Last year, Super Bowl viewership peaked at 208 million people, which is not at all uncommon. In fact, the amount of Americans that dedicate time to the Super Bowl every year is almost enough to designate it a national holiday. Naturally, corporations always view this mass engagement of American consumers as a way to make a profit. The result is a guaranteed slew of thoroughly entertaining advertisements shown between game plays, and we have rated the best ones of this year.
10. SquareSpace (Featuring Adam Driver)
As is made abundantly clear by celebrity star Adam Driver, SquareSpace is a website that allows users to make websites. This paradox is the focus of the commercial, and while Driver’s token gravitas and deadpan solemnity make it somewhat bearable, the rest of the commercial is a miss. The advertisement has outstanding production quality, but overall felt more like a movie trailer than a piece of product marketing.
9. Pringles (Featuring Meghan Trainor)
This year's Pringles commercial is a good example of sticking to what is familiar. Since the advent of the Pringles can, there has been a running joke that everyone who has dabbled in the chip has gotten their hand stuck in the tube. While the bit is definitely overdone and provides nothing original, the pairing of Tina Turner’s classic song “The Best” with a guest appearance from Meghan Trainor drove home the point that it truly does happen to the best of us, and when something is that delicious, it is worth it.
8. Hellmann's (Featuring Pete Davidson, Brie Larson, and Jon Hamm)
The cast of this year's Hellmann’s commercial may seem random, until it is revealed that the two latter actors are meant to represent the delicious combo of ham and brie. The two find themselves in a fridge with a jar of Hellmann’s, which is then made into a sandwich by Davidson. The commercial is odd and quirky, with each actor just playing themselves. The selection of performers caters to a widespread audience, and the resulting sandwich certainly looks better with the addition of mayonnaise.
7. Uber One (Featuring Diddy, Montell Jordan, Kelis, Donna Lewis, and more)
While this commercial never once shows the capabilities of the Uber One service, the merits of it are certainly demonstrated through the passion of the celebrity stars who alter their most famous songs to sing its praises. Written with the producer Diddy as the central character, the overall story is well done and definitely encourages one to download the app.
6. Pepsi Zero (Featuring Steve Martin)
Beloved comedy icon Steve Martin showed off his acting skills in this Pepsi Zero commercial, which ended with him exuberantly announcing how good the product is. However, having spent the beginning of the advertisement convincing the audience of his acting abilities, he makes the point that he could be lying … so you’ll just have to try the product for yourself. This commercial utilizes an unexpectedly brilliant film technique, which makes for an enjoyable commercial when paired with charisma and Martin’s goofiness.
5. Crown Royal (Featuring Dave Grohl)
In this commercial, former Nirvana drummer and current Foo Fighters frontman lists things that have come out of Canada that he is grateful for. The point of this catalog is not made clear until the very end, when Grohl reveals that Crown Royal whiskey is also a Canadian product, and possibly the thing he is most thankful for. This commercial surprisingly inspires gratitude in viewers, along with encouraging them to sample the drink.
4. T-Mobile (Featuring Bradley Cooper and his mom)
T-Mobile’s commercial is in the form of a blooper reel in which heartthrob Bradley Cooper and his mother try to explain the benefits of the cell phone service. While the two are never able to get their intended point across, they provide some adorable footage of a mother and son spending time together, which the narrator reveals is the whole point of utilizing the service. Overall, this commercial was adorable and definitely utilized a heartwarming technique.
3. Pepsi Zero (Featuring Ben Stiller)
In addition to Steve Martin, Pepsi hired actor Ben Stiller to promote their product in a separate commercial. Stiller appears as many different characters, including fan-favorite Derek Zoolander, in order to demonstrate his acting abilities. The message is the same as that of Martin’s commercial, but something about seeing Stiller return as the empty-headed male model to promote the product sent it over the top.
2. Workday (Featuring Joan Jett, Ozzy Osbourne, Paul Stanley, Gary Clark Jr., and Billy Idol)
While the purpose of Workday was not made abundantly clear by the ad, it was still absolutely hilarious and included some incredible performers. The rock legends all lament the tendency of “corporate types” to refer to themselves as rock stars when they use the Workday platform. The narrative is hilarious and fun, and the cast itself is an adequate excuse for the message of the commercial getting lost in the fray.
1. PopCorners (Featuring Aaron Paul, Bryan Cranston, and Raymond Cruz)
This year's best advertisement involved the return of renowned actors Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston as their characters Jesse Pinkman and Walter White from the hit show “Breaking Bad.” While the show ended almost exactly 10 years ago, praise for it has never ceased, and the massive fan base resulted in it being the most anticipated commercial of the year. In the ad, Pinkman and White cook PopCorners together, and in doing so revisit many of the iconic lines that were nostalgic for those who are old fans of the show, and still got the point across for those who aren’t.
