In the tense Super Bowl 2024 match between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, several of the biggest names in the world competed to win over viewers. Experts have selected which 2024 game commercials were the best and worst.
According to Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, which annually grades commercials in its Super Bowl Advertising Review, the top-ranked spots were those from Google, Dove, and CeraVe. According to USA Today’s Ad Metre, the State Farm commercial starring Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Dunkin’ commercial featuring Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Matt Damon and Tom Brady were viewer favourites.
Brands paid $7 million for 30 seconds of airtime to reach an audience expected to exceed 100 million viewers, so as usual, advertisers had a lot on the line. Not every advertisement resulted in a touchdown; some mishandled the ball.
“Dove and Google were among the few brands that dug deeper, but the majority of the ads were lighthearted,” stated Derek Rucker, a professor at Kellogg and co-leader of the school’s ad review.
Super Bowl 2024 ads:
Not only can a memorable Super Bowl commercial improve a brand, but it can also help craft a story around a product that alters consumers’ perceptions of it. For instance, Apple’s renowned “1984” commercial from four decades ago helped the young tech company establish the Macintosh as a stylish personal computer that could compete with IBM’s hardware.
However, a tacky or offensive advertisement can severely damage a brand. One such example is the notorious Just for Feet Super Bowl commercial from 1999, which was criticised for being tone-deaf and racist.
Rucker stated, “Making an advertisement that connects with viewers is what creates value for the brand, not just showing up at the Super Bowl. There are some brands that showed up, but you and I will forget about them the next day. When the costs are as high as the Super Bowl, that’s really dangerous.”
According to Amy Chen, director of experience at brand company Siegel+Gale, the overall tone of this year’s crop of advertisements leaned towards nostalgia. This was particularly evident in this year’s beer commercials, she continued, such as Bud Light’s hilarious star-studded spot, which marked the company’s Super Bowl comeback following the negative publicity it faced from a marketing alliance with transgender social media star Dylan Mulvaney last year.
Commercials to watch:
Chen stated, “Super Bowl commercials are often a reflection of the time. Especially it being an election year, no one wants to get too in the weeds on sticky subjects.”
Ads are rated from A to F on the Kellogg scale according to marketing attributes like positioning and distinction. A group of business students evaluates the ads and applies the metrics to them. Put another way, the ratings don’t consider how well-liked the commercials are with viewers; instead, they consider whether they contributed to the brand’s growth.
This year, the panel did not give any of the advertisements in the 2024 Super Bowl a “F” rating; instead, several of them received Ds.
Best commercials during Super Bowl 2024:
Google:
In the advertisement for the Google Pixel camera, a man with vision loss was seen using the device to snap pictures of his loved ones. Because the advertisement “linked tech with emotion,” according to Rucker, it was “powerful”.
The Kellogg panel rated the Google Pixel advertisement an A.
CeraVe:
Actor Michael Cera claimed in this advertisement for CeraVe skincare products that he created the moisturising cream—after all, the product bears his last name. The funny commercial emphasises that the moisturiser was created by dermatologists, not Cera.
Rucker stated, “That was a personal favourite because that was so well done. I wasn’t really familiar with the product, but I got a sense of what they do.”
CeraVe was awarded an A by the panel.
Dunkin’:
This hilarious commercial parodied the Dunkin’ ad from the previous year, in which Jennifer Lopez finds Ben Affleck at his place of employment—a drive-through. Here, Affleck enlists the help of his pals Brady and Damon to impress Lopez with his boy band, the DunKings.
Based on viewer votes, USA Today’s Ad Metre ranked this advertisement at number two.
Reese’s:
During its Super Bowl commercial, the candy company showcased a novel take on its product: peanut butter cups infused with caramel. Actor Will Arnett provided a voiceover for the brand, taking fans on an emotional journey while informing them of the upcoming changes to the candy and reassuring them that the original Reese’s will remain accessible.
The Kellogg review gave the advertisement a grade of A.
State Farm:
Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in a State Farm commercial as himself, but his accent changed the insurance company’s slogan to “like a good neighbaaaa.” Danny DeVito, his former film co-star, makes an appearance towards the end to assist with the delivery.
This year’s top spot was determined by USA Today’s Ad Metre.
Volkswagen:
The automaker displayed a sentimental image of its cars across the decades in America, starting with the launch of the VW Bug and ending with its recognisable bus. The final scene of the commercial featured the ID.buzz, Volkswagen’s new electric minibus, set to Neil Diamond’s “I Am… I Said” song.
The rankings awarded this advertisement an A as well.
Doritos:
While shopping at a grocery store with actor Jenna Ortega, two elderly women named Dina and Mita take action when actor Danny Ramirez takes the last bag of Doritos Dinamita off the shelf. The elderly women transform into heroic figures as they go after Ramirez’s snack.
According to Chen of Siegel+Gale, the commercial follows a trend of more diverse representation in Super Bowl advertisements this year, including a greater number of Latino actors and themes.
