Super Bowl LIX is in the books, and the days after always sparks three fiery debates: 1. Are we happy with the winner? 2. Did the halftime show deliver the hype? And 3. Which ads nailed it — and which ones totally missed the mark?

The first two questions are easy:

  • We are ecstatic the Eagles won the game. It’s about time the wealth got shared! We are surprised that Taylor Swift didn’t get a lot of screen time, though.
  • We thought Kendrick Lamar and SZA slayed. The choreography, song selection and representation made the show worth the hype.

As professional communicators, we have decided to weigh-in on the all-important game within the game — Super Bowl ads. Provided below is a list of (20) ads and, in the spirit of arena gladiators from days gone by, we share our thumbs up or down. Here we go:

  1. Bud Light — Big Men on Cul-de-Sac
    Thumbs up. The commercial features two icons consumers would love to hang out with — Post Malone and Shane Gillis. Their light-hearted persona matches Bud Light’s brand, so of course you’d call them to spice up a boring cul-de-sac party. With laugh-out-loud moments, from shooting beer can leaf blowers to emphasizing how the HOA is breathing down their necks, it makes us want to say, “Pour Me a Drink.” We definitely give this ad a thumbs up!
  1. Michelob Ultra — The ULTRA Hustle
    Thumbs up. The fastest growing sport in the U.S. meets Michelob Ultra. It’s relevant to multiple age groups. There’s also a humorous plot of Catherine O’Hara and Willem Dafoe fighting for the product. The duo’s drive entices craving for the refreshing beer.
  1. Stella Artois — David & Dave: The Other David
    Thumbs up. When David Beckham learns he has a twin brother in the U.S., he sets out to find him. The long-lost twins discover they have some things in common, including good taste in beer, tying the comical commercial back to the product. We especially loved Matt Damon’s self-deprecating humor, as well as their diss on Ben Affleck, which was all in good fun. We give Stella’s ad a Vehr-ified thumbs up.
  1. Booking.com — Get Your Stay Ridiculously Right
    Thumbs up. Featuring the loveable Muppets, Booking.com targeted multiple demographics in one commercial. Miss Piggy represents the boujee traveler that thrives at an eclectic boutique hotel. There’s the family enjoying the pool at a family-friendly resort, who splashes a nearby bachelorette party. The bride-to-be and her crew obviously want something a little less family-friendly, so they find a party-centric hotel in Vegas. The camera then cuts to Statler and Waldorf, who portray grumpy customers and benefit from the Booking.com free cancellation button. The transitions from each demographic were seamless. The commercial missed the business traveler, but maybe next time!
  1. Doritos — Abduction
    Thumbs up. Going back to its previous Super Bowl ad days, Doritos used a fan-submitted concept. Sharing user-generated content and ideas strengthens the relationship Doritos has with its fans. The commercial generates a chuckle, however, and keeps the focus on the product itself. The Dorito bag was levitating for Pete’s sake! Doritos was also one of the only commercials that did not use star power, making it stand out. Vehr gives this Super Bowl ad two alien thumbs up.
  1. Novartis — Your Attention, Please
    Thumbs up. Hailee Steinfeld and cancer survivor Wanda Sykes star in this impactful 60-second commercial. The ad starts with attention-grabbing camera angles of female bodies, then portrays the ads that target women: bras, breast enlargement and breast reduction. It even includes a “My eyes are up here!” scenario. The impactful moment comes at the end with a black and white image that says, “So much attention, yet so ignored” with a percentage of Super Bowl watchers that may be diagnosed with breast cancer. Novartis encourages viewers to take action by going to the campaign website. However, it’s not obvious that it’s a Novartis sponsored advertisement, which keeps attention on the cause rather than big pharma.
  1. Meta X Ray-Ban — Hey Meta, Who Eats Art?
    Thumbs down. For how cool the product is, that vibe isn’t captured in the chaotic plot. Chris Pratt and Chris Hemsworth are goofing around in what seems to be a museum. Kris Jenner appears saying she’s going to call her lawyer since Hemsworth ate her banana art. What’s happening and how do these stars relate? Meta and Ray-Ban were trying too hard to be funny. It’s a no from us.
  1. Tubi — Cowboy Head
    Thumbs down. The storyline made sense here, but it’s just gross. We all get the heebie-jeebies every time we see the flesh-covered cowboy and wizard hats. In reference to Kendrick’s setlist, we’re going to turn the “tv off.”
  1. Uber Eats — A Century of Cravings
    Thumbs up. First off, who doesn’t love Matthew McConaughey?! (Well, apparently one of our team members, but majority rules.) Finally, a commercial that ties in the Super Bowl sport itself. McConaughey has a theory that football was invented to make consumers hungry. It’s funny and the theory kind of makes sense! Only one thumbs up since we’re now holding a buffalo wing in the other.
  1. Dunkin’ — DunKings 2
