The Super Bowl returned as the Kansas City Chiefs narrowly defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in Glendale, Arizona—but, just as importantly, the brands were also fighting for your attention. Every big advertiser was competing once again, with Busch going against Michelob Ultra, Pringles versus Popcorners, and M&M’s going toe-to-toe with…Fox News?
For folks like me, the Super Bowl is a time to enjoy wacky commercials more than it is an occasion to watch sports. (This year, however, I was rooting for the Eagles, out of love for Abbott Elementary.) Yes, some of us mute the game and turn the volume on for the ads! We exist!
But if you’re too busy debating the ref’s calls in between plays, it can be tricky to pay attention to all those clever ads. Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. Or, if you’d rather go to a bar, and the bar will be too noisy, you can watch the YouTube clips ahead of time. Maybe you’re not watching the game at all, but you still want to see some cute clips. There are some hits this year, thanks to Ben Affleck and Adam Driver.
Here are our picks for the top 10 best Super Bowl commercials from the 2023 game:
Alicia Silverstone Brings Back Clueless for Rakuten
Alicia Silverstone makes her grand return as Cher, the fantastically-fitted Clueless character, for an ad for Rakuten. Rakuten offers cash back on some of the biggest clothing brands, so of course Cher would be a fan! In the ad, she recreates her famous, “It does not say RSVP on the Statue of Liberty!” speech in front of a class full of students. Silverstone still looks exactly the same—she’s aged like a bottle of fine wine.
Adam Driver Multiplies Himself for Squarespace
Everything’s turning up Driver in Squarespace’s Super Bowl slot. Adam Driver pulls a Parent Trap times ten in this ad, where he appears as a dozen different versions of himself starring in the same movie. The concept veers a little far from Squarespace, a website used to design other websites—but hey, the more of Adam Driver, the better.
Sarah McLachlan Pulls on the Heartstrings for Busch
How many of us have fallen victim to Sarah McLachlan’s ASPCA advertisements to get donations for animals in need? Our fight or flight triggers every time we hear, “In the arms of the angel…” Busch doesn’t go for “Angel,” but it does invite McLachlan to care for some wild animals when a camper (drinking Busch) says you’re going to need to find shelter in the great outdoors. Anyone want to donate $5 to protect a local wolf?
Kevin and Sosie Bacon Talk Nepo Babies for Hyundai
Nepo babies have been all the rage in the past few months, and Kevin Bacon’s daughter Sosie speaks on the matter in a commercial for Hyundai. Well, kind of. Sosie doesn’t actually speak on her gigs in Hollywood, rather discussing the future of humanity via electric vehicles. If we want to keep popping out new nepotism kids, we’re going to have to save the planet first.
Breaking Bad’s Jesse and Walter Create PopCorners
We’ve seen Aaron Paul and Brian Cranston create…other, more illicit things…but this time they’re taking a more wholesome approach to their lab. Instead of meth, how about PopCorners, a hybrid between chips and popcorn? We’ve been missing Breaking Bad—especially after Better Call Saul ended last year—so this little nostalgia nugget is a perfect ode to our guys.
Serena Williams Goes Full Succession for Michelob Ultra
Caddyshack meets Succession meets the Williams sisters in Michelob Ultra’s Super Bowl ad, which sees Serena Williams throw down on the golf course against Brian Cox. Cox is in his Logan Roy character as he cusses out Williams, trying to beat her with special golf clubs and his bellowing angry voice. Thank goodness he’s done voicing McDonald’s commercials and onto greener pastures.
Meghan Trainor Films a TikTok For Pringles
You won’t convince me “Made You Look” isn’t the catchiest song of 2022. Is it constantly in my head? Yes. Is it a little annoying? Yes. Do I love it endlessly? Also yes, which is why I’m so grateful to Pringles for this Meghan Trainor TikTok advertisement. It’s super meta, too, filming Trainor as she films herself for a TikTok. Movies about movies, TikTok ads about TikTok—how fascinating!
Maya Rudolph Is the New M&Ms Spokeswoman
M&Ms have faced heat from Fox News in the past few months for being too sexy. Or not sexy enough? It’s hard to tell these days. The green M&M (a girl, obviously) used to wear white GoGo boots, but more recently, the company dressed her down in sneakers. Tucker Carlson was enraged. M&M’s avoided the drama by hiring a new spokesperson, Maya Rudolph, who now calls the candies MA&YAs. There’s a lot going on here. But who doesn’t live for a little drama?
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez Serve Dunkin'
We've been waiting for this ad for quite some time. Ben Affleck, resident Dunkin' superfan, serves up iced coffee to some thirsty customers. As he works, his wife J.Lo pulls up to the drive thru. While she chastises him for working without telling her, she does have one demand: a glazed donut. Good pick, Mrs. Affleck.
Will Ferrell Stars in Squid Game for Netflix and GM
After folks on the Squid Game reality show reported the games were hellish, this Squid Game commercial is in poor taste. Still, Ferrell journeys around various Netflix properties like Bridgerton and Army of the Dead to show that Netflix is using more electric vehicles on their productions. Seeing Ferrell on Love Is Blind and Queer Eye feels like a throwback SNL sketch.
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