Instacart Sends Ben Stiller and Benson Boone to the Big Game for Papa

How Instacart's 'For Papa!' Brought Spike Jonze Back to the Super Bowl

Instacart's 'For Papa!' is a 2026 Super Bowl commercial directed by Spike Jonze, starring Ben Stiller and Benson Boone, that transforms the brand's in-app Preference Picker produce feature into an absurdist musical rivalry centred on banana ripeness, airing in the United States during the Big Game.

Instacart returned to the Super Bowl for the second consecutive year with 'For Papa!', published on January 28, 2026. The campaign was created by a three-agency collective — BBDO, Local Produce, and McCann — and marks a deliberate creative pivot from the mascot-driven ensemble approach Instacart deployed in its 2025 Big Game spot, 'We're Here', which was produced by TBWA\Chiat\Day, as reported by Investors Instacart. Where 'We're Here' assembled beloved brand characters including the Pillsbury Doughboy and Kool-Aid Man, 'For Papa!' builds its entire narrative around a single, functional product feature: the Preference Picker, an in-app slider that allows shoppers to select produce ripeness from green to extra ripe, as documented by oneclub.org.

The campaign carries the tagline 'We're living in the age of now,' anchoring Instacart's core eCommerce proposition — immediacy, convenience, and personal choice — to a relatable domestic moment. Set in the United States and targeted at the Super Bowl's broad, diverse viewership, the spot uses warmth, humour, and an unexpected musical register to reframe a transactional app feature as something emotionally resonant. The film medium campaign comprises three media assets, and Spike Jonze's involvement — his first Big Game direction in more than 20 years, as noted by abcnews.com — signals a commitment to craft that extends well beyond typical delivery-service advertising.