Anthropic launched a series of ads aimed at the American market in early February 2026 (in time for the Super Bowl). The ads aim squarely at OpenAI’s planned launch of advertising within ChatGPT.
The ad is built around a young man trying to improve communication with his mom – his (AI) therapist prescribes “a mature dating site that connects sensitive cubs with roaring cougars” in case he can’t fix that relationship. Another ad in the series depicts a scrawny 23-year-old who wants a six-pack with a ripped older man who is supposed to depict a chatbot suggests insoles that “help short kings stand tall” because “confidence isn’t just built in the gym”.
All four ads end with the same tagline: “Ads are coming to AI. But not to Claude.” There’s no explicit mention of ChatGPT, but the subtext is clear
Here are four reasons why it’s a great ad:
- Accuracy of the initial scene setting – it faithfully recreates the experience of talking with an AI bot / agent.
- The twist at the end is also believable within the context of what people imagine AI bot advertising will be when it’s rolled out.
- The ad doesn’t explicitly mention ChatGPT, limiting its ability to come back with a public retort.
- The outro music – Whats The Difference Between Me And You (Dr Dre, 1999) is a timeless classic track.