The Super Bowl’s Most Memorable Commercials We Can’t Stop Thinking About

The Super Bowl has been home to some of the most memorable and iconic commercials in advertising history. From Coca-Cola’s “Mean” Joe Greene in 1979 to Apple’s “1984” in 1984 and Budweiser’s “Puppy Love” in 2014, these ads have become ingrained in popular culture. The commercials are known for their star-studded casts, creative storylines, and the ability to capture the audience’s attention in just a few seconds.

One of the most iconic commercials during the 1979 Super Bowl is from Coca-Cola featuring Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Joe Greene and a fan. The commercial, created by the advertising agency McCann Erickson, was part of Coca-Cola’s “Have a Coke and a Smile” ad campaign of the late 1970s.

The 1984 commercial was established to promote the Macintosh computer and was inspired by George Orwell’s novel. The ad went on to become a cultural icon and a watershed moment for product launches.

Puppy Love was a commercial for Budweiser which featured the infamous Clydesdale horse and. A puppy. This commercial displayed the bond between the puppy and the horse, promoting the theme of friendship and connection.

Hare Jordan is arguably one of the most iconic commercials featuring a combination of the iconic Michael Jordan and Warner Bros. This commercial served as the inspiration for the original Space Jam movie.

Yet another Budweiser commercial on this list, the Budweiser Frogs features three frogs named “Bud”, “Weis”, and “Er”. Each of the frogs would croak in sequence, eventually forming the Budweiser name.

The Tide Talking stain commercial aired in 2008 during Super Bowl XLII, which features a job applicant with a shirt stain during an interview. This commercial was an instant success, even winning a 2007 Cannes Silver Lion award.

Rated as the second highest commercial on Ad Meter in 2017, the Yearbooks commercial was a major success. The ad displayed authentic yearbook pictures of TV, film, sports, and comic book legends like Magic Johnson, Stan Lee, and Steve Carrell.

This commercial by Hyundai was packed with some serious star power with Rachel Dratch, Chris Evans, John Krasinski, and David Ortiz. The commercial aired during Super Bowl LIV in 2020, which was used to promote the all new Sonata. The Sonata wanted to display the cars’ ability to park remotely using the key fob.

Despite Breaking Bad ending a few years ago, Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul teamed up to promote PopCorners.

Pairing a major brand like Disney with the Super Bowl will surely get viewers to respond. This commercial specifically aimed to promote the company’s 100th anniversary. The commercial, “Disney100 Special Look”, featured scenes from iconic Disney films, series, stage productions, theme parks, and fans.

Always Like a Girl aired during the Super Bowl in 2015, aimed to go against the negative connotations associated with the phrase “like a girl”. The ad featured individuals being asked to run, fight, and throw “like a girl,” and highlighted the stark difference in how young girls and older individuals interpreted the phrase.

Google “Loretta” was an emotional commercial showcasing an elderly man using Google Assistant in order to remember his wife. The ad had a man reminiscing about his favorite memories with his wife while using the Google Assistant to recall old photos of the pair.

E-Trade has been using the infamous talking babies in their commercials since 2008, during Super Bowl XLII. The commercial featured a baby using E-Trade in order to buy and sell stocks. Since then it has become a series of baby commercials that have remained synonymous with E-Trade. 

While Scrubs has not aired for a few years, T-Mobile used Scrubs stars Zach Brad and Donald Faison for their commercial. The pair teamed up with Jason Momoa and Jennifer Beals as well. The ad depicted Braff and Faison, playing suburban neighbors, arriving at Momoa’s house with Super Bowl snacks, only to discover that the party was canceled because Momoa was waiting for the “cable internet guy.”

The iconic Old Spice commercial with the phrase “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like,” was a major success during Super Bowl XLIV. The ad featured an iconic character played by Isaiah Mustafa.

The It’s a Tide Ad was one of the most memorable Super Bowl commercials from 2018. The ad included actor David Harbour, mostly known for his role in Stranger Things. The commercial presents a series of stereotypical ads, but with the twist that they are all actually Tide ads, as evidenced by the spotless clothing of the characters. The concept was a hit, with the ad trending on Twitter during the game and winning prestigious awards in advertising, including D&AD’s Black Pencil.

