Anthropic's Super Bowl ads mocking AI with ads helped push Claude's app into the top 10 | TechCrunch

TechCrunch

by Sarah Perez

February 13, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

Anthropic’s Super Bowl ads, featuring humorous yet cautionary tales of AI mishaps, have significantly boosted the popularity of its AI chatbot app, Claude. Following the campaign, Claude rose from No. 41 to No. 7 on the U.S. App Store, marking its highest-ever rank. The surge in downloads—148,000 across iOS and Android from Sunday through Tuesday—represents a 32% increase compared to the previous three days. This upward trend coincided with Anthropic’s release of the Opus 4.6 model and its "no ads" proposition, which resonated with users as ChatGPT introduced ads during the same period. Claude’s journey has been one of gradual growth. Launched in May 2024, it initially faced tough competition from ChatGPT, which had already amassed nearly half a million installs within its first five days. Claude lagged behind, amassing only 157,000 global downloads in its first week and peaking at No. 55 on the U.S. App Store. However, Anthropic’s strategic marketing efforts, including its Super Bowl ads, have revitalized interest in the app. The impact of the ads was particularly evident in the U.S., where Claude saw a stronger surge in downloads compared to global markets. While worldwide downloads increased by 15%, the U.S. experienced nearly three times that growth, underscoring the effectiveness of Anthropic’s targeted campaign. The ads not only highlighted Claude’s unique strengths but also positioned it as a user

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Originally published on TechCrunch on 2/13/2026