What Makes a Good Super Bowl Commerical?

The Super Bowl is one of the biggest sporting events of the year and because so many Americans (and NFL fans around the world) are glued to their TVs during it, it’s also one of the biggest days of the year for commercial advertising.

There’s no better way for a brand to get its name out there than to air an unforgettable Super Bowl commercial. Let’s explore a few of the most iconic Super Bowl ads of all time as we dive into what makes a commercial great.

Qualities of an Effective Commercial

“I only watch the Super Bowl for the ads.” 

You’ve probably heard someone say this before. That’s because the best Super Bowl commercials are, well, different. They’re funny, they’re smart, and they tell a story.

Brand Storytelling

A successful ad tells an impactful story. When you engage viewers’ emotions, it creates a lasting connection between the audience and the brand. Take Volkswagen’s 2012 ad, “The Force.” This ad tells a story most parents can relate to.

Without using any words, the ad depicts a precocious, Star Wars-obsessed kiddo dressed like Darth Vader who runs around the house trying to use ‘the force’ to move household objects. He tries it on his toys, the family dog, and even his lunch–but to no avail.

Finally, Dad comes home in his shiny, new Passat. The child runs outside, not to greet him, but to attempt ‘the force’ on his car. He tries with all his might and suddenly the lights power on. His efforts are successful! But then we’re cut to Dad who gives Mom a cheeky wink and shows how he used his Passat’s remote start to make their son’s day.

Heartwarming, relatable, adorable. This ad sneakily showcases Volkswagen’s unique features and key differentiators through impactful storytelling. The best part? The audience forgets they’re even being marketed to:

Setting the Right Tone

The Super Bowl is an event that sports fans around the world look forward to all year. That’s why you’re more likely to see a humorous ad during the Super Bowl than you might during the holidays. However, a change of tone can help you stand out.

Google’s 2020 ad “Loretta” sets a much different mood. Rather than making the predictable choice of capitalizing on humor, Google made an ad heartwarming enough to make anyone cry. The commercial features the real story of an elderly man using Google Assistant to remember his late wife, Loretta.

The intimacy of the soft music, grainy home videos, old-fashioned photographs, and a real-life voiceover create a stark contrast against the otherwise bright-colored and silly ads that filled TV screens that year. This made Google’s ad all the more memorable. In fact, the commercial garnered a whopping 121k mentions online after it dropped:

Integrated Ad Campaign for Omni-Channel Marketing

In this day and age, a good commercial sometimes isn’t enough to grab the attention of the masses. As younger audiences’ attention is owned by short-form video platforms like TikTok, Instagram reels, and YouTube shorts, an effort must be made to get them engaged.

DoorDash’s 2024 “Door Dash All the Ads” campaign made its Super Bowl commercial into an exciting omni-channel scavenger hunt. In the days and weeks leading up to the Super Bowl, DoorDash launched ads across channels to get the word out that they’d be ‘Door-Dashing’ an enticing list of items from all 59 Super Bowl ads to a viewer who could decode the promo code in their ad on game day.

Not only did this create buzz and certainly get viewers to tune into DoorDash’s ad on Super Bowl Sunday, but it also advertised to viewers that DoorDash is more than just a food delivery service. They got their message out that they can deliver anything. 

Communicating a Competitive Advantage

There are many ways to communicate a competitive advantage. There’s the classic “us vs them” model, you can showcase before & after results, or you can even share customer testimonials. You can also tell a story. That’s what The Farmer’s Dog did in 2023 in their tearjerker of a Super Bowl commercial. A problem that all dog owners face is that canine lives are all too short. In their ad, The Farmer’s Dog presents themself as this solution. The commercial guides viewers through the life story of a woman and her dog from puppydom to seniorhood. Their bond is shown on screen as the dog and girl grow up, navigate life’s changes, and age together. At the end of the ad, the girl (now a grown woman) and her very old — and very contented-looking — dog snuggle up in bed with the girl’s daughter and share a sweet moment. The ad shows viewers that if they choose to feed their pet a diet from The Farmer’s Dog, it will live a very long, very happy life knowing it’s loved and cared for. They position themselves as a superior alternative to the competition—and they do all this without ever mentioning traditional kibble.

