Here Are Some of the Best Commercials in Super Bowl History

Super Bowls have always been more than football. Many people watch with sheer excitement for the commercials, which tend to be deemed some of the most entertaining parts of the experience. 

Eyes are glued to the TV during Super Bowl Sunday. This is the ultimate way for companies and brands to showcase their new products to some of the widest audiences possible. This time around, Super Bowl LVII will air on Sunday, Feb. 12, on FOX.

Super Bowl commercials were popularized dating as far back as 1979 when Coca-Cola put out its “Hey Kid, Catch!” ad with Steelers defensive tackle Joe Greene, which still marks as one of the best ads in history.

These ads are admired for their intriguing and unconventional humor, their cinematography quality and their crisp use of special effects.

What will Super Bowl LVII bring to the table this year as the Eagles take on the Chiefs?

Check out these past commercials that made Super Bowl history, the prices of ads then and now and more:

What are the Top 10 Super Bowl commercials of all time?

1. Coming in at number one is “Hey Kid, Catch!” from Coca-Cola in 1979 (as mentioned above). The ad portrays Pittsburgh’s Joe Greene in the locker room interacting with a young fan who offers him an ice cold bottle of coke.

2. Next we have Ridley Scott’s rendition of the popular dystopian George Orwell novel “1984” presented in an Apple commercial, introducing the Macintosh.  

3. Then we have Cindy Crawford showcasing Pepsi’s new can in 1992. The supermodel pulls up in a red Lamborghini to a gas station to grab a drink as two googly-eyed young boys watch her sip a fresh can of Pepsi.

4. At No. 4, we have the 1992 ad for Nike’s Air Jordan VII, featuring Michael Jordan and his co-star Bugs Bunny. The commercial later influenced the 1996 film “Space Jam.”

5. Jordan appears in another commercial, which lands at the No. 5 spot. The “Showdown” for McDonald’s aired in 1993 and featured Jordan and Celtics forward Larry Bird in a shooting competition, advertising the need for a Big Mac.

6. In 2002, Budweiser released an ad called “Respect” honoring the 9/11 tragedy. In the commercial, Clydesdale horses honor the fallen heroes by kneeling at Ground Zero. The ad was only aired once on primetime because the company refused to profit off of the sensitive subject.

7. Coming in at No. 7 is Britney Spears’ “Now and Then” Pepsi ad, which also appeared in 2002. In this particular commercial, Spears and other actors reinvented old 1980s Pepsi ads, offering a new vibrancy to the brand.

8. Then we have Snickers’ “You're Not You When You’re Hungry” ad in 2010, starring the late first lady of television, Betty White. The comedic legend acts as an underdog football player who rises from the ashes after taking one bite of a Snickers bar.

9. In 2020, Lil Nas X and Sam Eliott advertised Doritos in an old western portrayal of “The Cool Ranch.” Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” plays as he and Elliot dance, in replacement of an Old West shootout, for the ultimate prize of Doritos. Billy Ray Cyrus cameos at the end to tie the whole thing together perfectly. 

10. And finally, Volkswagen achieved the highest number of views in Super Bowl history with “The Force,” which aired in 2011. A little boy dressed as Darth Vader runs around his house as if he is administering “the force” onto different things like a doll, his dog and even the family’s car. His parents indulge in the fantasy by unlocking the Volkswagen, causing its headlights to flicker and completely satisfying their son who assumes it is his power that is responsible.

How much are 2023 Super Bowl ads?

FOX is looking at approximately $7 million per 30-second ad during Super Bowl LVII. In 2022, NBC saw $6.5 million, which was a 9.1% increase from 2021, when CBS implemented $5.5 million, and 2020, when FOX also pressed for $5.5 million.

What commercials will be in the Super Bowl 2023?

In addition to the halftime performance featuring Grammy-winner Rihanna, FOX will entertain audiences with the most captivating part of the event. And no, I don’t mean football.

Based on teasers already shown, here are some of the Super Bowl commercial features for 2023:

First, we have Meghan Trainor's collaboration with Pringles. During the 15-second teaser trailer, the pop icon gets her hand stuck in a Pringles can while getting ready to film a TikTok video to her hit single "Made You Look."

Going off of the iconic artist trend, the second snippet in the books is of rap superstar Jack Harlow in a collab with Doritos. The classic chip company teased audiences in a tweet that Harlow will be joined in the commercial by Missy Elliot.

Then we have the beloved "Breaking Bad" duo of Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul teaming up with Popcorners, retired NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski representing FanDuel and Paul Rudd as Ant-Man showcasing a popular Super Bowl delectable, Heineken.

Tennis superstar Serena Williams, Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl and rapper Metro Boomin will also be in the mix.

For a more in-depth look at the 2023 teasers, click here, but tune in on Feb. 12 for the full enigmatic ad experience.