Super Bowl Ads: Entertaining, Sure… But Expected?
Next Creative Co.
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Kevin Deane, Director of Client Engagement
Is it just me, or do Super Bowl ads feel more expected than ever? Big celebrity. Something topical. A joke that gets a laugh (or at least a smirk). It’s fun, but it’s also starting to feel formulaic. Or as we say, “Is it clever, or is it lazy?”?
You can almost see it coming. A nostalgic reboot of a TV show or character. A self-aware celebrity making fun of themselves. A joke designed for social reactions more than long-term impact. The formula works—it’s entertaining, and people talk about it (for a day or two)—but when every brand follows the same playbook, nothing really stands apart.
Call me practical, but the best commercials do more than entertain. They make you feel something. Take these throwback spots… Google’s CODA or Loretta stand out because they aren’t just about tech—they tell a deeply human story using their product in a way that feels real. Budweiser’s Clydesdales ads have always been about more than beer; they’ve told rich, emotional stories that stick with you long after the game is over. Heineken’s Let a Stranger Drive You Home ad worked because it was unexpected, and it left you with a simple, memorable jam… I mean takeaway. Or, the gut punch from The Farmer’s Dog that reminds us how special time with our pets can be.
I still love a great, funny Super Bowl ad. But the ones that really hit (for me) do more than entertain. They tell a story, create a feeling, and give you something to hold onto beyond the game.
Katy Stafford, Creative Director
I think Kevin nailed the SuperBowl trends we’ve all grown a little tired of. And taking a look at the 2025 Super Bowl Ads, we got the full roster of formulaic:
So in a crowd thick with celebrity and the funny familiar, is anyone managing to stand out, and more importantly, why?
Building off of what Kevin has already identified, Clydesdales have been a part of Budweiser's brand since the repeal of prohibition in 1933 and part of their Super Bowl marketing strategy since 1975. In a context where most major brands fixate on the new, the loud, and the absurd for their Super Bowl ad strategy, Budweiser’s sharp-eyed awareness of how their beer is tied to the landscape and legacy of America grounds their advertising in a strong, evocative strategy. As a result, they own a well-established corner of the market that none of their competition can hope to touch. This year’s ad, featuring a young Clydesdale with moxy, gained national attention before the game ever aired, including a special feature on Good Morning America. From my vantage point, Budweiser is the best example of how maintaining consistency in your brand story might not be the most flashy approach, but certainly pays off over time.
If I had to pick a favorite celebrity ad this year, hands down its Pringles. One of my biggest pet peeves about celebrity ads is that so many brands fall into the trap of simply linking their product with the brand of the celebrity they feature. Rather than clearly differentiating their own brand in the market, they ride on the coattails of a famous persona.? It’s a cheap trick, and it leaves viewers talking more about Glen Powell’s luscious locks than about the Ramcharger. By contrast, Pringles picked their most iconic graphic marker–the mustache– and playfully included personalities with the most epic of mustaches to fly Pringles to a party in need. It was original, memorable, and kept Pringles the star of its own commercial.
Plenty of skepticism exists around AI, and brands made a point of steering clear of any AI generated content in their Super Bowl ads after the Coca Cola holiday ad snafu. Big brands like Google and OpenAI who are pushing AI as a product face a similar minefield: there is a strong aversion to any ad that feels fake, generated, or too easy. Google learned this lesson the hard way last summer after a tonal miss during their Olympics ad featuring Gemini writing a letter for a little girl to her heroes. The ad highlighted exactly what we DON’T want AI for–sterilizing the creativity and imperfections of a child finding her own language and resolve to chase the people she admires.
So the stakes were high for Google to hit the right note with their Super Bowl ad, and I thought Dream Job nailed the ask. Featuring an empty nester dad prepping for a job interview after he has completed the most rewarding job of his life–raising his child–Google positions the Gemini product as an assistant to help our hero express himself more confidently, rather than an agent to do things for him or polish his humanity out of the picture.?
