Instacart Goes 'Bananas' in Super Bowl LX Ad, Featuring a Showdown between Ben Stiller and Benson Boone
Rhea-AI Summary
Instacart (NASDAQ: CART) returns to Super Bowl LX with a 30-second spot titled "Bananas" airing Feb 8, 2026, introducing Preference Picker, a new in-app Grocery Quality Control that lets customers select banana ripeness across most retailers today.
The campaign features director Spike Jonze, Ben Stiller, Benson Boone, and a long-form director's cut; Instacart cites 1.8 billion bananas delivered and 32 million shopper notes to illustrate demand for personalization.
Positive
- Introduces Preference Picker live across most retailers, enabling ripeness selection today
- Highlights 1.8 billion bananas delivered, signaling strong product volume
- Notes 32 million shopper notes, showing high customer demand for item-specific preferences
- High-profile Super Bowl spot (Feb 8, 2026) directed by Spike Jonze increases brand visibility
Negative
- Preference Picker availability varies by retailer and location, limiting immediate reach
- Advanced features like avocado ripeness and deli thickness are only planned for future exploration
News Market Reaction – CART
In the Jan 28 session, CART declined 0.37%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | 24h Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-22 | Earnings date notice | Neutral | -1.5% | Announced timing of Q4 and full-year 2025 results and earnings call. |
| 2026-01-06 | Product launch | Positive | +1.1% | Introduced Data Hub clean room to enhance advertiser media performance. |
| 2025-12-08 | AI integration | Positive | +0.7% | Launched Instacart app inside ChatGPT with instant checkout experience. |
| 2025-12-02 | Retail partnership | Positive | -2.9% | Announced same-day delivery partnership with The Home Depot Canada. |
| 2025-11-25 | Investor conference | Neutral | +4.3% | CFO scheduled for fireside chat at Nasdaq London Investor Conference. |
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
Recent headlines show mostly aligned price reactions, with one notable divergence on a positive partnership announcement.
Over the past few months, Instacart has combined product innovation and platform expansion with steady investor communication. In November 2025, it reported solid Q3 results and later announced a nationwide partnership with The Home Depot Canada. December brought an in‑app ChatGPT experience and other product updates, while January 2026 saw the launch of the Data Hub and notice of the upcoming Q4 2025 earnings release on February 12, 2026. Today’s Super Bowl campaign and Preference Picker feature continue this focus on product and brand differentiation.
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
The brand's second Super Bowl commercial introduces Preference Picker – the newest addition to its suite of Grocery Quality Controls – giving customers a new way to get groceries just how they like
Set on a 60-foot, glittering stage illuminated with orange and green LED lighting, the commercial opens with the pair singing about how they choose their perfect bananas using Instacart's Preference Picker product feature, before their synchronized duet escalates into a full-blown musical showdown. Boone's character ups the ante with soaring vocals and an effortless mid-performance flip; Stiller's character attempts to match it and crashes spectacularly into the drum set as the music carries on. The spot closes on "Bananas just how you like" – a wink to the spot's playful tone and to Instacart's newly launched Preference Picker, which allows customers to choose their ideal banana ripeness.
Instacart is also releasing Spike Jonze's director's cut, a long-form version of the ad, that expands the musical rivalry into a full narrative arc, giving Stiller and Boone's characters more room to shine. The extended cut builds to the spectacular onstage crash, with even more dancing, singing, and humor along the way.
Instacart's return to the Big Game signals the company's continued commitment to delivering innovation that provides customers with an exceptional grocery shopping experience. With its whimsical, lighthearted tone, this new spot reflects how Instacart shows up for customers by obsessing over the details that matter most: quality, care, and helping you get your groceries right.
"We're thrilled to be back in the lineup for this year's Big Game. Last year's results exceeded our expectations and propelled our business forward, so this year we wanted to show, in the boldest way possible, that Instacart is the grocery technology leader that truly cares about getting your groceries right," said Laura Jones, Chief Marketing Officer at Instacart. "We intentionally cast an unexpected duo who each bring something distinct: sharp comedic timing and emotional, musical lift – creating a spot with both precision and playfulness. Ben and Benson delivered the perfect mix of humor and heart, while Spike's incredible direction brought this rich world to life. The ad is bold and funny, but grounded in something very real: Instacart's commitment to helping people get groceries just how they like."
"Spike Jonze is one of our great directors – so working with him was a dream," said Ben Stiller. "Benson is insanely talented, both as a dancer, singer, athlete, and now actor. The whole thing was so much fun."
"Working on a Super Bowl commercial for Instacart blew my mind," said Benson Boone. "However, adding Ben Stiller to the equation… diabolical."
