Why brands are spending more on A-list celebrities than ever before?

By Freedom Works. January 2026. Originally published by The Liberty Guild, now Freedom Works. Read the original

Matthew McConaughey starred in a Super Bowl ad for Uber Eats in 2025. Uber Eats

A known face does a lot of work upfront. Recognition, credibility, cultural shorthand. And when tolerance for failure drops, brands reach for things that reduce the number of unknowns.

It makes sense. But there's a long-term risk. If everyone consolidates around the same playbook big name, big spend, fewer moments. It gets very samey, very quickly. And that’s the irony. Safe starts to look risky in a different way.

So, when everyone is playing it safe, where does distinctiveness really come from?

You can read Jon’s Comments along side other industry leaders in Lara’s full article here: https://www.businessinsider.com/brands-spending-record-sums-celebrities-xr-report-2026-1. It was first published in Business Insider 12.01.26

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