SpaceX aired its first-ever Super Bowl advertisement on Sunday, marking a significant shift in the marketing approach of Elon Musk’s companies, which have traditionally avoided high-profile advertising.
The 30-second commercial promoted Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite-based internet service, and featured visuals of Falcon 9 and Starship rocket boosters returning to Earth, alongside imagery showing Starlink in use across remote and hard-to-reach locations. The ad highlighted the service’s global reach and its aim to provide fast and affordable internet access worldwide.
This marked the first time any of Musk’s businesses have directly advertised during the Super Bowl, one of the most expensive and visible advertising platforms globally. In recent years, companies such as Tesla and SpaceX have relied largely on product launches, demonstrations, and Musk’s public presence to generate attention rather than traditional advertising campaigns.
The Super Bowl appearance signals a broader shift, as both SpaceX and Tesla have gradually expanded their advertising efforts across digital and social platforms. Starlink has previously appeared in Super Bowl commercials through partnerships with other companies, but this was SpaceX’s first standalone appearance.
Industry estimates place the cost of a 30-second Super Bowl advertisement this year between $8 million and $10 million, underlining the scale of the investment.
The advertising move comes as SpaceX prepares for a potential public offering later this year, with valuations estimated to reach as high as $1.5 trillion. Starlink has emerged as a key driver of the company’s growth, operating a network of more than 9,000 low-Earth orbit satellites.
As of December, Starlink reported approximately 9 million users worldwide and active operations across 155 countries, reinforcing its role as a central pillar of SpaceX’s commercial strategy.
