The name of this list is “The Most Noteworthy Superbowl Commercials” because the advertisements below are not all the best, but I do feel that these stood out. I could rank the worst, the funniest, or the ones that pulled your heartstrings the most as that seemed to be the theme for this year. But I’d rather point out the commercials that faired the best in terms of creativity, execution and impact.
Snickers: Very Brady
This commercial featured the familiar story of someone not being themselves because they’re hungry. Eating a Snickers candy bar quells that hunger and the character returns to their normal self. This particular commercial wowed with its realistic setting on the nostalgic set of “The Brady Bunch.” However, the funny part about this one is that Marsha, when she’s hungry, is played by hardcore actor Danny Trejo. It doesn’t end there, as a hungry Jan is replaced by Steve Buscemi. Snickers wins a spot on this list thanks to its humorous replacements and super-realism when it comes to incorporating the Brady Bunch cast.
Loctite: Positive Feelings
I never knew what Loctite was, but now I want to glue everything with it. Loctite is a brand of super glue and the company certainly made a name for itself with its Superbowl ad. Hilariously dubbing a trap-reggae track over the dancing of a bunch of average folks, Loctite branded themselves by having these zany actors repair broken glasses, fix a unicorn brooch and glue bottles to walls, all the while the dancers are wearing red Loctite fanny packs. The humorous commercial ends with a grown woman sitting in a grown man’s lap who said, “Loctite saved [their] marriage.” The randomness and comedy this commercial possesses makes it a top choice for ad favorite.
Always: Like A Girl
Sticking with the trend of emotive and powerful commercials during this year’s Superbowl, feminine product brand “Always” encourages high self-esteem in girls and women by showing how the idea of doing something or acting “like a girl” has become an insult. The ad, however, points out that young girls think “like a girl” means to be strong, fast and great. Always gets a check plus in its attempt to furnish higher self-esteem in women, and the commercial does a great job at creating a positive image for the brand.
Microsoft: Braylon
This Microsoft commercial featuring a young boy with prosthetic legs tugs on the hearts of all who watch. The commercial notes how Microsoft’s technology helps with Braylon’s — a young boy — prosthesis. Throughout the commercial, viewers are shown clips of Braylon as a baby, then as a toddler, and then as a young boy and each time we see him running, playing and being active, he is smiling all the while. Microsoft easily puts a smile on the face of viewers and proves that its superior technology is more than just computers, phones and Xboxes.
McDonald’s: Pay With Lovin’
The suffering fast-food giant is working on changing its menu and public image. It has been making progress on the former, so the latter is getting a kick start by the company starting a new trend — pay for your McDonald’s food with love. In the commercial, McDonald’s employees tell customers that in order to get their food, they must call someone close to them and tell that person that they love them. This interesting marketing campaign works off of the company’s previously long-standing slogan, “I’m Lovin’ It,” along with the big yellow smile that brandishes many pieces of marketing collateral. While I question the success of this campaign (and payment method), the advertisement is creative, unique and full of surprises.
Fiat: Blue Pill
This commercial totally came out of nowhere and probably raised myriad eyebrows. The ad is a showcase of the new Fiat 500X, but begins by filming an elderly Italian couple about to make love. Quickly, the elderly husband reaches for his bottle of blue pills when his last pill flies out of his hand and out the window. Viewers then follow the blue pill as it zips around a quaint Italian village before finding its way into the gas tank of a small Fiat. The little bugger bounces around and makes the crossover “bigger, more powerful and ready for action.” Kudos for the left-field use of a male-enhancement medication.
Doritos: Middle Seat
Doritos usually delivers with wowing commercials. This year, the chip brand relied on humor alone. Doritos’ ad takes place on an airplane where a man next to an empty middle seat tries everything he can to prevent people from taking that seat. He feigns that he has irritable bowel syndrome, repugnantly flosses his teeth, snores and hangs all over the middle seat. It’s not until an attractive young lady spots the seat that the man changes his mind. Brandishing a big, unopened bag of Doritos, the man subtly tries to get the young lady to take the seat. Unfortunately for him, strapped to the woman’s chest is — temporarily out of sight — a baby, and that’s when the man realizes he is going to be sitting next to the cliched crying baby the whole flight. The commercial ends with the man asking the baby if he could put in a good word to his mother about him.
Coca-Cola: Make It Happy
The soda giant has been on its A-game as of late. The soda industry isn’t doing so well, with health-conscious Americans avoiding sugary drinks. Coca-Cola is doing its best to combat that, like over the summer when it launched a campaign putting names on it cans and bottles, encouraging consumers to share their coke with someone of the name on the bottle. During the Superbowl, Coca-Cola furthered its happy image by kicking cyber bullying in the butt with a tasteful commercial. A Coca-Cola worker spills a drop of the soda on a server and causes web pages all over the place not to break, but rather show something positive and happy. Coca-Cola does a good job at equating friendship, peace and happiness with its name, and this commercial adds to its friendly appeal.
eSurance: Sorta Pharmacist
All hail the return of Heisenberg! The online insurance company brought back Walter White, the lead of the hit TV series “Breaking Bad,” played by Bryan Cranston. In the commercial, a lady arrives at her pharmacy, but to her surprise, Walter White is the pharmacist. She doesn’t recognize him, and instead exclaims how he is not Greg, her usual pharmacist. White responds by saying how he is sorta-Greg, and lists how they are similar: “We’re both over 50 years old, we both used to own a Pontiac Aztec and we both have a lot of experience with drugs — sorry, pharmaceuticals.” The advertisement already wins for featuring the beloved TV character, but the dialogue is as funny as it is reminiscent of the character on the show. The comparison here is that eSurance wants to let customers know that it will only pay what’s right for them, not what’s sort of like them. Double points for the relevant pitch.
Budweiser: Lost Dog
The beer giant did it again. Like last year’s heart-tugging commercial, Budweiser makes do with a little lost puppy to bring happy tears to viewers’ eyes. Someone needs to keep that puppy from getting lost — oh, the Clydesdale horses take care of that. That’s right, this year’s commercial finds the owner’s horse rescuing the poor lost puppy from certain doom when the it encounters a snarling wolf. Chills are felt when the horse rescues the dog and they all come running back to the owner in something as picturesque as a Thomas Kinkade painting. A sweet song plays in the background throughout, and the ad ends with the red Budweiser logo with the hashtag“#BestBuds.” Man’s best friend takes the cake again as one of, if not the most favorable, heartwarming commercial of Superbowl XLIX.