Home Editor Picks Super Bowl LVII Commercials That Stole The Show

Super Bowl LVII Commercials That Stole The Show

Darren Ryding February 14, 2023

Pepsi’s Acting Class

Pepsi ran two Super Bowl commercials with Steve Martin and Ben Stiller. The powerful drinks brand showed remarkable self-awareness by having the two superstars question the nature of endorsements. In the video below, Martin drinks a can of Pepsi and appears to enjoy it but then says that he is acting (via Adweek).

On the one hand, it’s a smart tactic because it encourages people to find the truth for themselves. They think they’re making an informed decision by buying the drink and deciding if they like it or not. But they’re still putting dollars in Pepsi’s massive coffers. It’s better to listen to the truth of the ad and to avoid celebrity influences.

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Workday Rock

Most people probably don’t expect a workplace productivity app to make one of the craziest Super Bowl commercials. But that’s exactly what Workday achieved when it brought a clutch of rock stars together. The likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Talent, and Kiss’s Paul Stanley appeared in this extravaganza.

These days the word rockstar is a tired cliche in offices. Workday’s premise saw the superstars enter an office and show the businessmen what it means. There’s no doubt that it made a bunch of middle-aged men smiles. That’s because these rockers were the faces of their generation.

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Ma&Ya’s

M&M’s trolled America with one of the smartest Super Bowl commercials of the night. They temporarily rebranded the popular chocolate candies and named them after Maya Rudolph. The former Saturday Night Live star is one of the nation’s favorite comedians. That’s why they called them Ma&Ya’s as a pun on her name (via Polygon).

It’s also a reference to Fox News’ outrage after the company desexualized its ads. A lot is going on behind the scenes in this witty advertisement. It loses points because it might go over many people’s heads if they don’t care about these things. But it’s also amazing how many viewers thought that this was a permanent change.

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Poker Face

When we mention ‘Poker Face’ in the Super Bowl context, most people will think about Lady Gaga. But we’re not talking about her mesmerizing 2017 halftime performance. No, this is about Rian Johnson’s hit TV show with an all-star cast including Natalie Lyonne and Adrien Brody. Lyonne reprised her role in one of the most meta Super Bowl commercials.

This is one of those advertisements that only connected with a section of the audience. Many football fans didn’t understand the context of the storyline because they hadn’t seen the show. But Poker Face fans enjoyed it because it stayed true to the series. We’re not sure if that’s very effective but it was still interesting (via Gamerant).

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Thank You, Canada

There probably isn’t a human being on this planet who doesn’t like Dave Grohl. The Foo Fighters star is one of the most appealing people in existence. That’s why a Canadian whiskey brand, Crown Royal, opted to make him the face of one of the most unexpected Super Bowl commercials (via Sportsnet).

In the video, Grohl thanks Canada for everything that it has achieved. Remember, the former Nirvana drummer is American but he has no problem showing his appreciation to his northern neighbors. Everybody from Celine Dion to Seth Rogen receives credit. He even says that the Canadians invented peanut butter but we’re not sure about this.

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Amazon

Many people hate Amazon but there’s no denying that they’ve got a great marketing team. This was one of the most sentimental Super Bowl commercials because it had a cute dog. The poor pooch wants his family to show him love but they are too busy with their devices to care (via Geekwire).

Many people will observe the irony of Amazon perceiving to care about anything except its profit lines. After all, it notoriously exploits many of its staff. Nonetheless, it’s an effective and emotional ad that worked its magic on many viewers. The powerful corporation played scored a touchdown with this effort.

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Tubi’s Rabbit Hole

Streaming service Tubi won an award for one of the most surreal Super Bowl commercials ever. It’s safe to say that nobody who watched this will look at a rabbit the same way again. In short, it sees gigantic bunnies kidnapping people and forcing them down holes to explore their favorite content (via iSpot).

It’s extremely strange but viewers loved the wackiness of it. One commentator said that Tubi’s main problem was that they blew their budget on this advertisement. Nonetheless, they successfully made a statement as they look to become a major player in a congested market.

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Stallone Face

Most people probably never thought they’d see Dora the Explorer and Sylvester Stallone in the same shot. But that’s exactly what Paramount offered viewers with one of the wackiest Super Bowl LVII commercials on this list. Paramount announced that it will collaborate with Showtime to rebrand its streaming platform (via Stuff).

The pair will move forward as Paramount + With Showtime. It doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue but there’s no questioning that they have some incredible talent. Stallone stars in the popular mobster show, Tulsa King, and he’s lighting up the small screen. Perhaps we should replace Mt. Rushmore with an action-hero alternative.

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PopCorners

This PopCorners commercial had one joke but it was a funny one. It was also a major treat for ‘Breaking Bad’ fans because it reunited Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul in their iconic roles. The pair lit up TV screens for years as Walter White and Jesse Pinkman. They reprised these characters in one of the most entertaining Super Bowl LVII commercials.

