. Because brands like Uber Eats and TurboTax use well-known personalities, they make content feel culturally relevant. You should note that Budweiser and Rocket Mortgage used conversation-driven platforms like X and Facebook. Kenan Thompson starred in a State Farm ad titled "Stop Livin’ on a Prayer." Pringles used a campaign starring Sabrina Carpenter. Michelob ULTRA generated tens of millions of views. Video content dominated engagement, with YouTube and TikTok leading the charge. Pharma companies also increased their presence, with the Super Bowl gaining the name "GLP-1 Super Bowl" due to weight loss drug ads. Wegovy promoted itself in an ad starring Kenan Thompson, DJ Khaled, Danielle Brooks, Danny Trejo, John C. Reilly, and Ana Gasteyer.
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| 1985 Single Billboard Rank | 41 |
| 1985 Charity Funds | $300,000 |
| 2026 Super Bowl Viewers | 127.7 million |
| 2026 Celebrity Ad Count | 92 |
| 2026 Celebrity Talent Cost | $253 million |
Will the rise of AI in celebrity-driven commercials eventually decrease total talent fees?
The Kelce Jam Festival
Travis Kelce hosts Kelce Jam. The 2024 festival at the Azura Amphitheater in Bonner Springs drew over 20,000 fans and featured headliners such as Lil Wayne, Diplo, and 2Chainz to celebrate the back-to-back Super Bowl victories of the Kansas City Chiefs. Kelce plans an even bigger experience for 2026. This event includes local restaurant pop-ups and interactive activations. Takis partners with the festival to livestream the experience globally via social media. The 2024 event also included a pop-up from Illicit Gardens, which is Missouri’s number one cannabis brand. This brand passed out merchandise and connected with fans at the festival. The event company Medium Rare produced the festival, which was presented by Jim Beam. This seven-hour extravaganza was inspired by Rob Gronkowski’s Gronk Beach celebration and takes place in Kansas City, Missouri.
