10 Best NFL Super Bowl Commercials Of All Time, Ranked
Olivia Owen Fans just witnessed the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles collide in the Super Bowl. While football fans naturally tune in, the NFL's championship game is celebrated by more than just diehard sports fans. The Super Bowl is one of the most watched events every single year.
RELATED: 10 Forgotten Plays In NFL Super Bowl History (That Made A Huge Difference On The Game)
One of the reasons why the Super Bowl is such a big occasion is to see the ads. In the 80s, it became a tradition to have companies go all-out on production for an ad in the big game. This year, fans got to see Breaking Bad stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul return to reprise their roles in a PopCorners commercial. While that was a lot of fun, it's hard to top these ten ads.
10 Walter White Pharmacist (2015)
The 2015 edition of the Super Bowl was one of the greatest ever, as the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots battled back and forth to the end. The game saw Tom Brady lead an incredible fourth-quarter comeback, with the game being sealed with a Malcolm Butler interception on the goalline off Russell Wilson with seconds remaining.
It's fitting that on a night when Tom Brady cooked, Walter White returned. Bryan Cranston plays the character in the beloved Breaking Bad television show which ended a few years previous. In a commercial for Esurance, White returned, working as a pharmacist.
9 Hare Jordan (1993)
Younger fans of Space Jam might not realize where the first movie came from. In 1992, Washington faced Buffalo in the Super Bowl, with the latter suffering their second straight defeat in the big game. They also went on to lose the following two years as well.
During the 1992 Super Bowl, an ad featuring Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny playing basketball was released. Dubbed 'Hare Jordan', that commercial was very well received, as was a follow-up ad in 1993. The ad's success later led to the production of the first Space Jam.
8 Google: "Loretta" (2020)
Super Bowl LIV saw Patrick Mahomes earn his first ring by leading a furious fourth-quarter comeback against the San Francisco 49ers. During the big game, fans were moved by an emotional commercial from Google.
RELATED: 10 Best Players In Kansas City Chiefs History, Ranked
The ad features an older narrator using Google Photos to reminisce about his late wife, Loretta. The commercial was reportedly based on the grandfather of a Google employee and the company received praise for the ad.
7 Wendy's Where's the Beef? (1984)
Super Bowl XVIII saw the Raiders collide with Washington in 1984. In that game, it was one-way traffic, as Marcus Allen dominated the defense with 191 yards and two touchdowns. He was later named Super Bowl MVP for his efforts.
During the big game, Wendy's released an ad that would later go on to become iconic. The company debuted it's famous "Where's the Beef" slogan, where it mocked other fast food companies for their lackluster burgers.
6 Terry Tate: Office Linebacker (2003)
Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003 saw Jon Gruden's new team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers dominate his old team, the Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raiders. Quarterback Rich Gannon especially got pummeled, throwing five interceptions in the game as he got destroyed by Tampa's strong defense.
It's only fitting that Super Bowl XXXVIII saw the debut of Terry Tate: Office Linebacker. The commercial was an ad for Reebok and featured the linebacker destroying people in an office. A fun fact is that the commercial was directed by Rawson Thurber. For Madden players, he's that unknown free-agent quarterback that is always the worst in the game every year.
5 Bud Bowl (1989)
The Bud Bowl was a series of commercials that were aired during every Super Bowl from 1989 to 1997. However, the best version was the first, mainly because it was unexpected and a funny ad for unsuspecting fans at the time.
The Bud Bowl saw anthropomorphized Budweiser beer playing a game of football, with Bob Costas and Phil Maguire on commentary. A fun fact about the 1989 edition of the ad is that there were two alternate endings released, with one being a nod towards the movie Heidi, and the other having the game end in a tie after the beers are picked up out of the fridge.
4 Betty White Plays Football (2010)
In 2010, fans got the answer to the age-old question: How would Betty White do playing football? Thankfully, Snickers gave us the answer during the Super Bowl, as Drew Brees led the New Orleans Saints to victory. In the process, he claimed his first ring in a head-to-head duel with Peyton Manning's Indianapolis Colts.
RELATED: 10 Most Disastrous Turnovers In NFL Super Bowl History, Ranked
While the Super Bowl entertained fans, so did Betty White's performance in a Snickers ad. The legendary comedian took a massive hit in the game but luckily had a candy bar on hand to get back to herself.
3 The Showdown (1993)
1993 was a bad year for the Buffalo Bills, but a good year for Super Bowl commercials, apparently. In addition to the famed 'Hare Jordan' ad, Michael Jordan starred in another commercial, this one being for McDonald's.
In the commercial, Jordan plays fellow NBA legend Larry Bird in an empty gym, with the game being dubbed 'The Showdown'. The ad was an instant classic and is still a fun watch three decades later.
2 Hey Kid, Catch! (1980)
To be clear, this ad actually debuted in October 1979 but wasn't seen by most audiences until Super Bowl XIV in 1980. The commercial is one of the most beloved and features legendary Pittsburgh Steelers player 'Mean' Joe Greene in a locker room post-game.
There, a kid gives the injured Steelers player a Coke. In return, the commercial ends with Greene throwing the young child his jersey. To top it off, in the Super Bowl that season, the Steelers pulled off the win over the Los Angeles Rams 31-19.
1 Apple Mac: 1984 (1984)
Apple Macintosh's 1984 ad is one of the most important commercials ever, let alone regarding the Super Bowl. As Marcus Allen was running all over Washington's defense, football fans were amazed when a high-budget, cinematic commercial aired.
The commercial was a reference to the book 1984 and was even directed by the legendary Ridley Scott. This ad was a turning point, as many companies began producing high-budget commercials to get the attention of fans watching the big game.