The 59th rendition of the Super Bowl American football game was recently played. The game, and the broadcasting of it, is a far cry from it's business-survival origins. These days, one in three Americans indulge in consuming hyper-expensive commercials, extravagant halftime performances, and who's who star sightings, it is a perfect example of opulent American capitalism:
"Hear we are now, entertain us."
As such, the surveyed reasons Americans watch these days are, in order:
The commercials
The halftime show
The actual game
Celebrity sightings
But before we get into my biased opinion of the best commercials from 2025, some history.
The Super Bowl is the championship game of professional football in the Unites States, and American football is America's most popular sport. One in three Americans will watch the display of heavily padded men thrashing and bashing for four hours to decide bragging rights for all time.
The game itself benefitting heavily from timing, technology, brazen confidence, and America's love for the underdog. In fact, if there's one thing that has always defined Americans, it's how we cheer for the underdog in most competitions. We love to see humans rise to the occasion.
With 1/3 of all Americans watching, it is also considered the pinnacle of advertising excellence. Creating a memorable commercial can be life-changing for a company, which is why they paid $7M for 30 seconds, plus the cost of making the commercial itself. Some companies have had legendary, consistent successes: Budweiser beer, Nike athletic wear, and Apple computers. Others hit the excellence mark once, a commendable achievement.
I recorded the game, so that I could rewatch the commercials and bring you my top three. Side note: Overall, they were not very good.
Honorable Mention (because I'm old): Hellman's Mayonnaise
There are always some commercials with older celebrities set in a "remember me?" scenario. This recreation of a famous "When Harry Met Sally" movie scene hit the spot.
#3: Stand Up To Hate
The idiotic state of current America is captured well. Too many have been coerced into believing that they need to live from hate and distrust.
#2: Michelob Ultra
There are always some commercials with older celebrities, often doing memorable things. This one nailed it.
#1: Nike
Another well-crafted, simple and direct ad from Nike.
What about you? Were there other commercials that you will recollect long after they were aired?