The Best + Worst Super Bowl Commercials of 2016
According to Nielsen, last year over 114 million viewers watched the Super Bowl. That's a lot of people—and a huge opportunity for companies to shill their products, services, or just get their message across.
Marketers can spend up to $5 million just for a 30 second commercial. It sounds crazy, but the truth is, there is big money to be made by advertising during the big game. According to a survey conducted by Prosper Insights and Analytics, over 17% of adults claim that the commercials that air during the Super Bowl are more important than the game itself. In fact, according to the same survey, one in eight people actually view these ads more as entertainment than actual commercial marketing.
And think about it: from the Budweiser frogs to Ridley Scott's dystopian Apple computer ad to Britney Spears putting the pop in soda pop for Pepsi, Super Bowl commercials have made for some of the most iconic marketing content ever, many becoming ingrained into our popular culture as more than just advertising.
That doesn't mean that all Super Bowl ads are created equal though. With the good come the bad—the offensive, even—like GoDaddy's sexist 2009 ad featuring Danica Patrick being watched while in the shower, or Nationwide's 2015 #makesafehappen commercial that went from upbeat and whimsical to devastating in under 60 seconds, leaving viewers shocked and in bad spirits.
So, how does 2016 stack up? Watch the best and worst Super Bowl commercials from the big game this year, and decide for yourself in the comments.
The Best:
Listening to Dame Helen Mirren yell at you about being an arse for drunk driving? We'll take it.
Amy Schumer and Seth Rogen on their own are pretty awesome. Together, they're a lovably comedic tour de force. (Also, quoting Bill Pullman's speech from Independence Day? Iconic.)
Less is not more when it comes to Ryan Reynolds, and Hyundai knows it.
Anything that stars Jason Schwartzman is alright in our book, but the fact that this Amazon Echo commercial also features Missy Elliott and her new song just makes it all the better.
Honestly, we don't care what Liam Neeson's selling as long as we get to listen to that gorgeous voice.
Another winner from Hyundai, Kevin Hart plays on the overprotective father trope in this hilarious commercial for the Hyundai Genesis Car Finder app.
Featuring David Bowie's "Starman," this Audi commercial is nostalgic, sweet, and sad all at once.
This sweet and inspiring ad from Hyundai is for the dreamers in all of us.
Watching Hulk and Ant-Man duke it out over a can of Coca Cola is not only hilarious, but oddly relatable.
The Worst:
It's not really a bad commercial—it's actually quite funny and cute! But there's just something a little creepy about resurrecting the CGI ghost of Miss Monroe to sell Snickers bars.
Key and Peele are usually hilarious. Unfortunately this Squarespace commercial just falls a little flat compared to their typical comedic genius. It's just whatever.