Ending With a Call to Action

Love them or hate them, Temu’s 2024 Super Bowl ad ended with a clever call to action: ‘Shop Like a Billionaire.’ The e-commerce platform offers users consumer goods at an extremely discounted price, delivered directly to their door. Their ad’s message was simple: when you shop Temu, your money stretches further so you can buy as much as a billionaire without ever breaking the bank.

Use of Celebrities

David Ogilvy, the “Father of Advertising,” advised against using celebrities in advertising because he believed that the customer would remember the celebrity more than the product. But most of the iconic Super Bowl commercials we know today use celebrities. What gives? 

According to Forbes, more than 50% of 2024 Super Bowl commercials starred a celebrity. Well, Super Bowl spots cost a lot. More on that later. Since spots are so expensive, the stakes are high. Brands want to make a great impression in as little as 30 seconds. Most people love pop culture, so companies opt for celebrities to stay relevant. 

This, of course, works best when the right celeb is chosen for the spot. 

Who could forget the “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” campaign by Snickers? This campaign kicked off at the 2010 Super Bowl and has remained a classic ever since. 

These ads featured stars like Betty White, Willem Dafoe, and Elton John — all of whom aren’t quite themselves when they get ‘hangry.’ In the first year of its running, Snickers’ sales increased by 15.9%. 

Dafoe will also star in the 2025 Super Bowl ad for Michelob Ultra as a pickleball player alongside Catherine O’Hara.

Use of Nostalgia

Even the young at heart want to feel young again. This is a tactic many of today’s top creative agencies use in Super Bowl spots. Tapping into nostalgia is a quick way to evoke emotion and create connection, especially when advertisers are working against the clock — quite literally since segments are between 30 and 60 seconds.

Like humor, nostalgia usually elicits good, familiar feelings. And hey, nostalgia can be funny too. Just look at the new 60-second 2025 Super Bowl spot “When Sally Met Hellmann’s.” 

Many people loved the movie “When Harry Met Sally” — especially Meg Ryan’s famous diner scene. This spot is funny, lighthearted, and of course, nostalgic, starring original cast members Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan. 

Cost of a Super Bowl Ad in 2025

So how much does a Super Bowl commercial cost? The Super Bowl can be a make-or-break moment for brands and agencies alike, partly because of the cost. It’s a prime ad space with millions of viewers tuning in. 

In 1967, the cost of a 30-second spot was $34,500. 

Today, the price tag has risen to a staggering $8 million. Yes, that’s $8 million for a 30-second commercial in 2025. The longer the spot, the larger the price.

That being said, Regional Super Bowl spots are much less than national spots. These types of spots are meant for smaller marketers with tighter budgets.

Choose JV Studios for Your Next Commercial

Can you think of at least three memorable Super Bowl commercials? Chances are, you probably can. Whether these ads made you laugh or cry, they struck a chord — and that’s why we do what we do at JV Studios. To create meaningful connections with people. 

Have an idea for a commercial? Let’s talk about it.

Check out the work we’ve produced at JV Studios. 

Super Bowl 2025 FAQs

What time does the Super Bowl start?

The 2025 Super Bowl is expected to start at 6:30 pm EST.

Where can I watch the Super Bowl?

The Super Bowl will be televised on FOX. It will also stream on platforms like Hulu, NFL+, and YouTube TV. Tubi (owned by FOX) will be streaming the Super Bowl for free.

Who is playing in the Super Bowl?

The Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles are playing in the 2025 Super Bowl.

What day is the Super Bowl?

The Super Bowl kicks off on Sunday, February 9, 2025.

When is the Super Bowl halftime?

The halftime show is expected to start around 8:00 pm EST.

Where is the Super Bowl this year?

The 2025 Super Bowl is taking place at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

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