For the 2026 Super Bowl, Pringles partnered with Iconoclast to debut Love at First Bite, a bold, comedic television spot starring pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter and her unexpected new love interest, Pringleleo.
SCPS Unlimited was brought on to design, fabricate, and perform Pringleleo as a fully realized, on-camera character built from Pringles chips. From the outset, character design, fabrication strategy, and puppeteering were developed in parallel to ensure the build could hold specific poses, maintain structural integrity, and interact naturally on set alongside A-list talent.
SOLUTION
SCPS Unlimited answered by designing, fabricating, and performing Pringleleo as a fully realized on-camera character built from Pringles crisps, with design strategy and puppeteering support developed in parallel to ensure precise poseability, structural integrity, and seamless on-set performance alongside A-list talent.
To ensure precision from the outset, SCPS designers 3D scanned a real Pringles crisp to generate an accurately scaled digital model. That scan became the foundation for mapping the placement of every single crisp across Pringleleo’s face and body before the first physical stack was ever assembled.
During the design phase, the team explored crisp positioning around the eyes and mouth to test subtle variations in expression. The final intentionally neutral facial structure was selected in collaboration with directors Vania & Muggia, giving production maximum flexibility in blocking, framing, and editorial timing without relying on mechanical animation.
For the hero build, approximately 1,000 real Pringles were used, resulting in a character that was roughly 80% real crisps and 20% precision 3D-printed internal structure. An additional 1,000 crisps were prepared and coated for on-set resets and gags. A stunt version pushed authenticity further, reaching nearly 98% real Pringles and approximately 1,200 total chips across versions.
PERFORMANCE & PUPPETEERING:
While Pringleleo was not mechanically animated, the character was engineered for controlled poseability and subtle puppeteering support.
Custom techniques allowed the team to adjust stance, arm positioning, and head alignment to match blocking and framing, while internal structure provided stability under lighting heat and repeated takes.
Every fabrication decision supported on-set efficiency, adaptability, and repeatability, setting the stage for the technical execution outlined below.
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TECHNICAL DETAILS:
- Character Design & Crisp Mapping: 3D scan of a real Pringle used to create an accurate digital model for full-body crisp placement planning prior to fabrication.
. - Hero Build: Approximately 1,000 real Pringles (80% real crisps / 20% internal 3D-printed structure) for durability and pose retention.
. - Stunt Version: Nearly 98% real crisps, approximately 1,200 chips, engineered for high-authenticity gags and alternate takes.
. - On-Set Backup & Resets: Approximately 1,000 additional coated crisps prepared for continuity, resets, and comedic effects.
. - Puppeteering Support: Controlled poseability and custom adjustment techniques for stance, head alignment, and arm positioning.
. - Mobile Fabrication Studio: On-location workshop enabled immediate resets, structural reinforcement, and continuity maintenance.
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tIMELINE:
From initial design through final delivery, Pringleleo was designed, tested, rehearsed, and fabricated in just 30 days, including performance development and gag rehearsals for the full commercial shoot.
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VERSATILITY & DEPLOYMENt:
Pringleleo was engineered for on-set performance efficiency. The character was designed to be serviceable, adjustable, and performance-ready, allowing for rapid resets, repairs, and refinements without interrupting filming. This flexibility supported both the physical demands of puppeteering and the fast pace of a Super Bowl commercial production.
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EXECUTION
To support the pace of filming, SCPS Unlimited built a fully mobile fabrication studio on location. This allowed Pringleleo to be reset, repaired, and rebuilt between takes, often immediately, without slowing production.
With an extremely tight schedule, this rolling workshop became critical for maintaining continuity, preserving structural integrity, and keeping the shoot on track across multiple setups.
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Brand alignment:
Every aspect of Pringleleo was built in strict alignment with Pringles’ brand voice: playful, bold, and larger than life. The finished character delivered a memorable Super Bowl moment that seamlessly united two cultural icons: Pringles and Sabrina Carpenter.
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IMPACT & RECOGNITION:
Love at First Bite quickly became one of the most talked-about Super Bowl commercials of 2026, with Pringleleo emerging as a breakout character across advertising, entertainment, music, and lifestyle media.
The spot earned widespread praise for its humor, craft, and pop-culture relevance, generating extensive coverage from top industry and mainstream outlets including AdAge, Forbes, Adweek, Variety, Billboard, Rolling Stone, The Hollywood Reporter, USA Today, People, and The Washington Post.
Beyond traditional press, the campaign was featured and archived across leading creative and advertising platforms such as Campaign, Little Black Book, Ads of the World, and Mars official brand channels.
The commercial also resonated deeply with pop-culture audiences, appearing in best-of Super Bowl roundups and editorial coverage from Vogue, InStyle, NME, Just Jared, and Shortlist.
Together, the response positioned Pringleleo not just as a Super Bowl gag, but as a fully realized character that captured attention across industries, reinforcing the power of physical fabrication, performance craftsmanship, and bold brand storytelling at the highest level.