To mark Pokémon’s 30th anniversary, a string of celebrities, including BLACKPINK’s Jisoo, Lady Gaga, and Trevor Noah, were asked to share their favourite characters.
In an ad broadcast during Super Bowl Sunday, Noah is seen strolling down a sunlit boardwalk asking, “What’s my favorite?” before Maitreyi Ramakrishnan follows, describing her “jet-black” Pokémon in a makeup chair.
Formula One racer Charles Leclerc grins as he says his pick is “extremely fast,” Miko celebrates her “limitless” choice, and Jisoo’s “so cute” declaration punctuates the ad’s most heartwarming moment.
Then comes Lady Gaga — whose recording studio sequence steals a smile. “My Pokémon has a 12-octave vocal range,” she laughs, “and always finds a way to make it funny.” The camera reveals Jigglypuff perched on the sofa, ready for a duet.
Together, the pair sing Jigglypuff’s famously sleepy tune from the anime, blending real and animated worlds with tongue-in-cheek flair.
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Each celebrity ultimately unites with their Pokémon counterpart. Noah teams up with his long-time favourite, the yellow, perpetually confused Psyduck. “Every single time you met a new Pokémon, it felt like you met a new part of yourself,” he reflects.
Ramakrishnan’s Luxray naps on her desk (“he likes to sleep. Just like me”), while Young Miko laughs about her “mischievous” yet loving Gengar. Yamal stands strong with the legendary Zygarde, and Leclerc races with the fiery Arcanine.
Jisoo’s choice, Eevee, feels especially symbolic. “I think she resembeles me a bit,” the K-pop star says of her Pokémon choice. “[Eevee’s] ability to transform into many forms,” is a highlight for her, Jisoo reviwes.
With eight evolutionary forms and an adaptable nature, Eevee has always represented transformation — making it an uncanny fit for a multi-hyphenate artist navigating music, fashion, and film with effortless finesse.
@resonatevoices 🔥🎶 BLACKPINK 🎶🔥 Live from the VIP Section at Wembley Stadium 👀🇬🇧 #BLACKPINK #ROSE #JISOO #LISA #JENNIE ♬ original sound – Resonate
“This is one of those moments where you get to reward your childhood self,” Noah told Variety of joining the ad. “‘Pokémon’ has been part of my life since the age of 9 or 10… It really blew up in my life with the Game Boy.”
For Noah, Psyduck resonated deeply: “I feel like ‘Pokémon’ is a perfect allegory for society… The reason I choose Psyduck is because I grew up as a neurodivergent kid, still figuring out what ADHD does in your brain… Psyduck can’t handle its brain. It’s trying to figure out how things work. It’s the most powerful, then the least powerful.”
As Pokémon celebrates its 30th anniversary — with the new life simulation game Pokopia arriving March 5 for the Nintendo Switch 2 and Tokyo’s first-ever PokéPark Kanto opening — it’s fitting that Jisoo leads this campaign. Just like Eevee, she keeps evolving, reminding fans that growth, curiosity and a touch of cuteness never go out of style.
