Analysis
2/13/23
19 min read
Super Bowl 57 Commercials: Ranking the 49 Biggest Ads, From Breaking Bad to Just Bad
The Super Bowl isn't just the biggest night of the year for the NFL. It's the biggest night of the year for many companies, who try to put together the commercials that people will remember from the most-watched event of the year worldwide.
At a cost of $7 million per 30-second spot this year, there was a lot on the line for companies ponying up the cash to run an ad during the game. Because somebody has to do the hard-hitting work, I made it my mission to rank all of the biggest ads from the big game, from the absolute best to ones where money wasn't as well-spent.
Super Bowl LVII Commercial Rankings
1. Popcorners - Breaking Bad Reunion
Does such a high ranking reflect some bias on the part of the writer, a major Breaking Bad fan? I'll let Mr. White himself handle that answer for me.
This is how a Super Bowl commercial is supposed to be done, folks. Nearly every line is a reference to an iconic piece of dialogue from the show itself, and the commercial is already a home run before Tuco shows up, delivers his signature "Tight! Tight! Tight!", and insists on a seventh flavor. Without a doubt, this is the commercial everyone is going to remember from this year's game. Now excuse me as I order all seven flavors of their product.
2. Uber One - Diddy Don't Do Jingles!
Diddy might not do jingles, but he does do an outstanding Super Bowl ad. Bringing in a bunch of recording artists to remix their hit songs for Uber One, Diddy crafts a memorable commercial that should get everyone laughing as we hear song after song before Haddaway arrives to save the day with a new version of his hit song, "What Is Love".
And if there is a breakout star from this year's Super Bowl commercial slate, it is Diddy's assistant, whose intimidating delivery should draw the biggest laughs of the entire ad. From expressing Diddy's thoughts for him to yelling at Ylvis, he nails every line he gets. No notes.
3. Pepsi - Ben Stiller's Elements of Acting
Pepsi dropped two commercials in this year's Super Bowl, and this is the far superior of the two. The dialogue isn't what you watch for here. You watch so you can laugh when Ben Stiller gets decked while proposing marriage (nice cameo by Rachel Dratch!), knock over a robot who just wants a friend, and break out Blue Steel not once but twice as Derek Zoolander, his greatest character ever. It nails a lot of elements that make a good Super Bowl ad: Cameos, references, and a couple surprise moments that will make you laugh out loud or cheer.
4. Doritos - Triangle
Give a lot of credit to Jack Harlow, who puts together one of the best celebrity performances in a commercial this year by turning the triangle into a worldwide phenomenon. I'd totally listen to a full-length song of him playing a triangle over that beat, and his turns as a triangle teacher, perfume spokesman, and sore loser at an awards ceremony are phenomenally acted.
5. Dodge - Premature Electrification
Excellently suggestive, humorous from start to finish, and also descriptive of the product being offered, Dodge's commercial about an electric Ram truck is a unique and welcome spin on the tired vehicle commercial, which sees an announcer just brag about new features as a highlight reel of it being driven plays.
6. Workday - You're Not a Rock Star
Workday's commercial is a great example of how an effective ad doesn't have to be laser-focused on explaining the product. It's fun, it tells a story, and makes a great argument about the overuse of the term "rockstar" in the corporate world. One of the better ads of this year's game, even if I will never be able to un-see Ozzy Osbourne in a shirt and tie as "Oswald", the new guy in the office.
7. DraftKings - Kevin Hart's Bets
DraftKings comes through with the most celebrity-laden commercial of the year, pulling people from music (Ludacris), professional wrestling (The Undertaker) and of course sports (several people), with comedian Kevin Hart at the center of it all. There's the obligatory short joke (or several) at Hart's expense, good writing to introduce a lot of the notable names, and great delivery at the end from "Big Papi" David Ortiz ("Kev, your face is delicious!")
8. Dunkin Donuts - Ben Affleck's Day Job
Credit to Ben Affleck, whose full commitment to his role as a Dunkin Donuts drive-thru employee makes this ad work very well, as do the reactions to many customers who recognize him (and the one who doesn't). The best customer appearance is Affleck's wife, Jennifer Lopez, whose scolding and request for a donut really brings the ad home.
