Back in 2015, brands shelled out around $4.25 million for a Super Bowl ad spot. Fast forward ten years, and that price tag has nearly doubled. According to USA Today, companies are reportedly coughing up a cool $8 million to secure a coveted spot in this year’s ad lineup.
And let’s not forget The Swift Effect. Taylor Swift’s NFL appearance last season sent viewership soaring, and with her back-to-back attendance this year on the Super Bowl—cheering on her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce—the hype hit record levels.
Of course, the Philadelphia Eagles and Kendrick Lamar weren’t the only ones making headlines on Super Bowl Sunday. Brands also scored a marketing touchdown with their creative (and now-viral) campaigns that has everyone on social media talking.
As for me? I don’t actually watch the Super Bowl for the football. I’m here for the Halftime Show and the genius commercials—so I can tweet about them in real-time and drop completely unhinged references in random conversations weeks (or months) later. With that in mind, I’ve rounded up five of the most interesting ads from Super Bowl LXI that caught my eye.
Genius Beluga – NerdWallet (Deutsch)
Deutsch went all out for Kieran Culkin’s first Super Bowl commercial. Fresh off his Golden Globe win for A Real Pain, Kieran lends his voice to a financially savvy beluga whale in NerdWallet’s debut Big Game ad.
In the teaser, he schools Richard on choosing the right credit cards—an impressively intelligent move for a beluga (seriously, look it up). The ad comes at a fitting time, as Kieran heads into the Oscars as a Best Supporting Actor nominee and a frontrunner for the win. Who knows? He might even slip in a joke about his whale role during his acceptance speech—because, let’s be honest, that’s totally something he would do.
Century of Cravings – Uber Eats (Special USA)
Uber Eats’ star-studded Super Bowl ad, “Century of Cravings,” puts Matthew McConaughey at the center as a passionate sports conspiracy theorist who believes football was designed to make people crave food.
Special USA, the agency behind the film, assembled one of the most unexpected and delightfully chaotic celebrity lineups in recent memory. Kevin Bacon delivers a clever pun about his name while tracing the origins of football leather—pigskin. Hot Ones host Sean Evans is there for the “birth” of the Buffalo Bills, while McConaughey doubles down on his theory by dressing up as Bears coach Mike Ditka and declaring that NFL legend William Perry must be nicknamed “The Refrigerator.”
Adding to the madness, Charli XCX takes a bite of a Brat-colored apple — a nod to Apple Music hosting this year’s Halftime Show — while Martha Stewart enjoys a takeout salad, referencing the game’s venue, the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. And as if that weren’t enough, the entire story is actually McConaughey’s pitch to Greta Gerwig, trying to convince her to turn it into a movie — a literal chef’s kiss!
David and Dave: The Other David – Stella Artois (Artist Equity Advertising)
After a six-year hiatus, Stella Artois is making a splashy return to the Super Bowl ad lineup with an unexpected duo—Matt Damon and David Beckham, playing themselves as long-lost twins bonding over their favorite beer. Artist Equity Advertising, the creative minds behind this heartwarming (and hilarious) film, are playing the long game, teasing that this ad is just the kickoff to a year-long campaign. Stella Artois hints that people should “follow along all year to see how their relationship unfolds.”
Matt’s chemistry with David is undeniable—they could actually pass as twins if you ask me. While some might say the magic lies in their contrasting personalities, the real kicker is the cheeky Ben Affleck name-drop at the very end. Who doesn’t love teasing Matt about his bromance with Ben?
The Call of Mustaches – Pringles (FCB New York)
Pringles is making a triumphant return to the Super Bowl for the eighth consecutive year since 2017, once again spotlighting the spud’s iconic mustache. Following last year’s ad featuring Chris Pratt, the brand has enlisted actor Adam Brody, fresh off his Golden Globe nomination for Nobody Wants This.
In the film made by FCB New York, Adam blows into an empty Pringles can at a party, unknowingly sending out a distress signal to mustaches nationwide. Answering the call, Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid, NBA superstar James Harden, and actor Nick Offerman’s mustaches take flight, soaring through the skies—only to crash into a window and splat to the ground.
When Sally Meet Hellmann’s – Hellmann’s Mayonnaise (VML)
Hellmann’s is serving up nostalgia with a side of mayo in their new ad from VML, reuniting Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan in a scene straight out of When Harry Met Sally. Back at Katz’s Deli, the duo finds themselves sitting across from each other once again—only this time, Meg takes a bite of her sandwich and has another iconic reaction, stopping the entire deli in its tracks.
Among the stunned patrons? None other than Sydney Sweeney, who steps up to deliver the legendary line: “I’ll have what she’s having!”
Talk about a rom-com full circle moment!
