Bill Murray, Kim Kardashian and the Return of the Celebrity Ad
TL;DR: Autumn 2026 saw a wave of A-list casting — Bill Murray reprising Ghostbusters for Rivian's first-ever ad campaign, Kim Kardashian for DoorDash, Nikola Jokić for Sprite, Megan Thee Stallion for Gymshark and Kathryn Bigelow directing for Polymarket — just as research says 81% of CMOs think relatable creators can outperform celebrities.
It is hard to miss: Bill Murray suited up as Peter Venkman to bust a ghost for Rivian — the EV maker's first-ever brand campaign — while Kim Kardashian fronted DoorDash, Nikola Jokić anchored Sprite, Megan Thee Stallion starred for Gymshark and Kathryn Bigelow directed a spot for Polymarket. After years of creator-led, performance-first marketing, the A-list celebrity ad is unmistakably back.
Why now — three forces pulling the same way
First, attention has fragmented so far that brands are paying a premium for anything that cuts through instantly. A globally famous face is the fastest shortcut to broad, immediate recognition — exactly what a challenger like Rivian needs when it finally spends on brand as Tesla's shine fades.
Second, the cost of 'borrowed fame' has fallen in relative terms. As brands pour money into fragmented creator and performance channels, a single landmark celebrity spot can generate more earned media and cultural conversation per pound than a thousand micro-posts. Third, nostalgia sells: Murray-as-Venkman is not just a celebrity, it is a cultural memory, and memory is the cheapest emotion to rent.
The counter-argument hiding in the data
Here is the tension. Dentsu's 2026 CMO Report found 81% of marketers believe relatable creators — including nano-influencers — can outperform celebrities. So which is right? Both, for different jobs. A celebrity buys fame: instant, broad awareness and cultural permission. A creator buys trust: credibility inside a specific community that converts. One fills the top of the funnel; the other fills the basket.
A simple framework for choosing
Use a celebrity when your problem is salience — nobody knows you, or everybody has forgotten you — and you have the budget to amplify the spot into earned media. A celebrity ad under-amplified is just an expensive film nobody sees. Use creators when your problem is credibility or conversion — people know you but don't trust you yet, or you need demonstrable proof inside niche communities.
The expensive mistake is buying fame when you needed trust, or trust when you needed fame. Rivian needed fame and bought Bill Murray; a supplement start-up usually needs trust and should buy twenty nano-influencers instead. Match the talent to the funnel gap, not to the award you want to win. And whichever you choose, budget to amplify it — the casting is only ever half the cost.
Quick FAQ
Why are celebrity ads making a comeback in 2026?
Fragmented attention makes instant, broad recognition valuable; a single landmark celebrity spot can drive outsized earned media; and nostalgia casting (like Bill Murray's Ghostbusters return) rents a ready-made cultural memory.
Are celebrities better than influencers?
They do different jobs. Celebrities buy salience (fast, broad awareness); creators buy trust and conversion inside specific communities. Choose based on whether your gap is fame or credibility.
The celebrity-versus-creator debate is the wrong fight. A celebrity buys fame; a creator buys trust. Rivian needed the whole world to notice it existed, so Bill Murray was money well spent. A challenger supplement brand needs believers, so it should spend the same budget on twenty creators. Diagnose the gap first, then cast — and always keep money back to amplify whoever you hire. — Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing
The takeaway: a celebrity buys fame, a creator buys trust — match the talent to the hole in your funnel, and never spend the whole budget on casting.
Does your brand need the world to notice it, or a community to believe it? Your answer decides who you should cast.
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: Adweek, Ad Age, Meltwater, WardsAuto, and the Dentsu Creative 2026 CMO Report.
Related reading
Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing Ltd and Marketing Minute