Yet another Budweiser commercial, Born the hard Way, tells a story of the beer’s creator and his journey from Germany to America. The 1-minute spot depicts Busch’s challenging voyage and his eventual success in brewing Budweiser, celebrating the American Dream and the bold vision to brew the best beer in the world.

When I Grow Up was created in order to promote the new website Monster.com. The 30-second ad, created by the Mullen advertising agency, features children expressing their aspirations for the future, only to contrast them with the harsh reality of adult working life.

The Alexa Loses Her Voice commercial is a star studded event including stars like Gordon Ramsay, Rebel Wilson, Cardi B, and Sir Anthony Hopkins. This 90 second commercial depicts the many celebrities attempting to fill in for Alexa after she loses her voice.

Bud Light paired up with HBO for a great mix of Bud Light and the Game of Thrones. The infamous “The Mountain” from Game of Thrones defeats the Bud Knight, and Daenerys Targaryen’s dragon burn the ‘Dilly Dilly’ kingdom.

Cindy Crawford was an absolute culture icon and made a splash in this Pepsi commercial. The ad has Crawford exiting a red sports car to go to a vending machine to buy a can of Pepsi, all while two boys look on in amazement. This commercial highlights two things, the can of Pepsi and Crawfords amazing looks.

“Whassup” is truly one of the most iconic super bowl commercials during Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000. The commercial presents a group of friends greeting each other with the phrase “Whassup?” While drinking a Budweiser beer.

A Hero’s Journey was a phenomenal commercial featuring Melissa McCarthy. Melissa is portrayed as an eco-warrior who is attempting to save the planet during comedic and disastrous situations. This ad perfectly portrays the challenges of becoming an eco-warrior.

Toyota decided to use Paralympic swimmer, Jessica Long, in their efforts to promote their brand. The ad was also used in an effort to share an uplifting message of hope and strength.

This commercial features some major star power with Peter Dinklage and Morgan Freeman. The commercial pits Dinklage and Freeman against one another in an iconic rap battle. Dinklage was used to represent Doritos Blaze, while Freeman represented Mountain Dew Ice.

The MasterCard Errands show which aired in 2004 features the infamous character Homer Simpson. During the ad, Homer uses the MasterCard to run his errands, while hilariously forgetting to remember what to do.

It is not surprising to have another Pepsi commercial on this list, with “More Than Ok” airing during the 2019 Super Bowl. This commercial features Steve Carell.

Kevin Hart makes the Hyundai Genesis commercial a huge hit during the Super Bowl in 2016. The ad humorously portrays an overprotective father, played by Hart, who uses the car’s Car Finder feature to keep an eye on his daughter and her date during their first date.

Bryan Cranston truly hit his stride back in 2015, and featured in this infamous Esurance “Sorta Pharmacy” commercial. The ad, Cranston humorously portrays a “sorta pharmacist” who is not quite what he seems.

Infamous couple Scarlett Johanson and Colin Jost paired up to star in an Amazon Alexa commercial during Super Bowl 2022. The ad make s a joke about the concept of Alexa, the artificial intelligence, being able to read minds and the potential pitfalls that could arise from this ability.

The Now and Then commercial from Pepsi aired during the 2002 Super Bowl. The Pepsi commercial featured Britney Spears through a split-screen format. One side of the screen had her as a young performer and the other performing as a mature artist.

The Robo Dog Kia commercial featured the Kia EV6 with a cute Robo Dog. This commercial aired during the 2022 Super Bowl, and was used to promote the futuristic and innovative nature of the all-electric Kia EV6.

The Lollipop Guild commercial created by FedEx was a major ad during the 2000 Super Bowl. The ad features the Lollipop Guild from the infamous “The Wizard of Oz” losing their high voices while greeting Dorothy.

One of the most popular commercials from the Super Bowl in 2020 was the “Comfortable” commercial presented by Rocket Mortgage. This commercial features Jason Momoa, which portrays his “real” self at home.

Lays aired “Golden Memories” during the Super Bowl in 2022, and featured two high powered actors: Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen. The ad shows Paul and Seth reminiscing about their lifelong friendship and the memorable moments they’ve shared, often involving Lay’s potato chips.