The Philadelphia Eagles weren’t the only winners of Super Bowl LII. Tide, Doritos, Amazon, Toyota, and Budweiser are just a few of the brands that had the most memorable commercials this year. From star-studded cameos and catchy taglines (Dilly Dilly), to hilarious lip-sync battles and inspiring stories of overcoming diversity – the best Super Bowl ads grabbed our attention, made us laugh, and tugged on our heartstrings.
According to Sports Illustrated, NBC Sports charged more than $5 million for a 30-second spot during the Super Bowl LII. With a price tag that steep, the average commercial was one minute long.
So, which brand was the most successful at captivating audiences across the country? Here are my top five favorites:
Budweiser – “Stand By You”
Set to the tune of Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me” (covered by Skylar Grey), Budweiser’s commercial documented how they provided two million cans of water to Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and California after they were affected by natural disasters. Kudos to Budweiser for evoking all the right emotions for a good cause.
Doritos and Mountain Dew – “Tongue Twisters”
The battle between Doritos and Mountain Dew has begun. The rap battle that is. In the Doritos Blaze corner, actor Peter Dinklage (best known for playing Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones) lip-synched a fiery verse from Busta Rhymes. Representing Mountain Dew Ice was none other than Morgan Freeman lip-synching “Get Your Freak On” by Missy Elliot. The collaboration was hilarious and left audiences craving more.
Tide – “It’s a Tide Ad”
At first, audiences weren’t sure if they were watching a beer ad, a truck ad, or an insurance ad until David Harbour (Stranger Things) told us it was actually a Tide ad. The detergent company sparked the idea that if the people you surround yourself with are wearing pristine clothing, then they are essentially walking, talking Tide ads. By the end of the witty commercial, we were all convinced – where there are clean clothes, there is Tide.
Toyota – “Good Odds”
Rather than promoting a new truck model, Toyota took a different approach to their marketing. Toyota shared an inspiring true story about overcoming challenges and beating the odds through hard work and determination. Toyota spotlighted Canadian alpine skier Lauren Woolstencroft, an eight-time Paralympic gold medalist who was born missing a portion of her left arm and both legs below the knees. Since Toyota is an official partner of the Olympics, the commercial was a smart PR move as it will continue to be aired throughout the duration of the Games.
NFL – “Touchdowns to Come”
As the New York Post said, the Giants managed to win the Super Bowl without even playing! Touchdown dances never looked so good thanks to Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr. recreating the famous lift from Dirty Dancing. Compliments to the NFL for uniting football fans with this uplifting commercial.
What was your favorite commercial during Super Bowl LII? Let us know!
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