Picture this: It’s Super Bowl Sunday, one of the most important days of the year for football. You settle down on the couch, well-prepared for the game as you have already stocked up on plenty of soda, pizza and wings.
If you’re anything like me, you may not be interested in sports, but you may be interested in the commercials. On Super Bowl Sunday, advertisers can present their brands cleverly and humorously. The advertisements often become a topic of conversation, sometimes even more than the game itself. Companies invest millions to capture the attention of millions of viewers worldwide. But the question is: What are some of the best commercials that aired this year?
- Michelob ULTRA
Michelob ULTRA, one of the most popular beer brands in the United States, took on a fascinating concept of presenting their beer by utilizing pickleball and two actors considered Hollywood royalty, Willem Dafoe and Catherine O’Hara. I mean, who doesn’t love Willem Dafoe? The ad showcased their playful side, blending humor with star power to create a memorable viewing experience. Michelob ULTRA successfully stood out among the competitive Super Bowl commercials by incorporating unexpected elements like pickleball.
- Baja Blast
Arguably one of the strangest Super Bowl ads ever produced, Mountain Dew decided to go all out by utilizing Grammy Award-winning singer Seal to present their new tropical lime-flavored Mountain Dew Baja Blast. The R&B singer transformed into an actual seal with a scary realistic head, capable of demonstrating his captivating vocals to serenade the audience with “Kiss from a Lime,” a Baja Blast-inspired rendition of Seal’s 1994 hit “Kiss from a Rose.” By taking such an unconventional approach, Mountain Dew created a buzz and ensured their commercial was one of the most talked-about ads of the night.
- Rocket
Who knew a commercial could utilize John Denver’s iconic tune, “Take Me Home, Country Roads” to get an entire stadium to sing along? Rocket said this was the first time a taped Super Bowl ad transitioned into live stadium coverage, making Super Bowl history. There was more to this than a simple commercial: Rocket aimed to capture the raw, emotional journey of pursuing a dream once thought impossible. No matter which team you rooted for during the Super Bowl, we can all agree that West Virginia was the biggest winner.
- Nike
Nike’s first Super Bowl commercial in 27 years pushed to empower female athletes. Using their staple black-and-white advertising technique and Led Zeppelin’s, “Whole Lotta Love,” Nike presented several female sports stars with the voice of Grammy Award-winning rapper Doechii, who read out quotes that are often used against women to make them feel as though they are not worthy, flipping the script to present an inspirational message about female empowerment. The commercial included athletes such as Caitlin Clark, Jordan Chiles, Sabrina Ionescu and many more female athletes who are changing the game. By boldly showcasing these trailblazers, Nike celebrated their achievements and inspired a new generation of women to pursue their athletic dreams.
- Lay’s
Crying because of a commercial is embarrassing. Crying to a commercial made about potato chips is even more embarrassing. However, this commercial tugged at the heartstrings of millions of people with a simple, heartwarming storyline in only 60 seconds. Inspired by a real-life farming family, a little girl took it upon herself to grow a potato all by herself, even going as far as to protect it from the harsh pelting of rain and lightning. The commercial honors the challenging work of the farming families who cultivate the potatoes for Lay’s, all while reminding us of our deep connection to the food we eat.
While the Super Bowl may not be everyone’s cup of tea, I think we can all agree that the Super Bowl gives us the chance to sit down and come together to enjoy some good food, questionable commercials and a hyped-up halftime show.
