The Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl LIX and made it look easy by knocking off the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in New Orleans.
Off the field, there was a high-stakes game being played, too! Advertisers work overtime to make a big splash for their brands, and the cost to compete keeps going up. For this year’s big game, buying a 30-second spot cost $8 million. That’s big bucks, but the payoff is reaching an estimated 113 million views (down from 120 million in 2024) in an effort to capture new customers and grow their brand footprint. With that many eye balls, brands will get noticed whether the spot is a hit or a miss.
Below are the SWBR staff picks for the commercials that we believe won the day – and won over a few new customers. And we’ll even highlight a few misses!
ET’s Top Pick: Ram Trucks | Goldilocks and the Three Trucks
Why It Won: The Ram Trucks commercial was a clear winner for me. It brought a well known children’s story to life in a way that was entertaining for all ages. The commercial also did a great job of promoting the various Ram truck models throughout to ensure brand recall for consumers.
What I Liked: This was one of a few commercials that grabbed my entire family’s attention. I really enjoyed the storyline of this spot and watching it all play out. It also hit a chord for me as I often adjust the nighttime stories I read to my girls in a similar dramatic fashion.
Missed The Mark: YEEZY.COM
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Jess’s Pick: Dove | These Legs: A Dove Big Game Film
What I Liked: I did not expect to cry during a Super Bowl commercial, but Dove got me. Their ad starts with a fearless little girl running full speed—her legs are unstoppable. Then, it shifts: by 14, she sees those same legs as unbearable because of body image struggles. The kicker? Half the girls who quit sports do so because they’ve been criticized for their body. This hit hard because it’s so real. As kids, we don’t think about how we look—we just move. But as we grow up, we start comparing, critiquing and second-guessing. Too many girls walk away from things they love because of it.
Why It Won: Dove nailed this message because they didn’t just highlight a problem—they made us feel it. The best Super Bowl commercials aren’t just entertaining; they leave a lasting impact. This one made me emotional, made me reflect, and most importantly, made me think. It also sparked a much-needed conversation about how we talk about young girls’ bodies and the way that impacts their confidence. I love that Dove continues to champion these messages, and this ad was a powerful reminder that we need to do better—for ourselves, for the next generation, and for every girl who deserves to feel unstoppable.
Missed The Mark: Coffee Mate | Foam Diva
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Michael’s Pick: Michelob Ultra | The ULTRA Hustle
Why It Won: The Michelob Ultra commercial featuring Willem Dafoe and Catherine O’Hara is my favorite. The pair engage in an exciting pickleball match against professional athletes. The spot delivered laughs and highlighted an unexpected competitive spirit.
What I Liked: Dafoe and O’Hara unexpectedly continued to win match after match, fueled by their desire to win the ultimate prize: FREE Michelob Ultra beer. Michelob Ultra humorously ties its brand to consumers with a competitive and hilarious spot.
Missed The Mark: WeatherTech, “Born To Be Wild”
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Dave’s Pick: Little Caesars | Crazy Puffs
Why It Won: Eugene Levy being willing to poke fun of himself with his larger-than-life caterpillar eyebrows to sell pizza was just plain funny. He’s so excited about the taste of the new Crazy Puffs that his eyebrows jump off his forehead and take flight. They fly around and torment people like an unwanted wasp or dragonfly.
What I Liked: Funny works – especially when selling fun, crowd-pleasing food like pizza. And the kicker came at the end for an extra laugh when he realized there were Bacon Crazy Puffs. Great way to introduce the different toppings, and really, isn’t everything better with bacon!
Missed The Mark: Tubi | Cowboy Head
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Elizabeth’s Pick: Coors Light| Case of the Mondays
Why It Won: When The Mamas & The Papas belted out that Mondays aren’t to be trusted, Super Bowl I’s kick off was still a whole year away. Flash forward to nearly 60 years later, and while the state of the world has dramatically changed since “Monday, Monday” cracked the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, the same can’t be said for the dreaded feeling that engulfs all of us when Monday greets us by feverishly pounding on our door – especially the day after the Big Game.
