-author-avatar_thumbnail.jpg){kind=avatar}
Squarespace 2026 Super Bowl Plans: Key Findings
- Squarespace teases its 12th Super Bowl spot with a mysterious greyscale image, a sign that it's continuing its cinematic storytelling.
- The brand is set to once again emphasize human, character-driven narratives as part of its tradition of pairing short films with live-event visibility.
- Teasers hint at a larger campaign rollout beyond the 30-second broadcast, using suspense to engage audiences ahead of the Big Game.
Campaign Snapshot
Squarespace is back in the Super Bowl advertising mix with a hush-hush tease that hints at another cinematic ambition.
The website builder brand confirmed it will run its 12th Super Bowl ad on February 8 during the Big Game, relying on a single greyscale image to spark buzz.
It features muted tones and a solitary house perched on an island amid rough waters, evoking isolation and resilience.
This comes after a decade of Super Bowl ads that opt for cinematic storytelling and creative ambition to pair with high-visibility moments on television.
Squarespace Chief Brand and Creative Officer David Lee said the company’s creative DNA sits “at the intersection of Silicon Valley, Madison Avenue, and Hollywood."
This philosophy has guided the brand’s Super Bowl efforts for years, and it shows in teasers that go beyond straightforward headlines.
"We’re a tech company and our own brand-side agency, and we want our work to be indistinguishable from the cinema.
All of our best creative work has been made in the overlap of that Venn diagram. The Super Bowl gives us a big stage to tell that story at scale," he explained.
Squarespace Is Back for 2026 Super Bowl Ad Game https://t.co/wNv2ZHAGcT
— Variety (@Variety) January 13, 2026
What's mind-blogging is how the new teaser shares no plot details... at all.
However, the single monochrome image of a remote home clinging to a rocky outcrop above a vast sea suggests the 30-second spot will be grounded in moody mystery.
Lee described the upcoming film as “very filmic, very cinematic” and hinted it will touch on “something new that we haven’t talked about in a little bit.”
Squarespace's Super Bowl Track Record
This year’s teaser follows its work in 2025 with actor Barry Keoghan.
The Super Bowl spot, dubbed "A Tale as Old as Websites," showed more human emotion through a character-driven story.
It framed Squarespace’s platform as a technical tool that could genuinely help businesses start their website journey.
In the year prior, it starred Martin Scorsese as aliens invaded a city, only to find out they were avid users of the website-making platform.
Squarespace, used by millions worldwide, has consistently opted for narratives over hard selling, giving its commercials the feel of short films rather than your usual spots.
More teasers are expected as the broadcast date approaches, which could offer views into the spot’s narrative arc or characters.
Building anticipation ahead of the Big Game is part of a wider rollout strategy that sometimes includes extended content beyond the 30-second broadcast piece.
What Marketers Can Learn From Squarespace’s Super Bowl Play
Squarespace’s quiet teaser is teaching us that selective storytelling is key to a campaign ahead of a major media moment. It teaches us that:
- Leading with mood and mystery can create buzz when paired with a bold event like the Super Bowl.
- Cinematic framing helps the brand shift focus from features to emotional narrative.
- Teasers that hint at bigger stories can stretch impact beyond a single broadcast.
Last year, the company’s annual revenue run rate approached $1.2 billion, reflecting its market position and ability to invest in high-profile campaigns like the Super Bowl.
Our Take: Are Cinematic Spots the Formula to Success?
I think Squarespace’s commitment to avant-garde, film-like spots shows that there’s still space for narrative depth in broadcast advertising.
Its choice to tease with a single image rather than a full reveal keeps one curious, and it's a move that obviously wants its consumers to think past its productivity tools.
At a time when product features and direct calls to action are catching heat, this kind of brand storytelling can do more to create a memorable cultural moment, especially at a major stage like the Super Bowl.
The real test will be whether the finished spot delivers on the mystery it has built up and resonates beyond ad week.
In other news, OpenAI is also coming back to the Super Bowl to position ChatGPT as an everyday tool amid user anxiety.
These top agencies in our directory help brands use stories to build connections and drive awareness.
-author-avatar_mobile.jpg){kind=avatar}