9. Rakuten - Clueless
Bringing back Alicia Silverstone in her "Clueless" role was a shrewd move by Rakuten, who leans into the nostalgia people have for the film and fit a lot of the most memorable lines (and outfits) into the commercial. As if!
10. General Motors/Netflix - Will Ferrell's Electric Vehicles
I have to admit, even if there wasn't a joke that got me to laugh, I really enjoyed this entry from GM and Netflix. Seeing Will Ferrell (and GM's electric vehicles) dropped into a lineup of Netflix's greatest hits was entertaining from start to finish. The moments where he told a zombie "I said no biting" and asked "What's that scent, is it pine?" in the Squid Game van were highlights, but the real star of the show was the Stranger Things scene, with Ferrell trying to stand in for Dustin and Erica Sinclair delivering her usual home run of sass.
11. Miller-Coors - Blue Moon Commercial
We got a fun little fight between a Miller Lite and Coors Light drinker over which beer was better, but the reason this commercial works so well is the twist at the end where it's revealed it was a Blue Moon commercial all along. Fitting that the best beer of the three is the one that gets the spotlight in the end.
12. Hellmann's Mayo - Ham(m) and Brie
Putting Brie Larson and Jon Hamm in a refrigerator in place of brie cheese and ham is a good start to a commercial, but it's Pete Davidson (he really is in everything, isn't he?) who steals the show as owner of said fridge, with the line "I'm gonna eat you guys." Funny delivery, and to his credit, the sandwich he makes out of the actual brie and ham looks really good.
13. Sam Adams - Brighter Boston
The "Your cousin from Boston" ads can get tiresome after awhile, but this one is the best that Sam Adams has put out. It's a fun look at a brighter, nicer, happier Boston, before shocking us all back to reality at the end. But hey, we got to see Kevin Garnett the author and a Red Sox and Yankee fan hug.
14. Peacock - Poker Face
A great spot that helps inform people about Peacock's new show without going the traditional route of just playing a trailer of clips. Instead, they have Natasha Lyonne in-character commenting on other Super Bowl commercials. This was smartly-done.
15. Busch Light - Survival Skills
It's nice to see Sarah McLaughlin poke some fun at her ASPCA "Arms of an Angel" commercials. The outdoorsman opening a Busch to cut off the song is catharsis for the many viewers who have had to mute the ad in the past.
16. Michelob Ultra - Ode to Caddyshack
In a minute-long ode to one of the greatest movies ever made, Serena Williams torments Brian Cox on New Members Day, and fans of Caddyshack will appreciate the many references from the film, all the way down to Tony Romo filling Bill Murray's role as the groundskeeper. Unfortunately, the gopher does not make an appearance.
17. The Farmer's Dog — A Dog's Life
18. Amazon — A New Dog
If there was a commercial that went straight for the heartstrings in this year's Super Bowl, it was this one, which should bring a tear to the eye of anyone who owns or has owned a dog in their life. It was a nice illustration of the lifelong bond between a very good boy — in this commercial a lab named Bear — and his owner.
I'm lumping Amazon's commercial in with The Farmer's Dog because of their similar framework — the love between a dog and its family. This one has the added bonus of seeing another dog adopted to give him a friend for when the family is away, a resolution all animal lovers should appreciate.
19. Skechers - Snoop Dogg Does It All
Pilot Howie Long? Tony Romo channeling his inner SNL Peyton Manning? And of course the man himself, Snoop Dogg, handling all variety of professions before talking with friend Martha Stewart? Yep, that'll work for an excellent ad.
20. Jeep - Electric Slide
Look, it's a bunch of animals all doing the electric slide, in a commercial for an electric Jeep. It's a rule as old as the internet: Cute animal things are always going to be fun to watch.
21. Heineken - Don't Drink & Shrink
Points for Paul Rudd and all his ant friends in a smart partnering between the beer brand and Marvel's upcoming Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania movie. It was a good commercial for the "Don't drink and shrink" line alone; seeing all the ants team up to steal Rudd's last non-alcoholic Heineken makes it even better.
22. Pringles - It Happens
Admit it — if you've eaten a tube of Pringles before, you've imagined what would happen if your arm got stuck reaching to the bottom. Well, Pringles illustrates how different professions would handle things if that did indeed happen, and it's humorous to watch. Imagine bowling with a sleeve of chips stuck to your hand.
