Unveiling the Top Five Powerful Commercials during Super Bowl 2025
As this year's Super Bowl spectacle unfolded, humor and celebrities remained the primary focus for most advertisers. However, a few surprises sprinkled the field, such as T-Mobile's generosity in offering free texting via Starlink X to all smartphone users, Jeep enlisting Harrison Ford to deliver a unifying message, and Rocket Mortgage's execution of "Country Roads" sang both in their ad and by the crowd in the Superdome shortly after the advertisement aired.
While several ads landed well with viewers, this season's shortlist of winners proved trickier to decipher than usual. Some ads, such as Nerds' "What a Wonderful World," were well-liked but fell short in building the brand, while others, like Lay's "The Little Farmer," delivered a compelling brand message but lacked viewer affection.
Analyzing countless years of Super Bowl advertising, as covered in the co-authored book, Winning the Advertising Game, Lessons from the Super Bowl Ad Champions, reveals that the mix of memorable brand differentiation and audience delight is the key to victory.
To compile this list, various factors were considered, including USA Today's AdMeter likeability ratings derived from a large consumer pool, ADPLAN ratings of Kellogg School of Business MBA's, Sprout Social's list of the most active brands mentioned in social media surrounding the Super Bowl, and iSpot TV's creative assessment of the ads based on a panel of 500 viewers.
5) Nerds “What a Wonderful World”
The Ferrara Company's Nerds ad is an expression of New Orleans' vibrancy, as seen via Shaboozey parading with a second-line band down the street and singing Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World." Eating Nerds Gummy Clusters, which are positioned as both crunchy and delicious, is seamlessly integrated into the scene. Although the ad placed 31st on AdMeter, it earned a "B" from the Kellogg MBAs and was rated the seventh most likeable ad by iSpot TV.
4) Lay’s “The Little Farmer”
This ad, inspired by a real farm in Wisconsin, pays tribute to American farmers by focusing on a young girl who rescues a fallen potato, plants it, and watches it grow into a beautiful Lay's potato. This heartwarming spot resonated with both AdMeter respondents (who ranked it second) and the Kellogg MBAs (who awarded it an "A"). It also bolstered its placement on iSpot TV's list of the most likeable ads and garnered over 29 million impressions on Super Bowl Sunday.
3) Michelob Ultra “The Ultra Hustle” (and the rest of the Anheuser Busch ads)
This ad is noteworthy for its positive representation of older people, featuring actors Willem Dafoe and Catherine O'Hara. After winning at pickleball and outperforming celebrity athletes, the duo is heard humming "Hustlin'." Woven into the "Play for an Ultra" campaign, this advertisement effectively showcases Michelob Ultra's athletic image. Its #3 ranking on AdMeter and "A" rating from the Kellogg MBAs are solid achievements, as is its inclusion on iSpot TV's list of the most likeable ads and its high viewer engagement on game day.
2) Hims & Hers “Sick of the System”
This controversial ad, which criticizes the U.S. healthcare system and its limited coverage of prescription weight loss drugs, immediately raised awareness of telehealth company Hims & Hers. While controversial and rating poorly on the usual metrics, the spot led to dramatic spikes in the company's stock price in the week leading up to the Super Bowl and on the following Monday. The publicity surrounding the ad has resulted in impressive heightened awareness.
1) Hellmann’s “When Sally Met Hellmann’s”
Hellmann's seventh consecutive Super Bowl ad successfully combines clever creativity and product promotion. Recreating the iconic "I'll Have What She's Having" scene from the movie "When Harry Met Sally," the ad features stars Meg Ryan and Bill Crystal while highlighting the brand's mayonnaise. The spot was rated an "A" by the Kellogg MBAs and placed ninth on AdMeter, with iSpot TV placing it on their list of the most likeable Super Bowl ads of 2025. It did not, however, earn a spot on Sprout Social's list of the top ads in terms of social media engagement on the day of the game.
Honorable Mention:
- Jeep: Harrison Ford delivered a unifying message of doing what makes one happy, generating a positive response from viewers.
- Pfizer: An emotional appeal by focusing on a boy fighting cancer was paired with a reminder of their cutting-edge research, although some viewers argued more time should have been dedicated to identifying the ad as a Pfizer creation.
- Doritos: The user-generated "Crash the Super Bowl" ad was popular with fans, as is often the case.
- Angel Soft: Engaging viewers to take a bathroom break was innovative, even if some found the time constraint limiting.
- Bosch: Antonio Banderas was an excellent choice for the "Be a Bosch" ad, while some questioned the use of Randy "Macho Man" Savage's image.
- MSC Cruises: A delightful approach to portraying European style/American comfort with Drew Barrymore and Orlando Bloom was hard to argue with.
- Little Caesars: Eugene Levy's memorable performance for promoting a new flavor of Crazy Puffs was successful in delivering its message.
1) Budweiser's Clydesdales Commercial
As expected, Budweiser's Clydesdales made an appearance, this time delivering beer to a frontline worker's birthday party. The beloved horses and the heartfelt message resonated with viewers, earning a high AdMeter rating and a positive response from the iSpot TV panel.
2) Pepsico's Brands
Pepsico's portfolio of brands, including Mountain Dew, Doritos, and Cheetos, didn't disappoint with their Super Bowl ads. Mountain Dew's "Break Free" commercial featuring Michael Strahan and "As Good as It Gets" parody from Cheetos were well-received, landing high on AdMeter and sprinkling humor into the night.
3) Him's & Hers Competitors' Ads
Competing brands from the telehealth space, such as Ro and Roman, took a different approach with their Super Bowl ads. Instead of controversy, they opted for humor, with Roman's "Pot Ro" ad and Ro's "Hard to Believe" ad aiming to create buzz on social media and appease viewers.
4) Anheuser Busch's Brands (Budweiser, Busch Light, and more)
Anheuser Busch's other brands also shone during the Super Bowl, with Busch Light's "Hunt for the Light" ad tapping into the American wilderness and patriotism theme, and Bud Light Seltzer's "Seltzer Bar" commercial paying homage to the iconic "Wassup" commercial while incorporating popular influencers. These ads received high AdMeter ratings and positive iSpot TV feedback.
