What makes a great Super Bowl ad? We believe it is the combination of humor, memorability, and creativity that serves as the foundation of a high-quality ad and compels the viewer to buy the product or service.

This year, the 2021 Super Bowl commercials entertained our team more than the actual game. We were impressed with quite a few. Here is our ranking on some of this year’s favorite prime time ads (and don’t miss our recap below to see why they worked so well).

Cheetos threw it back to Shaggy’s prime with their own version of, ‘It Wasn’t Me.’ Featuring Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher, this commercial was both hilarious and compelling enough to want to go grab a bag of the orange, cheesy snack. 

Will Ferrell. That’s all we should have to say when it comes to this commercial. Will, Kenan Thompson, and Awkwafina made this commercial humorous with a hint of that “epic cinema” feel. Some declare this the best commercial of the night, we’re rating it #2 (close to a tie for first).

Who wouldn’t want a new Alexa device to look like Michael B. Jordan? Amazon Alexa ran with the idea of presenting its new body with someone’s celebrity crush in the funniest way, possible. Not to mention, those close up and personal uses for Alexa stood out and made a tantalizing case to go out and buy one! 

Cadillac made a brilliant decision to bring back a classic with Timothee Chalamet as “Edgar Scissorhands” and Winona Ryder reprising her role to show their new hands-free, self-driving car. A beautiful nod to nostalgia and even someone with scissor hands can drive it…

It’s raining…lemons? This Bud Light Seltzer Lemonade ad is both hilarious and attention-grabbing. Those who watched from the TSC team stopped and wondered what brand the commercial was for while laughing at the lemons pelting down on people. After Bud Light announced what they were advertising, it all made sense in the best ways. Not to mention, they look delicious! 

We all remember the sweet, heartfelt Budweiser commercials that feature beautiful horses. Well, this year the horses were definitely featured – just in a different way. Sam Adams chose to Gallup with some humor by taking a little shot at Budweiser, and it was highly effective. We won’t spoil it for you – you just have to watch it. 

What do you do when you’re sorry? M&M’s are the ultimate apology, especially if your name is Karen or if your gender reveal party goes wrong. Before we give too much away, you have to see this for yourself. 

Why is Matthew McConaughey so flat? This hilarious Doritos 3D commercial was a funny and smart way to bring back the 3D Dorito chips. Remember those? You will now!

Uber Eats made fun of many different advertising techniques with their Eat Local commercial, starring Wayne and Garth. It was direct, funny, and very smart – especially if you’re familiar with the advertising world… or Wayne’s World, like we are! Bravo.

Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Drake, and Paul Rudd are all together for a hilarious State Farm commercial. Focused on “stand-ins,” the sarcasm, humor, and star-studded features make this commercial as funny as it sounds. Who would be your stand-in?

2021’s Super Bowl commercials present a sample of a rapid and clear shift in advertising trends that focus on the following:

Nostalgia – one of the most underutilized trends in advertising, nostalgia is a powerful and influential tool to help people feel comfortable and familiar with businesses or products.

Humor – As people around the world are experiencing difficult times, comedy ties us all together and is a go-to tool for escaping and enjoying a moment of collective, light-hearted humor.

Creativity with Celebrities – Celebrities don’t just appear in these commercials – they participate in the story and help shape the narrative of the commercial to reinforce the advertised brand. The 2021 Super Bowl commercials featured several novel ways to include traditional celebrity appearances. 

Amplify your brand with creative commercials!