23. Paramount - Stallone Mountain
I don't think I've watched a single show whose characters were assembled in Paramount's commercial, but they all combined for an entertaining ad commentating on Sylvester Stallone trying to combine a mountain of himself. It's funny to hear his daughters nonchalantly brush off their Dad's dangerous efforts during the stunt ("He always does this"), and when it ends with a fall ("He's fine, this is normal.")
24. Budweiser - Six Degrees of Separation
Every year, there's always a commercial or two that eschews humor and takes a different tone, whether serious or heartfelt or something else. Budweiser's ad this year is one of those, but it's a concept a lot of people can get behind: Just people who can be connected by sharing a six-pack together after a long day's work. And we got at least one shot of those iconic Clydesdales.
25. Crowdstrike - Trojan Horse
Crowdstrike is a cybersecurity company, and give credit to them for coming up with a creative way to illustrate that — by one of their employees helping stop the literal Trojan Horse, not just the computer virus version of it. An ad I think will be underrated by a lot of people.
26. Kia - Binky Dad
A thought-provoking statement about how social media can quickly amplify and blow up random stories to a national size? Or just a fun adventure seeing a Dad hurry home to get his child's favorite binky? Either way, a solid entry in this year's slate of Super Bowl commercials.
27. Crown Royal - Thank You, Canada
A Manitoba-based company, Crown Royal took a Super Bowl spot and brought in legendary musician Dave Grohl to thank Canada for its many contributions to the U.S., from egg cartons and paint rollers to hockey and, yes, football. It's a commercial that can teach you something, and honestly, almost anything Dave Grohl is in is going to get good reviews.
28. Squarespace - Adam Driver's Singularity
I'm not sure why, but I liked this ad a lot despite it being one of the few this year that didn't try to be constantly humorous. A self-replicating version of Adam Driver delivers a great performance in his signature acting style, and the ending has a Matrix-esque vibe to it. The delivery of the final line ("You did it Adam Driver") was excellent.
29. T-Mobile - Bradley Cooper & His Mom
Trying to make a commercial featuring Bradley Cooper and his Mom didn't go so well for T-Mobile, but putting a lot of the bloopers throughout the process together did work for them. It was a light-hearted, fun commercial, and an epic burn from Mom about her son's lack of an Academy Award, despite nine nominations.
30. Google - Fix Those Old Photos
We've all had that problem before, right? A great photo ruined by an accidental (or not) photobomb, or some detail that initially seems alright, but is clearly problematic in retrospect. No longer thanks to Google, who hypes up the ability to fix photos with their Pixel smartphone. It's a good-not-great ad that explains the phone's features well, tosses in some cameos, but isn't laugh-out-loud funny.
31. Xfinity - Video Game Astronauts
A pair of astronauts think they're just made a huge step for mankind by landing on the moon, only for some pesky kids to break the news that they're only video game characters being played on Xfinity's 10G internet. A modern ad that's solid but unspectacular, with Will Forte catching a stray in the end via some less-than-friendly bad guys that land shortly after the astronauts.
32. Downy - Downy McBride
Danny McBride becomes obsessed with Downy Unstoppables and changes his name to Downy, before eating a tree branch to the face that knocks him off the golf cart he is using to spread the word about the product. The biggest thing working in this ad's favor is the enthusiasm McBride brings to the role.
33. Michelob Ultra/Netflix - Full Swing
The pieces are all there: The relatable desire to have a beer tap in your golf bag, a new Netflix show any golf fan will want to see, and notable names in Alex Morgan, Tony Romo, and Ricky Fowler, whose line is delivered like an acting pro. It just doesn't all come together in a hole-in-one of a commercial. Instead, it feels more like a par.
34. E*Trade - Baby Wedding
Not the strongest entry in E*Trade's run of baby-based commercials, but it does have a few funny lines sprinkled throughout a spot that imagines if babies were placed into common scenes from every wedding reception.
35. Bud Light - Hold
It's simple and fun enough: Instead of just painfully sitting through the music that plays while you're on hold, turn it into a dance party with beer. If you ever find yourself on hold in the near future, it's not a bad idea.