Verizon:
Beyoncé, the singer, attempted to “break” Verizon in this glamorous commercial by announcing a number of initiatives, such as “Beyonc-AI” and a campaign to run for “Beyoncé of the United States” (BOTUS). The commercial concluded with the news of a new album.
According to ComScore, the advertisement caused a spike in social media interaction, making it the night’s most popular Instagram post.
Microsoft:
In Microsoft’s advertisement, users are seen using Copilot, the AI assistant the company released last year, on their phones to automate a range of tasks, such as producing short bursts of computer code and producing digital artwork.
The purpose of the advertisement was to introduce consumers—who may be more acquainted with Microsoft’s work apps like Word—to the company’s AI capabilities.
“It doesn’t get in the funky territory of what generative AI can do to displace people — it was a really smart spot,” Chen said.
Dove:
Dove’s ad, which focuses on the difficulties girls encounter in losing confidence while playing sports, carries on its long-standing theme of body positivity and acceptance.
Rucker praised the advertisement, saying, “Dove is about empowering women, so that’s a nice continuation of the theme.” It was, he felt, one of the few Super Bowl advertisements that delved deeper into a significant topic.
Mountain Dew:
“Parks and Recreation” actor Aubrey Plaza uses her deadpan delivery to great effect while sipping Mountain Dew, whose slogan is “having a blast.” The commercial emphasises how consuming Mountain Dew, or MTN DEW as its owner PepsiCo now calls it, can make any situation more lively. One of her “Parks and Recreation” co-stars makes a brief appearance in the conclusion.
Hellmann’s:
The “Saturday Night Live” star Kate McKinnon appears in this commercial as her cat “speaks” the word “mayo” as she’s attempting to decide what to make. Her cat goes viral and inspires people to try cooking with mayonnaise.
Etsy:
Through the story of Americans trying to find a thank-you present for France in exchange for the Statue of Liberty, this spot highlights the craft marketplace’s new “gift mode,” a service that helps shoppers pick gifts.
Uber Eats:
This commercial, which starred “Friends” actors David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston, pushed the notion that Uber Eats offers more than just food. The premise is that you have to forget something in order to remember it.
“The product is centred throughout the entire thing, and they are messaging the idea they can deliver many things,” Rucker stated.
Worst Super Bowl ads:
Temu:
This commercial, which starred “Friends” actors David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston, pushed the notion that Uber Eats offers more than just food. The premise is that you have to forget something in order to remember it.
“The product is centred throughout the entire thing, and they are messaging the idea they can deliver many things,” Rucker stated.
Homes.com:
The Kellogg panel claimed that although Homes.com ran three commercials during the Super Bowl featuring actor Dan Levy from “Schitt’s Creek,” it did not explain to viewers what the platform’s advantages were. One of the eleven brands that received the panel’s lowest grade of D this year was Homes.com.
“The ads just seemed a little all over the place,” Rucker stated.
Squarespace:
Despite its flashy appearance and Martin Scorsese’s cameo, this advertisement did not make a clear connection between the company’s offerings and the commercial. In the commercial, aliens invade Earth, but people are too engrossed in their phones to notice.
Bass Pro Shops:
Although this advertisement emphasised the affordability of Bass Pro Shops’ boats, it failed to impress viewers with its artistic quality. The advertisement did indeed seem “as if made for local late-night” television, according to the New York Times.
Snap:
Snapchat’s commercial claimed that it isn’t like other social media platforms and that there are more features than just “likes.” However, the advertisement was hectic and crammed with social media memes, which might have undermined its point.
Drumstick:
The iconic ice cream company debuted during the Super Bowl with a commercial that featured comedian Eric André, who becomes ill while travelling. “Dr. Umstick” answers when the crew asks if there is a doctor on board, but he clarifies that he is not a “body doctor.” Instead, he gives ice cream cones to everyone, leaving André in agony.
CrowdStrike:
This “Westworld”-esque scene depicts a town in the Old West overrun by robots, which is a stand-in for hackers trying to damage or steal your computer. “[l]east exciting showdown ever,” the advertisement mocked the New York Times.
He Gets Us:
According to USA Today, the charity Come Near, whose mission is “sharing the life and love of Jesus in thought-provoking new ways,” is associated with these religiously themed advertisements. One of the advertisements shows individuals cleaning each other’s feet as a metaphor for Mary Magdalene and Jesus.
That may not have been the advertisement’s intended outcome, but it ended up being the target of social media jokes about foot fetishes.
FanDuel:
Rob Gronkowski, a former player for the Patriots, missed a field goal in one commercial, which resulted in some bettors winning and others losing. The opinion of The New York Times: “Lame right.”
American Values 2024:
The super PAC of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. released a 30-second advertisement promoting the independent candidate’s bid for president. The advertisement featured quotes, clips, and a jingle that paid homage to his uncle, the late President John F. Kennedy. The use of family photos in the advertisement infuriated some Kennedy relatives.
So, this was all about the Super Bowl 2024. Also read, Watch Top Best trailers dropped during Super Bowl 2024
