By Kathryn Taleporos | February 20, 2023
Billions of dollars are spent each year on advertisements for the Super Bowl, some of the most highly anticipated ads of the year. Though the Kansas City Chiefs took home the NFL Championship last Sunday, these ads were the real winners of Super Bowl LVII.
Rakuten: This ad starred Alicia Silverstone reprising her role as Cher from the movie Clueless. Silverstone and fellow co-stars reenacted one of the most iconic scenes from this classic movie. The combination of nostalgia and comedy made this ad a win.
Disney: Although a little long, Disney’s ad also added in elements of nostalgia that caters to every audience member. Disney showed scenes from various classic movies throughout their 100 years of filmmaking. This commercial did not have the traditional comedic elements seen in the other ads, but it connected generations through the magic of Disney. While it may sound a little cliche, there was definitely magic in this ad that made both adults and children smile.
Dunkin: For this being their first Super Bowl ad, Dunkin’ Donuts definitely made an impression. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez made this ad perfect, with Affleck working as a Dunkin’ employee and Lopez discovering him. Dunkin’s new tagline, “Grab me a glazed!”.
Tubi: This commercial had everyone reaching for their remotes. Tubi convinced people that they were changing the channel from the Super Bowl to Tubi TV. The chaos and panic that this caused is what made it so funny. This ad has also sparked conversations about sexism, with some making the comparison that Taylor Swift fans were “crazy fangirls”, and heavily criticized for crying about not getting concert tickets, but it was acceptable for Super Bowl fans to freak out over the channel changing.
Amazon: An emotional ad for every dog lover, this commercial showed how even dogs need a friend. Amazon showed a dog who became lonely because his family all had new Amazon technology, and the family had to get another dog for him. In contrast from the normal comedy of advertisements, Amazon tapped into viewers' feelings with this heartwarming ad.
Overall, the ads this year were funny, nostalgic, and at times sad. The combination of these emotions and the sheer amount of money and effort poured into these commercials, made them just as entertaining as the game.