There’s a lot on the line when Super Bowl LI kicks off in the early evening hours in Houston. For Atlanta fans, it’s a chance to claim the franchise’s first-ever football championship, and only the city’s second title ever (Atlanta Braves 1995). For Boston and its new England Patriots, they are after the city’s 450th title. (OK … maybe not that many, but it sure feels that way.). Outside of football, there’s also a lot at stake for many brands who dump millions of dollars into ad campaigns that are meant to catch the eyes and imagination of an entire planet during the world’s largest television event expecting an audience of over 115 million viewers.
That’s a lot of people.
With that type of audience and the immediate review and critique that comes with social media, there’s a lot of pressure placed on the shoulders of ad execs who all hope to still have a job on Monday morning. But the pressure is not just on them. It’s on you, as well. You have to make sure that you can answer in the affirmative when this question comes: “Man, did you see that Super Bowl commercial? It was great, right?”
Cue awkward laugh.
If you’re anything like me, the awkwardness is born out of circumstance, thanks to my inexplicable need to attend ridiculously loud Super Bowl parties where I can’t even hear what’s happening half the time. In an effort to counteract this fatal flaw, I’ve taken the liberty of collecting some of the best commercials set to air during the big game. Here are a few of my favorites:
Ford – “Go Further”
Perseverance is the name of the game in this positive new spot from the popular automaker.
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Bai – Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake doesn’t say a word in this spot … and it actually makes it even more cool.
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Buick – Cam Newton and Miranda Kerr in “Not So Pee Wee Football”
“If that’s a Buick, then my kid’s Cam Newton.”
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Mr. Clean – “Cleaner of Your Dreams”
Mr. Clean is aiming to be your #MCM is this cool spot.
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NFL – “Super Bowl Baby Legends”
You can never go wrong with kids in a Super Bowl ad, so the NFL knocked it our of the park with this one. (I’m fully aware of the irony in me referencing baseball here)
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Tide – “Gronk’s Cleaners”
He may not be able to play in the game, but Gronk made sure he was given a starring role.
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T-Mobile – Justin Bieber in #UnlimitedMoves
Who knew that Bieber had moves like that? #swag
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Honda – “Yearbooks”
This may be the most technically impressive commercial that you’ll see all night.
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Michelob Ultra – “Our Bar”
It’s not “Cheers,” but it’s definitely the perfect song for this spot.
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KFC – “Colonel vs. Colonel”
Sometimes, I guess it’s better to have two colonels instead of one.
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