The cure-all remedy that is bound to flip any cringe-worthy Monday around? Enter a “Case of the Mondays” from Coors Light. Featuring expressively sluggish characters (Kristen Bell, don’t look now, but they’re sloths) that we can all identify with as we struggle to come to terms with the unforgiving nature of “Super Sick Monday,” this spot beautifully blended elements of nostalgia with a clever marketing and PR blitz to cure any fan’s raging hangover (regardless of whether you fell on the winning or losing side of the scoreboard). With an understated cover hit playing in the background, this commercial felt like we entered a time portal into the Golden Age of Super Bowl commercials when they were synonymous with being considered relevant cultural moments.
What I Liked: Unlike its rivals, the concept didn’t rely on gimmicks or celebrity mash-ups to be interesting or make a memorable impression with audience members. Instead, it tipped its hat to iconic Super Bowl commercials of the past. Does anyone recall the legendary Budweiser Frogs? Complemented with an extended engagement-driven campaign that included an Instagram sweepstakes and release of limited edition packaging for “Mondays Light,” it turned my frown upside down this morning. And if you rooted for the Chiefs last night, you can take comfort in knowing that even a long-standing brand like Coors Light suffers its own painful moments from time to time.
Missed The Mark: While not a commercial, can we take a minute to debate the job security for the person who designed the new scorebug?
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Jeremy’s Pick: Little Caesars | Crazy Puffs
Why It Won: Eugene Levy’s iconic eyebrows, which play a prominent role in his facial comedic expressions took on a life of their own and flew around town in reaction to Little Caesars Crazy Puffs. It was so random that it took the viewer by surprise.
What I Liked: There were a couple aspects that I loved about the commercial: Eugene Levy’s daughter’s cameo, the fuzzy caterpillars bowing down to the eyebrows, and the modification to the mascots eyebrows in the close-out, causing them to fly away like Levy’s did.
Missed The Mark: Coffee Mate | Foam Diva Gross! They tried something, but it backfired.
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Mikala’s Pick: Totino’s Pizza Rolls | Chazmo Finally Goes Home
Why It Won: This ad was a slam dunk because it was the only one that elicited a genuine belly-laugh from me that I could not recover from for several minutes. This advertisement feels less like a commercial and more like a skit from Tim Robinson’s “I Think You Should Leave” which makes it memorable and meme-worthy. As modern consumers, we are bombarded with advertisements almost constantly, so it takes a certain caliber of ad to stand apart from the rest. The success of this ad is clear to me because I forgot I was being advertised to in the first place, and simply enjoyed the absurdity of the scene. For that reason, this ad lives in my head rent-free and I find myself continuing to chuckle about it long after having watched it.
What I Liked: The success of this commercial lies within its comedic structure. “Chazmo Finally Goes Home” is not relying on a celebrity’s appearance to generate morale, it chooses to tell a short story with a nonsensical punchline instead. Additionally, I celebrate the use of practical puppetry instead of CGI on Chazmo. It shows that the team who orchestrated this commercial placed value on more traditional means of production, which I genuinely appreciate. Finally, this commercial is hysterical. The writers set the audience up for a touching departure scene which is quickly ruined by Chazmo’s wacky and untimely passing. The painful reactions of the children juxtaposed with their father’s dry quips about not knowing Chazmo “that well” are the exact flavor of surreal comedy that I love, and made this ad memorable.
Mega Flop City: Ray Ban & Meta AI Glasses
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Jackie’s Pick: Dunkin’ | DunKings Part 2
Why It Won: The commercial resonated with me because it cleverly built on the previous year’s fan-favorite “DunKings” ad, featuring Ben Affleck’s persona and humor once again. The spot playfully mocked Starbucks by introducing “Barista Buds,” a group of pretentious coffee aficionados who were dissed by the DunKings. The combination of familiar characters, witty writing, and a light-hearted jab at a competitor made the ad a memorable moment during the game.
What I Liked: This Super Bowl 2025 commercial was an instant favorite for me—not just because of Dunkin’s iconic coffee, but because it perfectly captured the spirit of Boston, my favorite city. With Dunkin’ headquartered just outside of Boston and featuring legends like Ben Affleck and Bill Belichick, it was the perfect blend of humor, nostalgia, and local pride.
Missed The Mark: Coffee Mate | Foam Diva
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We’d love to know what commercial made the top of your list during Super Bowl LIX, and if you’d like to make a video or commercial to help your company stand out from the crowd, contact SWBR and we’ll get started right away.