Throughout the piece, Google paced this father’s life out with heart, playfulness, and lots of ordinary moments, all to great effect. Even though I knew the game Google was about, I teared up during the scene when the hero cried in the car after dropping his daughter off at college. It struck a poignant note with me as someone at the start of parenthood, looking to give my best at work without missing the precious moments with my kids and spouse.??
And it highlights an important cultural insight: for AI to win in the right now, it needs to thread a needle of feeling helpful and expanding capacity without robbing humanity of ability, agency, or even the natural obstacles they want to overcome to accomplish their goals.?
And my vote for Best Ad of the Superbowl?
领英推荐
Original, hilarious, and perfectly keyed in to what their target audience would be feeling on the morning after the Super Bowl, the Coors Light Case of the Mondays commercial offers a truly memorable concept with a fantastic punchline: get a better case of the Mondays. Pairing the ad with their limited release “Mondays” case packaging, Coors invited viewers to relax on Monday evening with a Coors Light after what was likely a slow and groggy work day. From initial idea through final packaging execution, this concept won on every level, not just responding to the opportunity the SuperBowl offers for advertising but owning the event uniquely to push their product.?
Tim Hackney, Partner/Creative
Kevin and Katy make some great points. I’ll close things out by speaking a bit more to the near misses in the formulaic category and then give you a couple of my personal faves as well.
So close, but so far.
Katy called this ad out as smirkable, but forgettable, and I have to say, I wanted to love this. It was so close for me. The missed opportunity was failing to let great actors do physical comedy instead of forcing them to read bad copy. There were half a dozen opportunities to let Dafoe and O’Hara do what they do best (when not playing pickle ball) that could have taken this ad to 11. If you’re going to hire celebrities to, er,? serve as the face of your brand, you need an idea worthy of them, not a concept that hinges upon their fame.?
This was an ad that ALMOST delivered on the rich, emotional stories that Kevin celebrated in a great Super Bowl ad. But, with home prices being what they are, I fear an ad that certainly would have resonated with many people in our country instead will be seen as tone deaf. A great ad understands the needs and reality of the consumer and meets people where they are. Period. That said, I liked how they tied in “Country Roads” to the music pumping into the stadium though. Pretty incredible coordination.?
Advocates will tell you this ad wins because we are all still talking about it. I disagree. Gross. Contrary to popular belief, skin doesn’t win. Sorry.?
More flying hair. Bet the Pringles creatives were forehead smacking when they saw this one. I think Little Ceasar’s was the cautionary flip of the coin with the Pringles commercial. Katy talked about this a bit: While LC hinges their concept on Eugene Levy’s persona, Pringles wrote an original concept rooted in a brand attribute that’s existed for decades. Our son called Pringles “Man Chips” from a very young age, so I felt like they grabbed onto that truth a stuck to it - and had fun with a lot of celebs known for their mustachios. Little Caesar’s? Not a lot there to really own. Where I will give Little Caesar's some recognition is in their day-after tweet. Love a brand that is willing to lean into a miss with some wit and playfulness.?
And My All Time Winners? Here are the quick hits.?
Such great writing and casting! The only bummer here was that these ads were a bit involved and I think they got lost on rooms full of people eating apps and wings who don’t get quiet for the ads during the “Big Game” anymore.
Maybe I’m forgetting an ad or two, but I believe this is my vote for funniest. Mainly because it was so unexpected and well delivered. 75% of the actors were not well-known for comedy, but the delivery and writing was freaking hilarious and everyone came through. Bravo.
Probably my vote for second funniest, based on writing and casting. Bud Light gets back to its Super Bowl advertising roots and completely crushes it with Post, Shane, Peyton, and a 30’ cooler. If lines like “ I have a colonoscopy tomorrow.” or “No, our smoker cuts grass.” don’t land with their target, let’s all just go greet people at Home Depot.
Those were our favorite Game Day moments, we’d love to hear some of yours!!