Missed the big game? I’ll catch you up with what’s important.
For most people, the Super Bowl is about football. It’s about whose bet will come through at the end of the night and who will have bragging rights for their team until next year’s big game. But for everyone else, it’s about what’s going on when the ball isn’t in play. The halftime show and the millions of dollars spent on advertising for this one-night event are things you don’t want to miss. Here are seven of my favorite commercials played during Super Bowl LVII.
1. Farmer’s Dog
Before anything even happened onscreen, I was tearing up in anticipation of the dog dying. Luckily, it went in a direction so much better than that. We got to witness Ava and her dog, Bear, grow up together. In the span of only 60 seconds, you’re already attached to the pair as she promises to always take care of him. From running around the house to starting a family in her new home, Farmer’s Dog kept Bear healthy to be there for all of Ava’s milestones. I foresee this dog food brand having a lot more subscribers in the future thanks to this sweet advertisement!
2. Squarespace
I don’t think anyone was complaining about more than one Adam Driver during Squarespace’s ad. Looking like it’s straight out of a sci-fi movie, the actor goes on a reflective journey to ultimately face the “Singularity.” This is after the realization hits that Squarespace could’ve created itself as a website that makes other websites. If I would’ve been flipping through the channels at this point, I would mistake it for “The Matrix” and think Driver is Keanu Reeves. The portal-like entity of the Singularity unfortunately sucks up all of Adam Driver’s clones, not leaving any behind for his fans. This rollercoaster of an ad makes Squarespace an overall memorable brand.
3. T-Mobile
T-Mobile aired two different advertisements that caught my attention during the Super Bowl. First up is a reimagined version of John Travolta’s “Summer Nights,” except he has zero hair to grease back and is missing the iconic Olivia Newton-John by his side after her passing last year. He’s still got the voice though, and the lyrics are very creative. His neighbors aid him in choosing T-Mobile for 5G home internet as he, of course, asks them to “tell me more.”
T-Mobile’s other successful ad that night was a hilarious interaction between actor Bradley Cooper and his mother, who he is known for taking as his plus-one to various award shows. It becomes a blooper reel of the duo trying to act together as a pink-wearing T-Mobile employee and his customer. “I think I know what I’m doing. I’ve been nominated nine times,” Bradley Cooper tells his mother towards the end of the ad. “Yeah, but you never won any,” she scoffs back as they cackle together. The authenticity shown in this commercial speaks volumes of their relationship offscreen, and I applaud T-Mobile for using that to market themselves in a heartwarming way.
4. Netflix and General Motors
Will Ferrell crosses over into our favorite shows in this collab with the streaming giant and renowned car manufacturer. Because General Motors is “going electric,” Netflix promises to include more EVs in its programs. I’m going to be honest; I did not know EV stood for Electric Vehicle before this commercial and was lost for part of its runtime, but I’m glad I’m now up to speed with the 21st century. Anyways, Ferrell demonstrates how an EV could be in shows we know and love such as Stranger Things and Bridgerton with a few cameos from actors and actresses in those shows. Sounds like a win-win for both companies!
5. Pepsi
Ben Stiller shows us his acting skills in many genres in this Pepsi ad. This includes his popular “Zoolander” role as the eponymous male model. The cult-classic resurfaced on TikTok last year with a new trend that made memes from a red-carpet scene with him and Owen Wilson as “Who is She?” by I Monster plays in the background. I love to see brands keeping up with pop culture and what is trending among younger generations. Ben Stiller recognizes that he has become a meme (even if it’s from a movie that is more than two decades old) and takes advantage.
Steve Martin also did a similar spot for this beverage brand, giving us an acting class of sorts on different emotions to be portrayed as “real.” He confirms that it’s all just acting as he takes a long swig of his Pepsi Zero and has a great reaction to the taste. “Or was I just acting? Only way to find out is to try it for yourself.” I adore this approach to giving viewers a challenge, almost a call to action, at the finale of this Pepsi ad. It almost makes up for if they found that the taste of Pepsi Zero IS actually bad and that Martin was acting all along! He still got you to try it in the end.
6. Doritos
Everyone seems to be obsessed with Jack Harlow these days; who can’t be complaining about his success on the silver screen thus far. He will be playing the protagonist of the remake of “White Men Can’t Jump” coming out in May, after all. During the big game, Harlow stars in an ad for Doritos where he finds his “new angle.” This next big break is playing a new instrument: the triangle. Every scene, especially the crowd’s first reaction to the triangle and when the triangle replaced Britain’s currency, made me laugh. Elton John’s cameo as the “Triangle Player of the Year” was a nice surprise too! Doritos encourages its fans to “try another angle,” which they took to heart for this successful spot.
7. Busch
Most people (and their wallets) dread the tear-jerking animal commercials that ask for our donations as pitiful pictures of the creatures flash onscreen. Busch took light of this and had singer Sarah McLachlan come on when the narrator introduces us to his third survival necessity: shelter. “For just dollars a day, you can help helpless animals find shelter,” McLachlan states over her famous song for these emotional commercials, “Angel.” A variety of fauna being emotionally filmed is interrupted by the cracking open of a Busch Light as he tells her that’s the wrong kind of shelter. With creative teams like this behind the operation, it definitely won’t be the last we see of Busch in the Super Bowl.
While Rihanna’s performance in the halftime show was spectacular, there’s just something about watching the advertisements in between the game play. It’s truly special to have an event where NFL fanatics and art appreciators from all walks of life can come together and enjoy!