Super Bowl LVI was an odd duck of disappointment both on and off the field. If you’re anything like me, typically the most exciting part of the Super Bowl is the commercials rather than the game itself, but I found myself very invested in this year’s game.
The outcome was not what I had hoped for, but at least there were some exciting movie trailers and truly hilarious ads as well as some not-so-great ones (looking at you Meta Quest). So, now that Super Bowl LVI is said and done with Joe Burrow’s upsetting loss and Cooper Kupp’s MVP status, here are the most memorable advertisements that aired during the Big Game on Sunday.
Marvel, Marvel, Marvel
The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s grip on pop culture is pretty unparalleled, so the new trailers for “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” and the upcoming “Moon Knight” series only extrapolates this iron grip. I found the “Doctor Strange” trailer particularly exciting because it looks like a visually striking cosmic adventure that will live up to its title. In director Sam Raimi we trust. Similarly, “Moon Knight” looks to be a brutal and stylistically different installment in the franchise, with Oscar Isaac looking as bewildered as the audience must’ve felt watching this teaser. Their release dates can’t come soon enough!
Crypto Control
The crypto commercials are taking over! Not only was there a floating QR code on viewers’ screens for half a minute, but there was a nauseating ad for FTX featuring Larry David too. The crypto ads did not win me over; however, they must have worked for others because the QR code to the Coinbase website experienced a crash due to the excess of users trying to cash in on their free $15 in Bitcoin.
Michelob Ultra Superior Bowl
Reminiscent of the Coen Brother’s “The Big Lebowski,” this mid-game advertisement features Peyton Manning sipping on a beer while in a competitive bowling competition. It’s a weird, wacky commercial, but its sensibilities match the film’s quirkiness that it draws inspiration from, making it a quality commercial to me.
Peacock Interlude
I do not have Peacock, and I will not get Peacock. The brief advertisements for the NBC streaming service may boast some cool new shows and movies, but its excessive appearances did not win me over.
Woke Up This Mornin’, Got Myself a Car
Super Bowl car commercials hit a three-pointer this weekend.
The Nissan commercial featuring Eugene Levy was a hit with viewers, especially communication studies and psychology senior Gaby Welling.
“That was the best commercial of the night,” she said
While the “First-Ever All-Electric” Chevy Silverado does not look exceptionally cool, the homage to the entry of David Chase’s landmark series, “The Sopranos,” was a delight to see during the commercial break of the big game. The series has found resonance with a new generation of hungry viewers, including myself. It was only fitting that this vehicle ad was marketed towards “a new generation” of drivers. Plus, the cameos by Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Robert Iler, who played Meadow and A.J. Soprano in the show, were welcomed with a smile.
The Jones-Bowl advertisement for the Toyota Tundra was also a hilarious hit for viewers. From Tommy Lee Jones to Leslie Jones to even Joe Jonas, this commercial featured its own matchup for some of Hollywood’s biggest Jones’, vying for the top spot as “Number One Jones.” It was an enjoyable romp for a vehicle ad.
“Not of Planet Earth”
This summer heralds the release of “Nope,” the third film of Jordan Peele’s to be released. Not much is known about the project, but it looks thrilling and promising. Oh, and it has to be about aliens, right? The title alone suggests the above acronym!
Irish Spring
I’ve never met a soul who uses Irish Spring, but this was a fantastic commercial. It felt like “Midsommar” for shampoo and body wash.