The Best of Super Bowl Ads 2018

For Philadelphia Eagles fans, New York Giants fans, and everyone that dislikes the New England Patriots, Super Bowl LII was quite the treat.

The game itself was terrific – high-scoring, intense, and the underdog came out on top. Off the field, there were memorable moments such as Tom Brady's social-media-hit entrance, the “Selfie kid” who seemed indifferent to Justin Timberlake, and a resurrected hometown hero.

Even Minnesotans, despite just barely missing the chance of a hometown Super Bowl, would have to admit that this was an entertaining game.

In the midst of the madness, there were plenty of noteworthy, funny, star-studded, and heartfelt advertisements from some of the world’s largest and most creative brands. During the Super Bowl, the entertainment doesn’t end when the game is at a break.

With that, let’s take a look at some favorite ads from Super Bowl LII:

Dorito Blaze vs. Mountain Dew Ice

This ad featured both humor and star power. Peter Dinklage and Morgan Freeman appeared as the voices of competing products—lip-syncing to Busta Rhymes and Missy Elliott, respectively. The commercial presented a showdown between Doritos Blaze and Mountain Dew Ice, two brands owned by PepsiCo. In the ad, they are rivals in temperature—one hot, one ice cold. Dinklage, lip-syncing Busta Rhymes, walks through a blazing, fiery-hot room, while Freeman, lip-syncing Missy Elliott, fills the air with his steamy breath in a frozen, icicle-ridden room. The ad brings both heat and cold, with plenty of entertainment.

Amazon – “Alexa Loses Her Voice”

Perhaps one of the greatest perks of Amazon’s Alexa is that she does not have literal, physical vocal cords. This ad imagines what could happen if Alexa lost her voice. The results are disappointing for those in the ad, but entertaining for viewers. Amazon presents Gordon Ramsey, Rebel Wilson, Cardi B, and Anthony Hopkins as Alexa’s replacements. Each interacts with Amazon users in different, funny, and even semi-creepy ways (especially Anthony Hopkins). The ad provides laughs and a unique perspective on Amazon technology.

Avocados From Mexico – “#GuacWorld”

This ad spot presents the idea of a perfect world. A woman addresses the people of “GuacWorld,” a bubble that has “sealed the bad out, and the good in.” They have everything they could want, including a bounty of big, ripe avocados. However, someone asks, “Where are all the chips?” The chips are outside GuacWorld, leading to chaos until everyone realizes avocados are good on many things, not just chips. The ad humorously mocks some of the “problems” in modern life, from lacking the right food pairings to losing Wi-Fi, delivering a strong message in a funny way.

Tide – “It’s a Tide Ad”

Tide ran a series of ads disguised as other ads, including references to other brands like Old Spice and Mr. Clean (all P&G brands). The campaign’s story was that every Super Bowl ad could be a Tide ad, with the tagline “It’s a Tide ad.” The idea was to make viewers question whether any given ad was actually for Tide. If you found yourself asking, “Is this a Tide ad, too?” during the commercial breaks, then the campaign was effective.

CURE Auto Insurance – “Civil Society”

CURE, a company providing auto insurance to New Jersey and Pennsylvania drivers, took jabs at Tom Brady’s legacy with two Super Bowl ads. The ad referenced the importance of following the rules, taking a direct shot at the Patriots, and ended with, “Go Birds!”—an unapologetic pull for the Eagles to win.

NFL – “Touchdown Celebrations to Come”

While the New York Giants were not in the Super Bowl, many considered this ad among the night’s winners. The NFL ad combined a long-time all-star with a rising superstar, a classic movie, and a running storyline from the past season. The ad starts with Eli Manning asking Odell Beckham, Jr., “You wanna work on that thing?” They proceed to recreate a famous dance scene from “Dirty Dancing.” This was a humorous and extraordinary way for the NFL to welcome Manning and Beckham back, showcasing their impressive skills.

All in all, for some, the Super Bowl is as much about the commercials as it is about the football. This year did not disappoint.