Many longstanding Super Bowl advertisers aren’t making their usual appearances in this year’s Big Game—but not just because of the risk of missing the mark tone-wise. Budweiser, Planters and Kia are taking that big spend and directing it at nobler causes. Planters, for instance, is foregoing a continuation of the dramatic Mr. Peanut saga to give “$5 million to the ones whose little acts of extraordinary substance make the world a better place.”

Three reasons not to advertise: Watch Planters’ video about it, and learn about the causes Budweiser and Kia are promoting.

Plus, 10 ways to hack the Big Game:

Even if the alternative to not running a Super Bowl ad doesn’t involve altruism, there are plenty of ways to seize the moment, with Molson-Coors, Volvo, Frank’s RedHot, Tums and more capitalizing on the buzz of Big Game season with stunts like giveaways, eight-hour soundscapes and Bingo cards. [Discover their intriguing schemes.]

Verizon plans to run an ad during Super Bowl LV—but that’s not all it’s doing. The telecom giant is also unleashing a spree of activations, including what it says will be the biggest activation ever built in Fortnite’s creative mode feature. It will take the form of a virtual 5G stadium in which fans can interact with pro gamers and NFL players. [Step inside.]

As for the brands that are running ads in the Super Bowl…

• After three teasers hinting at a cheetle-covered crime, Cheetos has finally unveiled its full Super Bowl ad, which has singer Shaggy observing as Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher sing his song “It Wasn’t Me.” [Enjoy some cheesy marital strife.]
• You know what sucks? Norway, apparently. At least that’s what Will Ferrell has to say about it in GM’s Super Bowl ad teasers. [Experience 3 special moments of Norwegian loathing.]
• Wayne and Garth of the Wayne’s World franchise—as usual, portrayed by Mike Myers and Dana Carvey—are back to sympathize about the horrors of 2020 and to talk up Uber Eats in the service’s Big Game ad. [Party on in these trailers.]
• Frito-Lay is reprising its Christmas theme from 2020 in its Big Game spot, which again features Marshawn Lynch telling us a story, along with a host of other football stars—the most ever to appear in a PepsiCo ad. [Watch the extended ad here.]
• Rocket Mortgage is also going with star power in two ads starring Tracy Morgan, as well as athletes, influencers and an action star. One ad will focus on local indie mortgage brokers, and the other will address the brand’s app. [Check out the teaser.]

Keep up with the latest Super Bowl updates in our Big Game Ad Tracker—which is definitely worth a look today if you, like the majority of sane people, are a fan of John Cena.

Last week was marked by a Reddit-induced day trading rebellion against Wall Street, in which subreddit WallStreetBets caused the stocks for struggling companies like GameStop and AMC Entertainment to soar, while Robinhood earned backlash for blocking users from investing in them. This week, chicken chain Popeyes is showing its support with a campaign to provide free “Tendies” to supporters of the movement. 

Get the goods: #Tendies4Yall uses the stock tickers for several of the Reddit-boosted companies as promo codes.

Throughout this Black History Month, Adweek is partnering with Derek Walker to boost his project highlighting Black creatives and their most iconic work, beginning with the incomparable Gwen Kelly and her Pullman Porters campaign for American Family Insurance. “The vision was to look for new ways to expose and engage people in conversations that would lead to new conclusions rather than persuade people of previously foregone ones,” Kelly said.

Take a look behind the scenes of the campaign in this interview with Walker and Kelly.

More of Today’s Top News and Highlights:

• TikTok and WPP Strike Advertising Partnership
• Univision Acquires Free Spanish-Language Streamer Vix in OTT Push
• Mocean’s Leaders Reflect on the Lessons Learned Over 20 Years in Entertainment Marketing
• Fashion Brand Everlane Hires Former Nike Exec as Its First Chief Marketing Officer
• A+E Networks Pushes Dramatic Upfront Shift From Demos to Total Audience Metrics

Beer brand Stella Artois is foregoing an experience like the one it created in Miami last year, and instead running a regional Super Bowl ad starring Lenny Kravitz. [Learn what it means to live “The Life Artois.”]

Save your virtual seat for The Big Game Summit on Feb. 4 to hear Big Game ad insights from our impressive lineup of speakers, including Torrey Smith, two-time Super Bowl champion and philanthropist, Todd Kaplan of PepsiCo, Julian Mintz of Roku, Mike Nolan of The Hershey Company, Nicole Portwood of PepsiCo, Jo Ann Ross of ViacomCBS, Rick Suter of USA TODAY, and Sadie Thomas of Google.

How the carrier is forging ahead, with more environmentally conscious fliers in mind, at Outlook 2021.

GroupM and Mindshare partnered with Unilever to take consumer perspective on data privacy.

Keeping an eye on programmatic spend is fast becoming the difference between smart and dumb money.

The Miami upstart does a thriving business in Birkin and Kelly bags, the impossible dream of luxury retail.

Karin Onsager-Birch leaves FCB West to dig into rideshare app's whimsy and purpose.

Consumer goods marketed as sustainable generated nearly 55% of the industry’s growth from 2015 through 2019.