My Honest Take on This Year’s Super Bowl Commercials

I sent this out in an email last week, but I thought I should save it to the blog as well! If you're NOT on our email list yet, you should be. Read this blog first, and then sign up at the bottom for our newsletter!

Now that the Super Bowl dust has settled, and I've had a chance for form my opinions, let’s talk about the real reason we all tune in—the commercials. (Or at least why Marketers like myself tune in. I'll break it down for you though because there are some important lessons for all business owners!)

Every year, brands shell out millions (yes, MILLIONS) hoping to make us laugh, cry, and (ideally) buy their product. Some absolutely nailed it, some missed the mark, and one was so deeply disturbing that I now actively dislike an entire brand.

I don't want you to just take my word for it either though, I read through USA TODAY’s Ad Meter, Marketing Millennials' predictions, and Yahoo Sports' best-and-worst list to see how my opinions stacked up against the experts. Some I agreed with, others… not so much.

The Best of the Best

🏆 NFL – “Somebody” (10/10)
No contest. This one made me cry (again). Emotional, inspiring, and exactly what a Super Bowl ad should be. LINK TO WATCH

🏆 Bud Light – “Cul-De-Sac Party” (9.8/10)
This was hilarious, and tying it into the actual stadium at the Super Bowl was genius. It kept the ad top of mind even after the game ended.

🏆 Homes.com – “What’s Legal?” (9.5/10)
They took repetition and branding to another level. Their slogan is now burned into my brain, which means they did their job.

🏆 Lay’s – “The Little Farmer” (9.3/10)
This was beautifully done—heartwarming, creative, and had all the makings of a great ad. My only critique? It took forever to figure out it was a Lay’s commercial.

🏆 Hellmann’s – “When Sally Met Hellmann’s” (9.0/10)
Super clever. The When Harry Met Sally throwback was perfect, and Sydney Sweeney’s cameo gave it modern appeal. But while I laughed, it didn’t exactly make me want mayo.

🏆 Personal Jesus (9.0/10)
This one hit home for a lot of people. A powerful ad done well.

The Strong Contenders

Budweiser – "First Delivery" (8.5/10) – SO cute, but the mom in me was slightly unsettled by a baby horse delivering beer. Still, it gave me all the nostalgic feels.
Pringles – "Call of the Mustaches" (8.0/10) – Quirky, unexpected, and genuinely funny. It stood out without being over-the-top.
Nike – "So Win" (8.0/10) – I wanted this to be a standout, but I actually forgot about it until I rewatched. Great message, just not as impactful as I expected.

The “Pretty Good” Group

Meta – "Broken Statue" (7.5/10) – Funny if you already know about the product. Not sure it would convince someone unfamiliar with it.
Snoop & Tom Brady – "Stop Hate" (7.0/10) – Important message and well-intentioned, but could have been more impactful.
Dunkin' – "DunKings 2" (7.0/10) – Love the Boston cameos, but too chaotic for my taste.
Stella Artois – "David and Dave" (7.0/10) – Creative and somewhat memorable, but didn’t hit as hard as other ads.
Little Caesars – "Eyebrows Raised" (6.5/10) – Funny but slightly creepy. I don’t want sentient eyebrows near my pizza.

The Only Hard No

🚨 CoffeeMate – “Let’s Go Tongues” (-1000/10)
Absolutely not. This was horrifying. I don’t ever want to think about their brand again. A total disaster of an ad.

How My Thoughts Stack Up Against the Experts

📌 USA TODAY’s Ad Meter ranked Budweiser’s “First Delivery” as the #1 ad, proving that sentimentality still wins big. I liked it, but the baby horse delivering beer was a little weird for me.

📌 Marketing Millennials had Nike’s ad as their #1 most anticipated commercial… but it didn’t even make USA TODAY’s top 10. I agree—it didn’t hit as hard as expected.

📌 Yahoo Sports loved Dunkin’s ad, but I thought it was too chaotic to be truly great.

📌 Hellmann’s made every major “best of” list, proving that nostalgia still sells—even if it doesn’t necessarily move product.