The advertisement substituted chips for meth as White scolded Pinkman for ‘using their own supply.’ They also engaged in a deal with Raymond Cruz’s Tuco Salamanca in one of the ad’s most intense moments. It was very entertaining and brought a smile to many people’s faces because they didn’t expect it (via Sporting News).

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Michelob

Popular brewer Michelob went big with this ‘Caddyshack’ parody. They combined cinematic nostalgia with superstar appeal as they hired Serena Williams and Canelo Alvarez. Meanwhile, they even lured Michael O’Keefe back to his role as Danny Noonan. He infamously tried to escape this for 20 years so they must have paid him his weight in dollar bills.

Caddyshack is one of the funniest sports films ever so it’s nice that it was back in the spotlight. Let’s hope some of the children watching these Super Bowl commercials learned something. It would be nice if parents explained the context of these moments to their little ones (via Looper).

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Rakuten is Clueless

There’s nothing quite like a throwback to affect audiences. Rakuten had one of the most nostalgic Super Bowl LVII commercials because they had a ‘Clueless’-themed video. Alicia Silverstone and the cast of the 1995 movie played their original roles as they captivated middle-aged women across the nation.

The stereotype is that it’s only men who watch the Super Bowl but that’s not true. It’s also safe to say that many viewers thought that Rihanna’s halftime show and this advertisement were the most entertaining moments of the night. Finally, it’s incredible how well they look considering the movie is almost 30 years old (via Deadline).

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The Busch Guide

This parody survival video made a lot of viewers laugh because it was so ludicrous. Sarah McLachlan stole the show as she sheltered a wolf in this entertaining clip. However, it also says a lot about Americans that they included a special disclaimer. This said: “Not a real survival guide.”

Anybody who uses Super Bowl LVII commercials as actual life lessons is in desperate need of an intervention. That being said, this was an entertaining advertisement but one that many people will forget. That’s why it’s worth going back and looking at everything because there was so much to see (via Country Now).

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Disney 100

It’s hard to believe that the House of Mouse is 100 years old. However, the production powerhouse continues to go from strength to strength. Disney created one of the most impressive Super Bowl LVII commercials as it allowed its history to speak for itself. This was a beautiful trip down memory lane for viewers of every age.

These days Disney is pushing its streaming platform as it competes with Amazon and Netflix. It hopes that franchises like Star Wars and Marvel will give them the edge as they move forward. But as Walt Disney said, it all started with a popular mouse. Let’s hope that nobody forgets that (via Gizmodo).

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Jack’s New Angle

Doritos was one of several big companies that took a meta approach to their Super Bowl LVII commercials. This one saw rapper Jack Harlow swap his hip-hop career for the triangle. One YouTuber commented that this is ironic because most Dorito chips are broken. But we’re not going to be too hard on them for that (via EatThis.com).

Harlow competes with Elton John for the triangle player of the year. Arguably, his biggest win is melting Missy Eliott’s heart with his excellent triangle skills. It’s a little bit weird and maybe it went over some people’s heads. When they’re guzzling Bud Light and chicken wings they’re probably not thinking about creativity.

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GM x Netflix

General Motors know that the world is tilting toward electric vehicles. They partnered with Netflix for one of the longest and most creative Super Bowl commercials we’ve seen. The two giants hired Will Ferrell to be the face of the ad as he dipped into some of Netflix’s most famous creations (via Variety).

Ferrell and his vehicles appear in Netflix hit like Bridgerton, Stranger Things, and Squid Game. We’re certain that many middle-aged men will think that an EV would improve the former. It also arguably has more star power than any of the other Super Bowl LVII commercials in 2023.

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Squarespace

Adam Driver put in one of the best performances of his career in this excellent Squarespace ad. Driver is one of the greatest actors of his generation and he gives this role everything. The idea that Squarespace is a site that creates other websites makes this a very meta commercial but it’s great (via The Drum).

An infinite number of Drivers emerge and fill the screen. This video has a high production value and it shows that Squarespace understands the power of Super Bowl LVII commercials. They poured everything into this one so they’ll hope to reap the rewards. Driver did everything to get them over the line.

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Dunkin’ Donuts

Many people said that this was one of the only Super Bowl commercials that made them laugh. Ben Affleck was perfect in his role as a Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru attendant. He was so convincing in the role that some viewers said that it should be his side hustle. It’s safe to say that he enjoys eating donuts more than selling them but he did a great job.

Affleck’s memorable “You’re embarrassing me in front of my friends,” was one of the funniest lines of the night. The only issue we have with this is that we’re not sure if J-Lo eats donuts. It’s impossible to look like that at 53 without consuming a diet of celery and filtered air. In the end, this was an excellent advertisement and one that did New England proudly (via People).

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