Every year, our team looks forward to reviewing the Super Bowl commercials. It’s the one night when brands are expected — even required — to bring their most ambitious creative thinking to the biggest stage in media.
This year, that Super Bowl LX excitement turned into something closer to a collective shrug.
“In a year when Super Bowl ads cost up to $10 million, too many brands played it safe — and paid the price in memorability.”
Ironically, one of the most memorable messages during the broadcast came from YouTube, urging brands not to settle for “meh.” And yet, “meh” was exactly what many advertisers delivered during Super Bowl LX — despite paying an estimated $8–10 million per ad spot.
So what happened?
Why Did So Many Super Bowl LX Commercials Feel Meh?
There wasn’t a single disastrous ad. Instead, the issue was volume: a long stretch of commercials that were polished, competent, and instantly forgettable.
Many brands appeared to prioritize safety over originality — relying on familiar formulas that minimized risk but also muted impact. On a night designed to reward boldness, too much work played it safe.
Are AI-Generated Ads Making Super Bowl Commercials More Forgettable?
AI is changing how advertising is made — accelerating production, optimizing messaging, and lowering barriers to execution. But efficiency doesn’t automatically lead to inspiration.
“AI can accelerate production, but it can’t replace creative conviction.”
Several ads felt as though AI had done too much of the creative lifting: ideas that were technically sound, tonally correct, and strategically defensible — yet emotionally hollow. AI can assist creativity, but it can’t replace a strong point of view or a brave creative decision.
When Celebrity Cameos Replace Storytelling, Brands Lose Impact
Celebrity-driven ads dominated the night, but many leaned too heavily on recognition rather than narrative. Famous faces may grab attention, but without a compelling story, that attention doesn’t stick.
“When the celebrity becomes the idea, the brand disappears.”
In too many cases, the celebrity was the idea — leaving viewers entertained in the moment, but unable to remember what the brand actually stood for once the next ad rolled.
The Best Super Bowl LX Ads: Brands That Took Creative Risks and Won
Thankfully, a few advertisers reminded us what great Super Bowl advertising can still be.
Pepsi made one of the boldest moves of the night by borrowing the polar bear — a character most closely associated with The Coca-Cola Company. Rather than subtlety, Pepsi leaned into cultural audacity, signaling confidence and creative fearlessness in a year short on both.
Dove once again delivered an emotionally grounded spot centered on girls and sports. Building on years of brand consistency, Dove showed how purpose-led advertising works best when it’s authentic and sustained.
Lay’s stood out with a warm, human father-daughter farming story. Simple, sincere, and rooted in real people — proof that understated storytelling can still resonate on a massive stage.
Pringles, featuring Sabrina Carpenter, struck the right balance between celebrity and concept. The ad was playful, funny, and unmistakably on brand — celebrity as amplifier, not replacement.
And Budweiser continued to set the bar with its “American Icons” approach. Emotional, confident, and grounded in brand heritage, it was a reminder of why Budweiser ads are so often remembered long after the game ends.
What the Best Super Bowl Ads Had in Common
The standout ads shared a few clear traits:
- A strong emotional core or witty through line
- A clear brand point of view
- Confidence to commit to an idea fully
They weren’t trying to appeal to everyone. They were trying to mean something.
Why the Halftime Show Delivered the Energy the Ads Didn’t
While many commercials felt muted, the halftime show brought the energy brands often lacked.
Props to Bad Bunny for a performance that was vibrant, joyful, and layered with details worth revisiting. The kind of moment that invites rewatching, analysis, and discovery — exactly what great creative work should inspire.
Final Takeaway: Why Playing It Safe Is the Riskiest Move
“Meh” isn’t a failure of creativity. It’s usually a failure of nerve.
Super Bowl LIX was a reminder that safe advertising rarely wins hearts — and almost never wins memory. The brands that stood out weren’t louder or flashier. They were clearer, braver, and more committed to telling a real story.
