A good Super Bowl ad – a good ad, period – does four things well: it’s funny, it’s memorable, it forces you to buy the product, and it leaves you with a more favorable view of the brand.
Jake Ciely was twice the best fantasy baseball ranking and the highest fantasy football ranking. But does that apply to commercials? We’re about to find out.
Feel free to throw poor Jakey in the comments. He has very strong feelings in some of them. Important note: movie trailers don’t matter. Sorry, but this is a different category and we can’t go there.
(And hey, if you like the rankings – and who doesn’t? – check out our fantastic 2021 basketball, updated fantasy basketball and fantasy football rankings “much too early”)
Top 10 Super Bowl commercials
1. GM: No Way Norway
Will Ferrell, Kenan Thompson and Awkwafina do this pretty well, especially Ferrell, but the Scandinavian stinger joke made me laugh. I declare this the best advertisement of the night.
Nando: I can’t disagree. It was fantastic.
2. Fried Lay: Super Bowl
So he might be at number 1 all night! Not. But it was fun as long as it lasted! This spot aired before the game began. Marshawn Lynch. Peyton Manning. He could have stood there in silence for 30 seconds and been great. Simply Amazing. “Don’t be scared of the ball” and “Come on, we’re friends,” were great, with Lynch’s narrative taking over.
3. Cheetos: It wasn’t me
Okay, I knew right away it was happening and I laughed … right away. I’m a fan of Ashton Kutcher, and the new lyrics and the ending (won’t spoil the joke) … very well done.
Nando: I really liked the one at Flat Matthew.
4. Doritos 3D: Matthew flat
It has crazy vibes from “Twilight Zone,” mixed with Judge Doom from “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” And it works! It’s funny, it’s memorable – the scene of the cafe where it is initially invisible is fantastic. I guess this will be the favorite ad of many people this year. Even the “Don’t try if you’re a 3D person” warning was subtly funny.
People’s Choice – Jeep with Bruce Springsteen
As much as we love our Frito-Lay brands and Will Ferrell, we can’t deny that the rest of the world loves Bruce Springsteen commercials. Maybe a little too much, but who are we to judge? We award this Annual Super Bowl Award for Excellence (PCSBCAFE). Congratulations, Jeep!
5. M&M: I’m sorry
The mocking genre reveals “Karen” and more, it was pretty good. Not from above, but good for laughter.
Nando adds: We (my wife and I, not Jake and I) finally gave in and started watching “Schitt’s Creek” – everyone who sells it warns that you have to go through the first two seasons until it becomes really okay – and I have to say I get the hype. It’s “Parks & Rec.” I just hope Eugene Levy won’t be overexposed.
6. Tide: Jason Alexander Get Stepped On etc.
The bonus is laughing for the ’80s Believe It or Not’ TV bed. Alexander’s changing faces were quite funny, however, they could be more memorable for how strange he looked at the end (he looked old).
Nando: I don’t think Jake got the “Seinfeld” connection to the song! Would he have pushed him to 5th place?
7. Uber Eats: Wayne’s World
From Nando: “The ad itself was fine, but I like everything Wayne’s World -” NOTTT !! ”, Tia Carrere, without saying 2 or 1 when you count someone in a TV movie – and despite being mailed in, I enjoyed seeing them on screen again. “As for me, it was just fun to see them again, but honestly, they would have ranked higher with the one before the Super Bowl, which was better …
8. Sam Adams: Cai
The image of the person who was checked by the hip through the window made me laugh and, for whatever reason, every time I hear “Your cousin, from Bos … tone”, I will giggle.
9. Bud Light: Legends (Avengers)
Good for giggles and a trip on the Bud Light commercial memory tape. The real type of brilliant men! But how do you give up, “On your left!”?
Nando: This is probably number 2 for me. Hearing “Yes, I am” again was so great. And “I loved you man” in the past tense. And the guy who sang “Mister Vending Machine Repairmann”. I watched this three times in a row.
10. LYRIQ: ScissorHandsFree
Do half of the people watching Super Bowl remember “Edward Scissorhands”? This is another callback commercial for kids in the ’90s (ish)). I feel like that hits a certain group, and luckily I was in it, because it was funny. He didn’t run on the floor laughing, but funny, especially with Winona Ryder repeating her role.
HONORABLE MENTION
Michelob Ultra: Happy
It wasn’t funny, but it had a very interesting aesthetic; the part where it went live video (Anthony Davis playing chess) was a fun twist from an initial feeling of “here comes a serious art commercial” and, in general, I like watching a commercial where I recognized everyone. In addition, I will always receive my vote when I use “Can I kick him?
Tracy Morgan for Rocket Mortgage – “Pretty Safe”
Funny flat-out and looks pretty expensive to make. I love everything Tracy Morgan does. In fact, “30 Rock” is one of the most underrated shows. Everyone sweats “The Office”, but you don’t see the same reverence for “30 Rock”.
Craig Robinson Pizza Hut
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45ua4JWfUEk
It plays total nostalgia and I’m not even sure it’s a “Super Bowl commercial”, because it has six days on YouTube and seems to lack that great feature, but it was broadcast after the team was introduced and I thought it was smart and fun . And man, you can’t find Pizza Hut lampshades anywhere on eBay. This didn’t make the Top 10 final, but anything with Craig Robinson (I watched and enjoyed “Ghosted” on FOX a few years ago) works for me.
Paramount +
Patrick Stewart has not aged since 1990, a few good laughs, SpongeBob again, but seriously, OTHER streaming services ?!
Nando: Yes, but “Yellowstone” is wonderful
Seltzer Bud Light Lemonade
It helped us laugh at the misfortune of what 2020 was like, and we especially appreciated the involvement of MLB cardboard cutouts. Side note, man, the “tough” seltzer could have been the biggest beneficiary of 2020 … enough!
Skechers: maximum damping
Meh. Does buying these shoes come with a certification to be a father or a mother?
Jimmy John’s: King of Cold Cuts
A few moments of laughter, but “Jimmy’s John’s” was repeated. In fact, I laughed the most at the “Don’t try” warning when I turned on the billboard. Uh, I’m not kidding, folks.
The worst commercials in the Super Bowl
Hellmann’s Mayo
It wasn’t funny and seeing a chocolate cake suggesting the use of mayonnaise legitimately hurt my stomach.
Pringles: Blocked astronauts
It’s not memorable. How do I know? I mentioned it, and the people I was with didn’t even remember the broadcast. The forklift ad reached its peak and was only good with Bill Hader.
Oatly
It was certainly memorable, but for all the wrong reasons. Weft. I guess it should have been “bad”, and props for the CEO, I think? But it won’t make me want to buy Oatly. Internally, this can win the prize for the worst of this year.
Klarna: Small horses, four payments
I even tried to figure out what the point of sale was or to remember who it was for, because it wasn’t funny, and CGI was one of the worst I’ve ever seen.
Feel Good Collection
Ford: Finish Strong
Anheuser-Busch: Let’s have a beer
Indeed: Rising
Toyota: Jessica Long Story
Guinness: Joe Montana goat
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