    Thumbs down. As a Bostonian who grew up with Dunkin’ on every corner, I’m disappointed to report the commercial fell flat. After dressing up as a DunKing for Halloween, I had high hopes for the sequel. We all agreed that the plot was hard to follow. I had to watch the ad a few times to grasp that the setting was a choir competition. It looked more like a convention with merchandise. You also have Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson’s controversial relationship, a random guy soaking in coffee, a clown … there’s a lot going on. The Vehr crew gives Dunkin’s commercial a thumbs down. *Insert frowning Patrick Mahomes here*
  1. Poppi — Soda Thoughts
    Thumbs down. The colorful prebiotic soda offered a :60-sec. ad that succeeded at generating anxiety as indecisive customers in a diner and drive-thru just couldn’t quite decide on a flavor. Despite the anxiety inducement, it wasn‘t terribly memorable. Fun colors did pay homage to the drink’s bright branding, but that was about it.
  1. Hellmann’s Mayonnaise — When Sally Met Hellman’s
    Thumbs up. We liked this ad. I mean, who wouldn’t? “When Harry Met Sally” co-stars were reenacting one of the most talked-about and beloved scenes in modern movie history, it reawakened memories, delivered plenty of giggles and just seemed relevant for today. The Sydney Sweeney cameo also made it current.
  1. Mountain Dew — Kiss from a Lime
    Thumbs down. Some team members felt the ad was memorable, or at least Mountain Dew Baja Blast as the product was. Others wished we could forget what we saw. The singer Seal as a singing seal was just creepy. Singer Seal complimenting the singing seal at the end lightened it up, but the damage was already done.
  1. Disney’s Lilo and Stitch — Stitch Runs Loose at the Big Game
    Thumbs up. This is one of my absolute favorites! Would the furry field stormer ever be caught? I started cracking up when Stitch stole the cart, crashed and picked up the mic saying his goofy-evil tagline. Overall, the commercial was funny, nostalgic, attention-grabbing and directly related to every viewer’s shared situation … watching the Super Bowl. I bet the ad will definitely increase interest in the live-action Lilo and Stitch movie being released in May 2025.
  1. Pringles — Call of the Mustaches
    Thumbs up. We gave this ad a thumbs up for homage paid to Pringles’ iconic package design which includes mustachioed “chap” as part of the logo. We’re not sure that it closed the deal, though, because it never really showed a Pringles chip. It was also outpaced in the “facial hair war” by Little Caesar’s Crazy Puffs ad.
  1. Little Caesars’ — Woah!
    Thumbs up. This commercial wins “the facial hair war.” Little Caesars’ plays on Eugene Levy’s famously fuzzy eyebrows, which are even more definitive when he raises them. In this case, the eyebrow raise was brought about by delicious Crazy Puffs. When the actor’s daughter, Sarah Levy, finds hairy eyebrows on her hand, she seals the deal with saying that her dad is eating Crazy Puffs again, reminding us of what the commercial is about. On the contrary, the Pringles’ ad didn’t completely come full circle.
  1. Nike — So Win
    Thumbs up. Filmed in black-and-white, Nike’s first Super Bowl commercial in 27 years came back with a powerful message. This ad about the “double standard” faced by female athletes featured some of the world’s most successful ones. It captured you from the beginning, carried you throughout and delivered at the close with Jordan Chiles posing in the shape of the branded swoosh. Way to go, Nike.
  1. Pfizer — Knock Out
    Thumbs down. This ad came up short for our team. After leaving his hospital room wearing boxing gloves and shorts, a child recovered from cancer goes on a dreamlike journey comparable to Rocky’s training routine in central Philly. It fell short when he reached home to the surprise of his mom! Really. Mom didn’t know he was finishing treatment that day? Also, Pfizer fails to acknowledge the care team at the hospital and seems to claim victory for treating this young boy’s cancer. Too much to sort through for a Super Bowl ad. It’s also a bit yucky, as the boxer fighting cancer is not a real patient.
  1. NFL Inspire Change — I Am Somebody
    Thumbs up. The NFL scored a touchdown with this powerful commercial emphasizing youth mentorship. The NFL teamed up with one of the many nonprofits it supports, Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS). The president and CEO of BBBS, Artis Stevens, posted the ad on Instagram saying, “We are ALL somebody no matter our background, experiences or circumstances. Let’s inspire every child to believe what they are capable of.” So yeah, if you cried at any of the Super Bowl ads, it was probably this one. Big thumbs up.
  1. Super Bowl LIX — Flag 50
    Thumbs up. High school flashback incoming! This ad features a stereotypically overbearing principal, cocky football jocks, mean girl cheerleaders and a new kid trying to break the norm. This new kid on the block isn’t afraid to show her male competitors what she can do on the field in flag football. You guessed it, she kicked ass and took names. “The Brad” never stood a chance. It was a powerful message, good plot and memorable execution. (“Ohhhh! Right in the Jimmy Johnsons!”). We’re excited to see the progress made in making flag football a girls’ varsity sport in all 50 states!

We wanted to give a “Vehr Verdict” on even more commercials, but with as many ads as there were years since the Super Bowl started, that wasn’t going to happen. Overall, the commercials prompted conversation, gave us a few laughs and kept the non-football fans in the room entertained. Until next year!