Super Bowl ads are polarizing – football purists hate anything that takes away from the game, and your average partygoer loves them. They come in many shapes and sizes, from tear jerkers to comedy gold, all with the same goal of leaving a branded impression on consumers. There’s stiff competition, meaning there are more flops than successes, which is why the $5.6 million price tag for a 30-second spot at Super Bowl LIV is a major gamble. 

But when you win, you win big. Just last week, my dad was talking to me about a Budweiser commercial from the early 90s. He still remembered. And that is the kind of brand recognition and recall you can score when you absolutely crush your Super Bowl ad campaign. So, in the spirit of championship, our team weighed in on our favorite Super Bowl ads.

Doritos: Keep your hands off my momma – Whitney Albert and Murray Lace

This Doritos commercial from 2010 takes a humorous approach, making it one that viewers wouldn’t soon forget.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4aEUkFTa6Q

Tide: 2018 ad compilation – Carlee Smith

Tide turned traditional Super Bowl commercials upside down by poking fun at iconic brands and recognizable advertisements with this series of commercial spots. And, as a huge Stranger Things fan, having David Harbour as the spokesperson made it that much better! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIW3l-ENHdA

Budweiser: #bestbuds – Taylor Jolley

Three things I love: dogs, horses, beer. This commercial was a major win for me, and America agreed. https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/budweiser-puppy-love-commercial-for-super-bowl-wins-americas-heart/2014/01/31/8432c8f2-8a8c-11e3-916e-e01534b1e132_story.html

Always: #likeagirl – Gracie Lee, Ashley Schaller and Jenna Taylor

“Like a girl” is beautiful and necessary, especially to young girls. It challenges the narrative that we as a society should associate femininity to weakness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjJQBjWYDTs

Pepsi: Cardi B 2019 – Brittany Mizell

Major star power and pop culture relevance drove this successful ad for one of America’s favorite beverages.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgnJQ4oPKgM

Volkswagen: Darth Vader – Courtney Ellett, Lauren Hannaford and Addison Walker

Time calls it “the ad that changed Super Bowl commercials forever.” It is a quintessential example of the things parents do for our kids! VW nailed it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n6hf3adNqk

Miller High Life: One Second Ad – Kelli Brignac

For years, Anheuser-Busch has OWNED the Super Bowl. This one-second commercial showed some real creativity and clever thinking to get around the exclusivity they couldn’t penetrate on a national level. Plus, it worked. Which is the end goal of all commercials, right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f83AYIJiQUw