The 59 Best Super Bowl Commercials of All Time: Unforgettable Ads That Stole the Show

It might be difficult for some die-hard football fans to understand, but some people watch the Super Bowl only for the advertisements.

To be fair, it’s a bit interesting. In 2025, most of us roll our eyes when we’re forced to see a commercial. We get premium accounts for things like Hulu,Netflix and YouTube to actively avoid seeing unwanted content.

But on Super Bowl Sunday, for some, it’s the game itself that’s unwanted.

That’s because the Super Bowl is the most-watched program in the world. So every company wants a piece of the pie. To stand out, companies put a ton of time, effort and cash into creating memorable ads.

In the age of social media, making an impact is even more crucial. It is incredibly easy to get lost in the millions of voices online.

So getting it right at the Super Bowl is a big, big deal.

Why Super Bowl Commercials Matter

According to a survey conducted by Forbes in 2023, roughly 20% of Super Bowl watchers believe the commercials are the “most important part” of the event.

Considering that nearly 125 million people tuned in for Super Bowl LVIII last year, that works out to 25 million people who are on their couch watching solely for the ads.

That’s a massive audience for companies, one that basically only exists on Super Bowl Sunday. So whatever you create needs to keep people laughing, talking or crying for the next few days.

Interestingly enough, the same thing is true for the viewers. People watching want a moment of comedy, or something strikingly beautiful. As cliche as it sounds, they want to feel something.

That’s why some Super Bowl ads are great. It’s why some have stood the test of time for decades. No one would argue that the Budweiser frogs were Hollywood-level special effects ... but that didn’t matter then and it still doesn’t today.

What Makes a Great Super Bowl Commercial?

If creating a perfect Super Bowl ad had a formula, every company would be using it. Unfortunately, there’s no one way to make a commercial great.

However, there’s one element that almost all the great ones share.

Humor.

As Cosmo Brown puts it in “Singin’ In The Rain,”: Make ’em laugh, make ’em laugh, don’t you know everyone wants to laugh?

According to a CINT survey from 2018 found that two-thirds of consumers measure how much they enjoy an ad by its humor. Consumers also said that humorous ads are more memorable than those attempting to simply sell a product or leverage its own status.

That probably explains why the vast majority of our list (which can be found below) is made up of funny ads. Whether it’s a slow-burn joke like the classic “Castaway” spot from FedEx, or the shock-value of Reebok’s “Terry Tate: Office Linebacker” ad, laughter is king at the Super Bowl.

Although, it’s worth noting that while the most successful ads tend to bring the levity, there have been a few that successfully went the opposite route, choosing to tug at the heartstrings and lean into heavy topics.

Microsoft’s 2014 ad “Empowering” showcases how the company’s products make life easier for those who are disabled. Budweiser’s “Puppy Love” spot, also from 2014, leverages people’s soft-spots for adorable puppies and “Let Her Go” by Passenger to get the waterworks going.

But, perhaps the single-greatest Super Bowl ad didn’t use a famous song, Hollywood actors, or even any dialogue.

In 2002, Budweiser aired a touching spot called “Respect” just once during Super Bowl XXXVI. The ad never ran again (until 2011). It featured the iconic Budweiser Clydesdales pulling the wagon through the countryside and through a small town until reaching New York City, where the team of horses bowed to the city skyline where the World Trade Center towers would have stood prominently just a few months prior.

The 59 Best Super Bowl Commercials

(In No Particular Order)

Editor's note: Ads did not need to debut at the Super Bowl to be included. Coca-Cola's iconic ad with "Mean" Joe Greene and Wendy's "Where's the Beef?" spot both made their debuts before the Super Bowl but were also broadcast during the game. So they made the cut.

Heinz: "Wiener Stampede" (2016)

Apple: "1984" (1984)

Pepsi: "Jimi Hendrix" (2004)

Ameriquest: "Don't Judge Too Quick" (2006)

Pepsi: "Your Cheatin' Heart" (1996)

Hyundai: "Smaht Pahk" (2020)

Tabasco: "Mosquito" (1998)

NFL: "Touchdown Celebrations To Come" (2018)

Monster: "When I Grow Up" (1999)

Bud Light: "Up For Whatever" (2014)

McDonald's: "The Showdown" (1993)

Doritos: "Pug Attack" (2011)

Reebok: "Terry Tate, Office Linebacker" (2003)

Budweiser: "Respect" (2002)

Tide: "Miracle Stain" (2013)

Jurassic Park The Lost World Teaser Trailer (1997)

Mountain Dew: "Puppy Monkey Baby" (2016)

Coca-Cola: "Hey Kid, Catch" (1980)

E-Trade: "Monkey" (2000)

Budweiser: "Wazzup Girlfriend" (2000)

Heineken: "Beer Run" (2005)

Turkish Airlines/Batman v Superman: "Fly To Gotham/Fly To Metropolis" (2016)

Old Spice: "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" (2010)

FedEx: "We Apologize" (1998)

EDS: "Cat Herders" (2000)

Pepsi: "Wile E. Coyote & Deion Sanders" (1996)

NFL: "The 100-Year Game" (2019)

Dunkin' Donuts: "Drive Thru With Ben" (2022)

Chrysler: "Halftime In America" (2012)

FOX: "Family Guy Promo" (1999)

Pepsi: "New Can" (1992)

EDS: "Running With The Squirrels" (2001)

Samsung: "Next Big Thing" (2013)

Snickers: "Betty White" (2010)

Pepsi: "Now And Then" (2002)

Microsoft: "Empowering" (2014)

Bud Light/Game Of Thrones: "Bud Knight" (2018)

Popcorners: "Breaking Good" (2023)

Nike: "Hare Jordan" (1992)

Wendy's: "Where's The Beef?" (1984)

Doritos: "Time Machine Crash" (2014)

Budweiser: "Streaker" (2006)

WIX.com: "Disruptive World" (2017)

E-Trade: "Talking Babies" (2008)

Lay's: "Golden Memories" (2022)

Pepsi: "Get Together" (1995)

FedEx: "Castaway" (2003)

Volkswagen: "The Force" (2011)

Budweiser: "Bud-Weis-Er" (1995)

Jeep: "Back In The Loop" (2020)

Bud Light: "Secret Fridge" (2006)

Tide: "It's A Tide Ad" (2018)

FedEx: "Carrier Pigeons" (2008)

Doritos: "Keep Your Hands Off" (2010)

Buick: "Not So Pee-Wee Football" (2017)

M&M's: "Sexy And I Know It" (2012)

Honda: "A New Truck To Love" (2016)

Doritos: "Free Doritos" (2009)

Budweiser: "Puppy Love" (2014)

The Lasting Legacy of Super Bowl Commercials

For something as fleeting as a 30- or 60-second ad spot to be remembered a year later is impressive, let alone for 10, 20 or in some cases 40 years.

These advertisements transcend the standard commercial fare. Some of these launched iconic ad campaigns, others became memes and others still remain emotional or hilarious.

Commercials aren’t unique to America, but there’s something about Super Bowl ads. The sport is the most-American thing going in 2025, the entire broadcast is like a tribute to Americana and the commercials add something so special.

The World Series is played over (at least) four nights, but there’s no added hype from stellar works of art between innings. This is something unique to Super Bowl Sunday.

Which is why, despite living in an age where consumers despise advertisements and are constantly searching for the instant gratification of a dopamine hit, the Super Bowl will remain king for advertisers year in and year out.