Super Bowl Sunday is one of the year’s biggest celebrations—not only for the game but for the food, halftime spectacle and the commercials that have become part of the tradition. With over 100 million viewers tuning in annually, advertisers often save their most creative spots for the broadcast, producing ads that stick in the cultural memory. As Super Bowl LX approaches, here are ten commercials that many consider the all-time best.
10. Wendy’s — “Where’s the Beef?” (1984)
A short, surprising commercial showed three elderly women examining giant hamburger buns with a minuscule patty inside. One woman’s outraged question—“Where’s the beef?”—became an instantly recognizable catchphrase and cemented the ad in pop culture.
9. E*Trade — “Talking Babies” (2008)
E*Trade used an absurd but memorable idea—babies who speak like savvy investors—to poke fun at online trading. The campaign took off online and became one of the brand’s most enduring advertising concepts.
8. Volkswagen — “The Force” (2011)
Playing on Star Wars nostalgia, a child dressed as Darth Vader tries to summon the Force on household items and a Volkswagen. The twist comes when a parent helps the fantasy along with a remote, giving the kid a thrilling payoff.
7. Pepsi — “New Can (Two Kids)” (1992)
Featuring supermodel Cindy Crawford, the ad has two boys gawking as she buys a Pepsi at a gas station. Their amazement shifts from her presence to the new Pepsi can, capturing ’90s pop-culture glamour with a wink.
6. Amazon — “Alexa Lost Her Voice” (2018)
This spot imagines every Alexa device suddenly losing its voice and celebrities stepping in as replacements—sometimes hilariously inaptly (Gordon Ramsay scolding a user, Cardi B answering space questions). The star-studded concept leaned into humor and the ubiquity of voice assistants.
5. McDonald’s — “The Showdown” (1993)
Larry Bird and Michael Jordan face off in a films-ready sequence of escalating trick shots, with the loser forced to watch the winner eat a Big Mac. The ad mixes athletic star power with playful competition and cinematic stunts.
4. Budweiser — “Frog” (1995)
Budweiser turned croaks into marketing gold, using frogs in a swamp that rhythmically call out syllables to spell the brand name. The simple, catchy concept became a widely recognized and imitated spot.
3. Budweiser — “What’s Up?” (2000)
A group of friends repeatedly call one another while amusingly greeting each other with an ever-growing “What’s up?” The line quickly jumped into everyday slang, helping the ad transcend its product pitch.
2. Coca‑Cola — “Hey Kid, Catch” (1980)
One of the most emotional athlete spots ever aired, this commercial features “Mean” Joe Greene brightening after a young fan offers him a Coke; Greene then tosses the boy his jersey with the line, “Hey kid, catch.” The moment became a classic example of sports-star goodwill on screen.
1. Apple — “1984” (1984)
Directed by Ridley Scott to promote the Macintosh, this cinematic commercial cast a lone heroine who shatters a dystopian “Big Brother” broadcast. Presented as a bold statement against conformity, it was a revolutionary ad that many outlets and critics still cite as the greatest commercial ever made.
Honorable mentions
Nike — “Hair Jordan” (1992); Pepsi — “The Joy of Pepsi” (2001); Snickers — “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” (2010); Old Spice — “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” (2010); Esurance — “Solta Pharmacy” (2015); Dunkin — “Drive Thru” (2023); Snickers — “Betty White for Snickers” (2010); FedEx — “Cast Away” (2006); Reebok — “Terry Tate: Office Linebacker” (2003); Budweiser — “Old School Delivery” (2024); Electronic Data Systems — “Herding Cats” (2000); Pepsi — “Dancing Bears” (1997); Google — “Love in Paris” (2010); Taco Bell — “Viva Young” (2013); Tide — “It’s a Tide Ad” (2018); E*Trade — “Money” (2000); Squarespace — “Sally’s Shell” (2022); Uber Eats — “The Beckham Family” (2024); Pepsi — “Apartment 10G” (1987); Pepsi — “Diner” (1995).
Fan Take:
Super Bowl ads are more than commercial breaks—they shape pop culture and show how brands tap into the passions and personalities of football audiences. For NFL fans, these spots enhance the event’s communal feel and illustrate how storytelling, celebrity and humor can deepen viewers’ emotional connection to the game day experience.
