Every year, the Super Bowl positions itself as the ultimate stage for advertising, where brands spend millions not just to be seen, but to be remembered. This year, we asked our team a simple question: which ad stood out to you most, and why? The answers weren’t about rankings or winners, but about moments, ads that surprised us, confused us, irritated us, delighted us, or simply lingered longer than expected.
What’s just as telling, though, is that nearly half our team couldn’t even bring themselves to watch the most-watched sporting event in the country. That disconnect says something important about where culture, attention, and media consumption are right now. When opting out is as common as tuning in, standing out isn’t about spectacle alone; it’s about relevance, restraint, and resonance. The following reviews reflect that reality, through five very different lenses.
Christina’s pick: Coinbase’s Everybody
I am not a boy band enthusiast, never have been, but my brain went into full !*#%?? mode when the Backstreet Boys’ Everybody came on, paired with the simplest, dare I say, saddest type and color combination imaginable. I was genuinely alarmed. Was something broken? Did someone hack the Super Bowl ad lineup? Have we officially abandoned all visual standards for mass-media consumption? I even texted my sister, “What is happening?”
Fifty-five seconds passed before we learned it was an ad for Coinbase. And as someone in the advertising industry, arguably the most dissuaded audience of all, the guerrilla-esque nature of this spot made it the most memorable ad of the night for me. Will I buy crypto because of it? No. Will I be talking about this ad for a long time? Absolutely.
Sam’s pick: RealFood.gov’s Processed Food Kills, Eat Real Food
In a world packed with slapstick, AI-fueled, and “neighborly love” ads this Super Bowl, there was something special (and incredibly unsettling) about Mike Tyson monologuing in black and white, eating an apple, and telling us we’re “fudgey.”
Andrea’s pick: It’s a tie…. Good Will Dunkin’ & Michelob’s ULTRA Instructor
Both were filled with nostalgia and surprise cameos. This is what makes a traditional Super Bowl ad—to me. They were clever and while the Dunkin’ ad was slightly over the top, it reached its target audience perfectly. And anything with Kurt Russell will win my vote 100% of the time.
Karlee’s pick: Lay’s Last Harvest
I liked the majority of ads this year and agree with all of the team’s favorites so far. One additional standout for me was Lay’s Last Harvest ‘retirement’ ad. From a marketing perspective, it effectively used emotional storytelling to connect with a larger multigenerational audience, as many are navigating retirement, either personally or through their parents. The ad’s tone struck a strong balance between warmth and authenticity, and its willingness to acknowledge the brand’s past challenges, especially in a competitive snack category, which ultimately differentiated Lay’s ad from other chip brands. That honesty helped build trust and made the message more memorable.
Josh’s pick: Hellmann’s Meal Diamond
One of the best for me, even though I’m not a mayo fan. This ad had a lot of moving parts: two famous actors that I wouldn’t expect to see together, a completely insane and unhinged concept, a nostalgic and extremely catchy song—but everything comes together in a quick, fun, memorable minute-long piece. I’ll be humming Sweet Sandwichtime all week.
To Sum It Up
Looking across our picks, there’s no single formula for what made an ad memorable this year. What connects them is conviction. Whether stripped down, nostalgic, emotional, or completely unhinged, the ads that stuck made a clear choice and committed to it. In a Super Bowl defined by excess, and an audience increasingly willing to opt out, memorability came from distinction, not scale. The spots we’re still talking about weren’t trying to please everyone; they were willing to stand apart.
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