If you’re an American, there’s no day on the sports calendar more sacred than the gridiron event known as the Super Bowl. The annual National Football League (NFL) championship game has captivated fans since its inception in 1967, cutting a wide swath of demographics encompassing all ages, genders, and races. The high viewership guaranteed by the ‘big game’ has made it a proving ground for high-concept advertising, often becoming events themselves just as anticipated as the Super Bowl.
These are commercials that are both high-quality and highly expensive, even going viral in recent years. They’ve been somber and ludicrous, uplifting and soul-shattering. At right.video, we wanted to peek into the commercial locker room to highlight the ads that have become just as widely anticipated as the explosive match-ups that make the Super Bowl such a staple.
We mentioned this ad previously in our post about the best vintage ads but there’s a reason this ad has had such staying power since, well, 1984. This was Ridley Scott at the arguable height of his creativity and Apple’s personal statement on the home computer. This was the Super Bowl ad that created the modern mindset for the game: high-concept, A-list talent, and multi-million dollar production values. This only aired once during that year’s Super Bowl and, for a one-off commercial, its impact has resonated well into the 21st century. It promised that 1984 wouldn’t be like ‘1984’ and, in doing so, made it that Super Bowl commercials wouldn’t be like normal commercials going forward.
Jerry Seinfeld was riding high with ‘Seinfeld’ when he appeared in this epic crossover for American Express. Teaming up with DC Comic’s world-renowned ‘Man of Steel’, Seinfeld helps a beleaguered Lois Lane not with super powers, but with the strength that comes with an American Express credit card. It’s a delightful little ad that set out to prove that even the smallest of convenience can make anyone a true ‘Superman’.
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In this biting ad from the then-little known job search company, Monster.com orchestrated this particular campaign with the help of agency MullenLowes during the 1999 championship. Shot in black and white with simple location shooting, the ad’s child stars at first glance are sharing their desires for when they grow up. Yet, when it becomes apparent they’re sharing the grievances of everyday workers toiling away, it strikes a chord for those in the middle of their careers not quite imagining how their lives panned out. It’s a mix of tragic comedy and biting social satire that propelled Monster.com to great success in the early dot com era.
Perhaps one of the more ambitious commercials on this list, Electronic Data Systems (EDS) commissioned this ad from the Fallon agency to ring in the new millennium. Featuring real-life cowboys and well-trained cats, ‘Cat Herding’ became a commercials awards darling, ultimately earning an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Commercial. This was the ad that proved that, with the help of EDS, you could truly control the uncontrollable.
As the first Super Bowl game after the 9/11 attacks, some of the commercials of this year had a very somber tone that weren’t seen in previous years. One of these examples was this touching tribute by Budweiser, using their signature Clydesdale horses in remembrance to the victims. No dialogue was used and the snow-caked background could easily pass for a Christmas ad if it weren’t for its ending. The panning shot over the Brooklyn Bridge and the horses bowing before the forever transformed New York skyline made this ad truly something to remember.
Heineken had a barebones premise for this one: a man runs out of their signature beer and goes out to get a fresh pack from the store. But what if this man was A-lister Brad Pitt? Hundreds of paparazzo swarm the streets to get a good photo, but Pitt plays his usual unflappable cool, showing how even the simplest of premises can be elevated by talent and direction by the one and only David Fincher.
Super Bowl commercials have always had a penchant for the odd and the off-kilter and there’s probably no doubt that E-Trade’s ‘Baby’ ad campaign springs to mind when it comes to surrealist advertising. It’s a simple idea: a baby talks, bragging about the things it can spend on after using E-Trade’s services. The dissonance between voice and child, combined with the idea of buying stocks being so simple a baby could do it, made for an advertisement that stayed with people long after it aired (and probably in their dreams too!).
Kickstarting an ad campaign still going strong, Snickers’ first ‘You’re Not You When You’re Hungry’ commercial set the template for the majority of the 2010s. Featuring comedian Betty White and actor Abe Vigoda, ‘The Game’ made literal the perception of hanger transforming people and that only a Snickers bar could bring them back to their normal selves. The ad brought White back into popular conscious, igniting a late-stage career renaissance in the process.
Since 1977, Star Wars has become modern cinematic mythology, exceeding its roots as a riff on classic American movie serials. Clearly there were fans of the franchise over at Volkswagen, as this commercial captured that joy of being a young Star Wars fan. Masterminded by Donny Deutsch Advertising, VW’s first Super Bowl ad in over a decade follows a little boy dressed as Darth Vader. It’s a deceptively simple production, showing ‘Little Vader’ trying to use the Force while accompanied by John Williams’ legendary ‘Imperial March’ score. The ad became an early viral hit following its debut, with no dialogue and ‘Little Vader’s’ body language conveying his frustrations and ultimate wonder.
Part of the tongue-in-cheek “British Villains” campaign, Jaguar took advantage of its roots and celebrated its country’s penchant for its actors being cast as famous movie villains. Featuring the likes of Mark Strong, Tom Hiddleston, and Sir Ben Kingsley, “Rendezvous” showcased the mystique of the classic British baddie with expensive mansions, tailored suits, and, of course, the ferocious speed of the Jaguar F-Type. British director Tom Hooper was able to capture the sophistication, menace, and unfettered cool that exemplifies classic movie villains. Combine that with the talents of three of modern Britain’s finest actors and you have an ad that reminded audiences that, sometimes, it’s good to be bad.
If you’re ever in a Super Bowl mood, you can find these ads and many others right here on the right.video search engine. Whether they’re from the 2020 game or decades past, we hope that these ads give a good idea about the great expense that goes into Super Bowl advertising!
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