The Instacart ad brings visual storytelling and comedic timing to a fresh take on grocery obsession. "Bananas" leans into a deliberately analog, throwback filmmaking approach, shooting on vintage tube cameras to heighten the retro disco energy and tactile feel of the performance.
The production was anchored by a standout group of collaborators, including:
- Choreographer Robbie Blue, who crafted the dance for the ensemble, including the duo's synchronized – and not-so-synchronized – moves.
- Production Designer Meghan McClure, who built the towering LED stage and engineered the ambitious 16-foot flipping stunt sequence performed by Stiller's stunt double.
- Costume designer Courtney Hoffman, whose electric green, disco-inspired jumpsuits and custom, dazzling oversized fruit costumes amplified the scene's bold look and feel.
- Director of Photography Autumn Arkapaw, who helped define the spot's striking visual style, using dynamic lighting and camera movement to elevate the performance and give the ad its cinematic energy.
Instacart's internal creative agency, Local Produce, worked in partnership with McCann and BBDO to create its 2026 Super Bowl campaign. Together, the team blended craftsmanship, spectacle, and old-school showmanship to create a musical moment that feels both nostalgic and distinctly modern.
"From the beginning it was clear we shared the same creative sensibilities and love for epic absurdity as the Local Produce team. We quickly became one team ideating and problem solving in real time," said Danilo Boer, Global Creative Lead and Partner, McCann. "This partnership, combined with Spike's incredible storytelling skills, Ben's unmatched comedic voice, and Benson Boone's out-of-this-world musical talent was the recipe for a truly memorable film."
Instacart's Preference Picker Joins Suite of In-App Grocery Quality Controls
The new campaign introduces Instacart's latest in-app product innovation, Preference Picker. Available today across most retailers on the Instacart Marketplace, Preference Picker gives customers an easy way to select their banana ripeness – from "Not Ripe" to "Almost Ripe" to "Ripe" – with availability varying by retailer and location. Preference Picker is the newest addition to Instacart's Grocery Quality Controls, a bundle of in-app tools designed to help ensure your order is hand-picked, just how you like it. In the months ahead, Instacart will explore expanding Preference Picker to additional categories, such as options to select avocado ripeness and specify deli meat thickness.
Grocery Quality Controls give customers clear, simple ways to guide those decisions, including:
- Inventory Check: Get real-time visibility into what's in stock, running low, or unavailable.
- Shopper Notes: Add helpful context, such as size, color, or specific preferences, which help your shopper find and pick the best products for you.
- Replacement Preferences: Choose backup items in advance in case your preferred product is out of stock.
- Smart Backup: Receive AI-powered replacement suggestions if no replacement preference is set.
- Second Store Check: If your first shopper can't find your item or an acceptable replacement, we can prompt a second shopper to deliver it from another store location*.
*Offered on limited orders based on item and shopper availability, cost, and other factors.
Instacart is spotlighting bananas in its Super Bowl LX commercial because they are the number one selling product on Instacart, with more than 1.8 billion bananas delivered to date. Bananas also have the most Shopper Notes – written instructions for shoppers – of any items sold on Instacart, with more than 32 million notes, showing how small preferences can make a big difference.
Big Game Teasers: "Goals" and "Harmonizing"
In the lead-up to the Big Game, Instacart released two 30-second teasers for its spot featuring Stiller and Boone's characters. In the first teaser, "Goals," Stiller's character enthusiastically explains that they're excited to sing for viewers during the football game – hoping for "many, many goals" – before Boone's character quickly corrects him: "It's a different football. They touch down." The exchange sparks sibling banter and underscores the fun of seeing this duo together. The second teaser, "Harmonizing," features the duo singing about choosing bananas, punctuated by even more brotherly bickering that delivers a compelling preview of the ad's throwback energy and musical charm. The teasers aired across a multi-platform campaign in the
Stock up for the Big Game
To get fans across the nation in the game day spirit and help them prepare for playoffs and Big Game watch parties, Instacart is teaming up with Kraft Heinz and Gorton's Seafood to make stocking up easier and more affordable. These limited-time offers reflect some of the top snacks and staples Americans reach for most on game day, as highlighted in Instacart's annual Snacktime Report:
- Kraft Heinz (available from January 19 - February 9): Spend
$24 $4 - Gorton's® Seafood (available from January 26 - February 8): Spend
$15 $3
Terms and Conditions: Eligible items only. While supplies last. Terms apply.
For additional insights into what Americans are craving for this year's Big Game – including the top foods, snacks, and beverages showing up at watch parties nationwide – check out Instacart's annual Snacktime Report and shop the Game Day Essentials Collection at www.instacart.com/store/pages/big-game.
To learn more about Instacart and its offerings, including Preference Picker and suite of Grocery Quality Controls, you can visit here.
About Instacart
Instacart, the leading grocery technology company in
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SOURCE Instacart