The Super Bowl may be the annual highlight of the NFL season, but it has also long become a stage for all kinds of matters of cultural importance. There’s the cute thing Puppy bowland a kid-friendly Nickelodeon presence, complete with a SpongeBob concert inspired by “Band Geeks.” But one of the biggest additional Super Bowl draws is all the expensive commercials and trailers that launch alongside the event. These ads range from actively cringe-worthy to genuinely clever, so we’ve rounded up this year’s highlights.
Leave Christopher Walken alone
This BMW ad stars Christopher Walken, and the car itself plays a supporting role for the legendary actor as he goes through a day in the life. The ad depicts a kind of hell where Walken is bombarded everywhere by people doing a bad impression of his iconic cadence on his face. It’s a cute premise, backed up by one cameo from R&B star and Super Bowl headliner Usher during halftime that suggests the two have some kind of long-standing, low-level animosity.
Aliens among us
Squarespace is a constant presence in my daily internet life; almost every YouTuber I like has gone out of their way to accept sponsorship from the website host. But what if Squarespace could sell itself through a big, cinematic story? Hello down there is a short film directed by Martin Scorsese, which shows a world where aliens have fully revealed themselves to humanity… but no one notices, because they are on their smartphones! Luckily, the aliens can use Squarespace to get everyone to look up and pay attention.
Scrubs stars reunited (plus Jason Momoa)
Scrubs stars Zach Braff and Donald Faison show up to welcome new neighbor Jason Momoa to the neighborhood with a song and dance about how great T-Mobile is. This commercial mainly serves as a reminder of how damn charming Momoa is – although, if I were more of a Scrubs fan, maybe I would enjoy seeing the sitcom star’s reunion.
Baja Blast really makes everything bearable
You could say that the whole “sitcom stars reunite in a crazy setting to celebrate a company product” thing was done better by Mountain Dew, which features Aubrey Plaza sipping the ultimate gaming relixir known as Baja Blast in various settings. Parks and recreation co-star Nick Offerman arrives, riding a dragon. It’s the kind of crazy, cotton candy premise that works mainly because of how fun it is to see Plaza and Offerman on screen in any context.
Chris Pratt? More like Chris Pringles
If I had a nickel for every 2024 Super Bowl ad starring a former actor Parks and recreation star enjoys some kind of snack, well I’d have two nickels. Chris Pratt, just starting out as Mario, is growing a mustache. This makes everyone around him realize that he looks like the Pringles mascot, and pressures him to accept the role. My immersion was only briefly interrupted by the idea that there is a role Chris Pratt might want to turn down.
A multitude of Tinas Fey
You’ve heard of the multiverse, but what about the Tina Fey verse? Tina Fey hires several body doubles so that she can reach all the fantastic places she wants to go via Booking.com. Glenn Close also shows up, because why have an unexpected star for your Super Bowl spot when you can have that? two?
Paramount’s expedition continues
Paramount Plus isn’t the most coveted streaming service out there, but this Super Bowl ad really warmed my heart. The stars of several Paramount properties have gathered around a mountain and are attempting to throw a grappling hook up a steep slope. Arnold (van Hey Arnold!) gets involved in crazy pranks by Patrick Stewart, Drew Barrymore and Knuckles – yes, the Knuckles from Sonic the hedgehog. Creed shows up to preside over the antics, and the whole thing is so silly and surreal that it actually works. Or maybe I’m just a loser for seeing Master Chief hanging out with Knuckles and the guy who’s hosting Survivor.
Michael Cera sells us on Cerave
Michael Cera has been acting on TikTok for weeks. Out of nowhere, Popular influencers started mentioning him in videos and people shared videos where he distributed Cerave products throughout New York. Now we know that these shenanigans were all part of a larger promotional campaign for the skin care company Cerave. The running joke is that this celebrity endorsement makes sense because the actor’s last name, Cera, sounds exactly like Cerave. It’s not the funniest commercial in the world, but I have a soft spot for pretty much any project I see the actor tied to. —Ana Diaz
The couch potatoes of Pluto TV
Here’s a fun idea that’s executed well, as the Pluto TV ad is a parody of farmer-oriented commercials, but about couch potatoes. What really sells this one is the committed performance of the grumpy farmers, but the happy people potatoes don’t hurt.
Ben Affleck tries to help J-Lo at work
Ben Affleck and Dunkin’ have made some fun Super Bowl commercials over the years. This time he teams up with good friend Matt Damon and Boston sports legend Tom Brady for The Dunkings, his attempt to form a music group to ‘help’ his wife Jennifer Lopez as she records some new songs. Damon is particularly funny here as he plays the beleaguered friend who may have been asked for one too many favors. —Piet Volk