36. T-Mobile - A Musical Explanation
Set to the tune of Grease's "Summer Nights", featuring John Travolta himself, this entire ad is a musical explanation of T-Mobile's home internet. And you know what? It works. Even if Travolta is meant to be the central figure, it's best friend duo and Scrubs legends Zach Braff and Donald Faison whose singing and dancing steal the show.
37. M&Ms - Maya Rudolph
There was a high ceiling with Maya Rudolph's involvement, but a series of shorter ads fell a little flat. Some of what she says is right — everyone does love Maya. Clam candy, though, might not be the next big Halloween trend.
38. Avocados From Mexico - Naked
"What if the Garden of Eden had avocados" is not the scenario I thought we would ever posit, especially during a Super Bowl. Nor how avocados could eventually lead to a world where everybody, from police officers to the Statue of Liberty herself, is naked.
39. Oikos - The Sanders Family
Coach Prime and his superstar son Shedeur are the headliners in Oikos' Super Bowl ad for the second straight year, and this time their entire family joins them in a bid to see who is strongest of them all. Old Time Prime Time karate-chopping through a table makes him the strongest, but this ad isn't the strongest out of all those to play on Sunday.
40. Pepsi - Steve Martin's Elements of Acting
This one starts with such promise, as Steve Martin opens performing surgery on Mrs. Hastings, a very good dog. But despite some very entertaining moments from one of the most underrated actors in the business, you spend the whole commercial feeling like a bigger, signature joke is coming, but it never arrives. A underwhelming misfire from Pepsi, and not even Martin losing a battle with surgical gloves at the end can elevate this from the decidedly average category.
41. FanDuel - Kick of Destiny
The concept of having Gronk attempt a kick live during the Super Bowl is a home run. But all the initial ad really did was announce what will be happening, and the pay-off that came in the third quarter when Gronk missed it left seemed hurried, to the point that much of our staff didn't know if it was the actual kick or just another promo. The involvement of Adam Vinatieri as Cronk's trainer for the attempt, though, was excellent.
42. Tubi - Rabbit Holes
I get it, all the rabbits were meant to reference the "rabbit holes" we can all go down from time to time watching movies. It took awhile to get to that payoff, however, so most of the ad was just rabbits creepily kidnapping people. One of them Sparta-kicking somebody down said rabbit hole was humorous, however.
43. Remy Martin - Serena's Speech
Serena Williams nails the motivational speech in what would be a perfectly fine commercial the rest of the year. But a standard motivational speech doesn't move the needle as much on Super Bowl Sunday.
44. Bush's - Peyton Manning's Cadence
Peyton Manning elevates anything he does on a television screen, and it's never a bad thing to see the ever-wonderful spokes-dog Duke. There's just a limit to how many times you can hear "Roll that beautiful bean footage" in a row before you get tired of it.
45. Doordash - We Get Groceries
Getting Wu-Tang Clan's Raekwon the Chef is a nice boost to this ad, but the commercial's best joke (you have to smell the butt, referencing pineapple) comes first, and nothing else matches it over the remainder of the 30-second spot. A decidedly average ad.
46. Temu - Shop Like A Billionaire
There's earworm potential with the commercial's jingle, but this is an example of a commercial that's perfectly fine 364 days of the year, but doesn't hang with a lot of the other offerings it was up against.
47. Booking.com - Melissa McCarthy Needs a Vacation
It's just Melissa McCarthy singing about wanting a vacation, from different vacation settings she could travel to via the website. Parents everywhere will appreciate her final line about wanting child care wherever she does travel, though.
48. Planters - Roast of Mr. Peanut
Planters' concept — "Peanuts are made to be roasted" — is where the positives begin and end with this ad. Jokes from roast legend Jeff Ross are the only ones that don't fall flatter than peanuts in a batch of brownies.
49. TurboTax - Dance
So it's a guy ... dancing in front of a dancing fountain ... with the time he saved by having Turbotax do his taxes for him. Cool.
Note: These rankings were meant to evaluate ads that were tailored to the Super Bowl's setting. Ads that were not, such as standard movie trailers, ads that simply explained a new product or the company's history, and promos for FOX network shows, were not included in the rankings. Local ads that varied from market to market were also not included.
