When it comes to the Super Bowl, there’s a little something for everyone. Even if you’re not interested, or at least invested, in the game, you can certainly tune in for something else…like the commercials. That’s because the ads run during the big game are akin to the Super Bowl of commercials. They’re the best ads you’ll see run all year and definitely the most expensive. Outside of how much each commercial costs to make, it’s insanely pricey to air it during the Super Bowl. In fact, in 2019 the cost of a 30-second spot was priced between $5.1 million to $5.3 million, which is a bonkers chunk of change that produces some of the most iconic ads of all time. All you have to do is keep reading to see which of these Super Bowl commercials make this list.
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What is your favorite Super Bowl commercial of all time? Is it on our list? Let us know in the comments!
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Best Super Bowl Commercials
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12. Alexa Loses Her Voice
In this 2018 ad, Amazon's Alexa loses her voice and has it replaced by a variety of celebs including the inimitable Cardi B. It's incredible for the cameos alone, but the concept itself is pretty funny, too.
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11. Danny DeVito Is a Human M&M
Danny DeVito is one of the funniest humans alive. He's also a tiny short dude who's shaped like an M&M, which is why this 2018 ad where the red M&M comes to life as Danny DeVito is one of the most memorable of all time.
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10. Budweiser's Puppy Love Ad
Budweiser was really tugging at our heartstrings with their 2014 Puppy Love ad. In it, an adorable puppy becomes BFFs with one of the Budweiser Clydesdales. Well, we can't even finish explaining it without getting teary-eyed.
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9. Volkswagen and the Force
Growing up can be a real bummer since we lose touch with believing in magic once we reach adulthood. This is why Volkswagen's ad about the Force made such a splash with viewers. We're all responsible for helping people believe in magic.
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8. Old Spice and the Man Your Man Could Smell Like
Old Spice's 2010 Super Bowl commercial about "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" was so super successful it seared itself into the public consciousness, which meant many, many ads with hunky actor Isaiah Mustafa selling Old Spice products on horses.
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7. Bud Light and GOT Joust
In 2019, when Bud Light approached HBO to do a Game of Thrones crossover ad they were tapping into the public consciousness. GOT was soon to air its final season and we were all going to need a lot of Bud Light to get through how bad it was, even if we didn't quite know it yet.
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6. Larry Bird & Michael Jordan Play For a Big Mac
Back in simpler times, *cough* 1993 *cough* a Super Bowl ad could be as simple as Larry Bird and Michael Jordan competing for a Big Mac. This is exactly what happens in this McDonald's ad, but somehow it's as over-the-top as the players themselves.
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5. Pepsi Now and Then With Britney Spears
Back before Britney Spears lost her mind and shaved her head, she was the most sought-after face of a zillion ad campaigns, including this epic 2001 Pepsi through the years ad that places Brit Brit in different scenes throughout the 20th century. By the end, you'll be saying Pepsi please even if you're strictly a Coke person.
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4. Ridley Scott's Mac 1984 Ad
For the 1984 Super Bowl, iconic director Ridley Scott did what he does best and created a timeless sci-fi ad for Mac back when it was still Macintosh. Anyways, now Mac is listening to everything we do, which is the most 1984 stuff of all time and why it's on this list.
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3. Betty White Plays For a Snickers
Betty White. Football. Snickers. Honestly, this 2010 commercial earned its right to be on this list when White gets sacked.
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2. Joe Greene Tosses a Jersey For a Coke
It's unknown if Coca-Cola knew they were producing one of the most epic commercials of all time when they had a kid offer Pittsburg Steelers player "Mean" Joe Greene a coke. What's been seared into the public consciousness since then is an ideal of late '70s Americana: the Coke revives Greene and he tosses his jersey to the kid. Hopefully, that kid grew up and put that jersey on eBay and really made some money off it.
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1. Just One Look at Cindy Crawford Drinking Pepsi
Pepsi's 1991 "Just One Look" Super Bowl commercial starring supermodel Cindy Crawford sent a legion of millennial men into puberty. We could explain the ad to you, but why would we when you could just watch it and find out why for yourself?
