The Super Bowl is more than just a football game; it’s a spectacle where advertising takes center stage. I always look forward to the commercials almost as much as the game itself. Here’s my breakdown of the best and worst ads from Super Bowl 2025.
The Winners’ Circle: Top three commercials
- Google Pixel SB “Dream Job”
This commercial showed a man using Google’s Gemini AI feature to practice for a job interview and update his resume. Gemini asked him to describe his previous job experience, and he described raising his daughter as a job that taught him the most.
The ad shows video clips of his daughter growing up, eventually moving out and going to college. The emotional storyline, combined with the innovative tech demonstration, made it one of my favorites. It resonated with me on a personal level and showed how technology can truly make a difference in our lives.
- Homes.com “Not Saying That We’re the Best”
The Homes.com commercials were a breath of fresh air. Featuring Morgan Freeman, Heidi Gardner and Dan Levy, these ads were both hilarious and effective. The clever twist of not outright bragging about being the best while still highlighting their service benefits was genius and I was happy to see each ad as they appeared.
- Hellman’s “When Sally Met Hellman’s”
In this ad, Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan recreated their iconic scene from “When Harry Met Sally,” but with a humorous Hellman’s mayonnaise twist. It was nostalgic and goofy, and Sydney Sweeney’s cameo added an extra layer of fun.
Hellman’s ad hit the spot. A brand name I wouldn’t have remembered before the commercial is suddenly recognizable as having one of the nights best advertisements.
Fumbles and fouls: Bottom three commercials
- ChatGPT “The Intelligence Age”
I expected ChatGPT’s commercial to stand out, but much like AI generated work, it was disappointing and lacked effort. The ad showed the evolution of tech through black-and-white images and reminded me more of a history lesson rather than a captivating commercial.
- Tubi “Cowboy Head”
Tubi’s ad series featuring people with fleshy hat-shaped heads was unsettling, to say the least. The messaging was unclear and taught me nothing about the company. The bizarre visuals and concept were overwhelming. To make matters worse, the commercials were in a series, scattered throughout the night and annoying.
- CoffeeMate “Let’s Go Tongues”
This ad was confusing and nearly nightmarish. The concept of tongues dancing to music and fireworks after using CoffeeMate’s cold foam was chaotic and strange. Although the ad was only 31 seconds long, the severed tongue backflipping and twirling across the screen went on for far too long. The brands message got lost in the chaos, making it one of the worst ads of the night for me.
Overall, this year’s Super Bowl commercials were a mixed bag. The Super Bowl is a high-stakes arena for advertisers, where capturing the audience’s attention is paramount. Whether through humor, emotion, or sheer spectacle, the best commercials leave a lasting impression, while some miss the mark entirely.