From Hilarious and Though-Provoking to Emotional and Controversial, Here Are the 5 Best Super Bowl Commercials of All Time

The 30 second commercials that run during the playoff breaks are arguably as big a cultural phenomenon as the Super bowl itself.

A 30 second opportunity for companies and brands to show off their offerings in a creative, intriguing, inspiring and in some cases, controversial manner.

With each 30 seconds commercial spot reportedly costing a whopping $5.6 million for the 2020 Super bowl, corporations pull out all the stops with celebrity cameos, clever wordplay woven with comedic elements to ensure an unforgettable experience for the 194 million people expected to tune in for Super Bowl 54.

Each 30 seconds commercial spot reportedly costing a whopping $5.6 million

Let’s take a trip down memory lane to look at some of the best Super Bowl commercials over the years.

Tide, It’s a Tide Ad (2018)

Comedy is one of the simplest yet effective modes to pique the viewers’ interest and this ad is no exception; starring David Harbour from Stranger Things, this hilarious segment took jabs at other ‘try-hard’ Super bowl commercials and competitors whilst also incorporating a memorable cameo from David on a horse and as Mr. Clean.

Apple, 1984 (1984)

In a bid to woo customers away from IBM in 1984, Apple came up with a commercial that was feared to be so controversial, it was almost canceled.

Referring to their competition’s computers as ‘those bland boxes’ and likening their customer base to the misfits society from George Orwell’s novel 1984, Apple pulled out all the stops in this one.

Budweiser, Whassup (1999)

This particular commercial inspired numerous spin-offs and created a pop-culture that became mainstream, featuring a group of African American friends talking over the phone line whilst enjoying a Budweiser beer.

The shtick of shouting ‘whassup’ over the phone with your tongues outstretched was referenced in numerous subsequent commercials, skits and even movies like the Scary Movie series.

Coca Cola, I’d Like to Buy the World A Coke (1971)

Heralded as one of the best commercials ever, this legendary ad broke down cultural and race barriers in a musical that spoke about peace, showcasing a crowd of people from different races and colors, all united by their love for the fizzy drink. The ad became so iconic that it was later released as a full-length song which became a hit on both the U.S and U.K top charts.

Mountain Dew, The Shining

A tongue in cheek moment, a homage to Jack Nicholson’s The Shining and so weird yet hilarious, so impromptu and off-the-cuff that it actually works somehow.

A tribute to Shining

Bryan Cranston and Tracee Ellis Ross deliver an unforgettable recreation of the iconic scene from The Shining where the deranged perpetrator breaks down the woman’s door using an axe and sticks his head through the hole, but this time brandishing a bottle of Mountain Dew in a hilarious plot twist.