Super Bowl LVIII was a thriller, with Kansas City defeating San Francisco 25-22 in overtime to win their second straight title in as many years, and so were some of the commercials.
For the 27th year, faculty in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences at Michigan State University ranked the top 5 ads that aired during the big game.
Robert Kolt, professor of practice emeritus in the MSU Department of advertising and public relations and creator of the ad-watching tradition, says the faculty rank ads based on creative messaging, strategy, production quality, branding, ad execution, and level of uniqueness and memorability.
“Audiences have high expectations for ads in the Super Bowl,” says Kolt. “This year, there were a lot of good Super Bowl ads featuring lots of celebrities, animals, animation, babies, and humor — all formulas for success.”
According to the MSU faculty, this year’s top ads were:
- Uber Eats. The ad featured Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer, stars of the popular 1990s show “Friends.” According to USA Today’s ad meter, “Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Usher, David and Victoria Beckham, and Jelly Roll nailed the punchlines in this spot from Uber Eats, which successfully combined present-day pop culture with nostalgia. The ad can be seen here.
- E-Trade. The New York Times wrote, “A pair of lifelike babies play pickleball with a pair of obnoxious adults in need of schooling. One of the few ads whose humor has anything resembling a bite.” The ad can be found here.
- Dunkin’. The ad featured Ben Affleck for Dunkin’ Donuts. The New York Times wrote, “A blustery Ben Affleck tries to impress an unimpressed Jennifer Lopez while an embarrassed Matt Damon and enthusiastic Tom Brady look on. Pleasant buzz of star power.” The ad can be seen here.
- Volkswagen. The ad showed old footage from past decades, and Yahoo Sports! called the commercial “original, and this ad leans heavily into the nostalgia vibe. Nice disclaimer: ‘If you are not living in the 70s, 80s or 90s, do not attempt.’” The ad can be seen here.
- State Farm. The commercial reunited Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito, who starred in “Twins.” USA Today wrote that in “a commercial lineup dotted by several current megastars – most notably Beyoncé, whose Verizon spot dovetailed with the release of two new songs off a forthcoming album – it was Schwarzenegger, 76, who carried the day.” The ad can be viewed here.
The Super Bowl regularly delivers the largest audience on American television, with more than 100 million viewers. For the second consecutive year, advertisers paid a record-high average $7 million for a 30-second Super Bowl ad.
