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 gives you a more favorable look at the brand.
Jake Ciely has twice been the best rankings of fantasy baseball and once the best rankings of fantasy football. But does it apply to advertising? We’re about to find out.
Feel free to drop by on poor Jakey in the comments. He feels very strongly about some of this. Important Note: Movie trailers do not count. Sorry, but that’s a different category and we can not go there.
(And hey, if you like rankings – and who doesn’t? – check out our fantasy baseball 2021, updated fantasy basketball and ‘all too early’ fantasy football rankings)
The Top 10 Super Bowl Ads
1. GM: No Way Norway
Will Ferrell, Kenan Thompson and Awkwafina make it pretty good, especially Ferrell, but it’s the Scandinavian sting joke that really made me laugh. I declare it the best ad of the night.
Nando: I can not agree. It was fantastic.
2. Frito Lay: Super Bowl
So it can sit at number 1 all night! Nope. But it was nice while it lasted! This place was broadcast before the match even started. Marshawn Lynch. Peyton Manning. Could have sat there for 30 seconds and been awesome. Simply wonderful. “Do not be afraid of the ball” and “Come on, we’re friends” were wonderful with Lynch’s narration.
3. Cheetos: it was not me
Okay, I knew right away it was going to be laughing … right away. I’m an Ashton Kutcher fan, and the new lyrics and ending (will not spoil the joke) … very well done.
Nando: I liked the Flat Matthew one so much better.
4. Doritos 3D: Flat Matthew
It has crazy “Twilight Zone” vibes, mixed with Judge Doom from “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” And it works! It’s funny, it’s memorable – the coffee shop scene where it’s initially invisible is fantastic. I assume this will be many people’s favorite ad this year. Even the indemnity, “Do not try if you are a 3D person,” was subtly funny.
People’s Choice – Jeep with Bruce Springsteen
We do not like our Frito-Lay brands and Will Ferrell, we can not deny that the rest of the world likes the Bruce Springsteen ad. Maybe a little too much, but who are we to judge? We award this first annual People’s Choice Super Bowl Commercial Award for Excellence (PCSBCAFE). Congratulations, Jeep!
5. M & M’s: Sorry
Mocking sex revealed, “Karen” and more, it was pretty good. Not on top of hope, but nice to laugh.
Nando adds: We (me and my wife, not me and Jake) finally struck out and watched “Schitt’s Creek” – with everyone selling it warning you to go through the first two seasons until it really well – and I have to say I get the hype. This is ‘Parks & Rec’. I just hope Eugene Levy is not overly exposed.
6. Gety: Jason Alexander Get Stepped On, etc.
Bonus laugh for the 80s TV music bed (“Believe It or Not”). The changing faces of Alexander were quite funny, but it can be more memorable for how strange he looked at the end (looked outdated).
Nando: I do not think Jake got the “Seinfeld” connection with the song! Would that have driven it to number 5?
7. Uber Eats: Wayne’s World
From Nando: “The ad itself was just OK, but I like everything about Wayne’s World -” NOTTT !! “, Tia Carrere, does not say the 2 or 1 when counting someone in a TV recording – and despite the fact that it’s sent an email., I loved seeing them on my screen again As for me, it was simply fun to see them back, but honestly, it would have ranked higher than the one before the Super Bowl, which was better …
8. Sam Adams: Horses
The image of the person making horse look out the window made me laugh, and for whatever reason, I will laugh when I hear, “Your cousin, from Bos … ton,”
9. Bud Light: Legends (Avengers)
Good for laughs and a spin in the commercial memory lane of Bud Light. Real Men from Genie Guy! But how do you leave out: “On your left!”
Nando: That’s possibly number 2 for me. Hearing “Yes I am” again was so wonderful. And ‘I loved you man’ in the past tense. And the man who sang ‘Mister Vending Machine Repairmannnn’. I watched it three times in a row.
10. LYRIQ: ScissorHandsFree
Do half the people watching the Super Bowl remember ‘Edward Scissorhands’? This is another callback ad for kids from the 90’s. I feel like it hits a specific group, and luckily I was in it because it was amusing. Roll not laughing but amusing on the floor, especially not with Winona Ryder reconsidering her role.
HONORABLE MENTION
Michelob Ultra: Happy
It was not funny, but it had a very cool aesthetic; the part after which it switched to live video (Anthony Davis plays chess) was a fun twist on the initial feeling of ‘here comes a serious artistic commercial’, and I usually like watching an ad where I all recognize it. Plus, I’ll always get my voice heard when I do ‘A Tribe Called Quest’ Can I kick? ‘
Tracy Morgan for Rocket Mortgage – “Pretty Sure”
Extremely funny and it seems like a pretty expensive way to make. Love everything Tracy Morgan does. In fact, ’30 Rock ‘is one of the most underrated shows. Everyone is sweating ‘The Office’, but you do not see the same reverence for ’30 Rock ‘.
Craig Robinson Pizza Hut
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45ua4JWfUEk
Total nostalgia play, and I’m not even sure it’s technically a “Super Bowl ad” because it’s six days old on YouTube and it doesn ‘t look like it’s that big, but it’s broadcast to the team ‘s launch and I thought it was smart and fun. And man, you can not find those Pizza Hut lampshades anywhere on eBay. It did not make the final Top 10, but anything with Craig Robinson (I watched and enjoyed ‘Ghosted’ on FOX a few years ago) works for me.
Paramount +
Patrick Stewart has not been old since 1990, some laughter, again SpongeBob, but seriously, ANOTHER streaming service ?!
Nando: Yes, but “Yellowstone” is so wonderful
Bud Light Seltzer Lemonade
Helped us laugh about the misery of what was in 2020, and I especially appreciated that the MLB cardboard cutouts got involved. But, man, ‘hard’ seltzer was perhaps the biggest beneficiary of 2020 … enough!
Skechers: Max Cushioning
Meh. Is it when buying these shoes to be a dad or mom?
Jimmy John’s: King of Cold Cuts
A few hilarious moments, but ‘Jimmy’s John’s became repetitive. I actually laughed the most at the warning, “Do not try,” when I lit the billboard. Uh, no kidding, people.
The worst Super Bowl ads
Hellmann’s Mayo
Wasn’t funny, and seeing a chocolate cake suggesting I was using mayo woke up my stomach.
Pringles: Stranded Astronauts
Not memorable. How do I know? I mentioned it, and people I was with did not even remember it being broadcast. The commercial staple flavors peaked and were just fine with Bill Hader.
Unfortunately
It was definitely memorable, but for all the wrong reasons. Woof. I think it must have been ‘bad’, and props for the CEO, I think? But it would not make me want to buy Oatly. Internally, it could win the award for this year’s worst.
Klarna: Small horses, four payments
I struggled to even understand what the selling point was, or to remember for whom it was because it was not funny and the CGI was some of the worst I have ever seen.
The Feel Good Collection
Ford: Finish Strong
Anheuser-Busch: Let’s have a beer
Indeed: The Rising
Toyota: Jessica Long Story
Guinness: Joe Montana BOK
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