After three days of Zoom debates and seemingly endless Slack rebuttals, we’re finally ready to share our top five Super Bowl commercials.
While there was no singular consensus on the best of the best, we did agree points were warranted for creative tear-jerkers, clever connections, and even buzz-building without the $7 million-per-minute price tag. So what made the Stoke top five? In no particular order, here they are:
#1. Pringles with Meghan Trainor
While we’ve never personally gotten stuck in a Pringles can, we’ve all had those “oh no…” moments. Stuck in a too-tight shirt in a dressing room? Parked too close and can’t shimmy out? It’s all a Pringles can, at the end of the day. So kudos to Pringles for reminding us all we aren’t alone and can hold our heads high — we’re “simply the best,” after all.
#2. Busch with Sarah McLachlan
We love people who can laugh at themselves — and now we can include Sarah McLachlan in that category . After eliciting countless tears over the years, McLachlan poked fun at her ASPCA commercials, popping out of a “shelter” — in this case, a tent in the middle of the wilderness. Yes, she misunderstood “shelter,” and yes, she’s now shoulder-to-shoulder with a wolf — not an adorable, adoptable puppy. Busch Guy swoops in and stops her plea for donations, and her reaction is good for a laugh or two.
#3. Dunkin’ with Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck
You’ve no doubt seen paparazzi snaps of Ben Affleck weaving his way through a Dunkin’ parking lot, stacks of iced coffees in hand. This star-studded commercial leaned into the A-lister’s known affinity for the Boston-born quick serve, putting Affleck at the helm of a local drive-thru — and JLo isn’t impressed (though she’ll happily take a glazed doughnut, while he’s there…). It’s silly, sure, but knowing Affleck’s a true fan makes this commercial hit a little extra.
#4. Workday with Ozzy Osbourne, Joan Jett, Paul Stanley, Billy Idol, and Gary Clark, Jr.
We’ve all recoiled at overused corporate speak — and, according to people truly in the know, “rockstar” might be one of the biggest offenders. Workday’s irreverent nod to corporate culture includes some of the most iconic rockstars ever — and, no, not Ted in finance, Ozzy Osbourne quickly explains, but he and some of his pals, including Joan Jett, Billy Idol, Gary Clark, Jr., and Paul Stanley. People who have trashed hotel rooms in 43 countries, lived on a tour bus for decades, and done our share of bad things (and not people who are not excelling at their HR and finance jobs), all thanks to Workday. Like the cubicle dwellers now on blast, we’ll think twice before using the term “rockstar” outside of a KISS concert.
#5. Blockbuster
Yes, Blockbuster. If you didn’t already know, there’s still one Blockbuster standing — in Bend, Oregon. While the former chain didn’t cough up $7 million for a traditional Super Bowl commercial, they did run one on Instagram during the halftime show — and made it available for future viewing on VHS (naturally). While it’s not the most exciting commercial we’ve seen, it did make us laugh. The premise: In a post-apocalyptic world, there’s no internet and no streaming. But what’s still standing beside Steve the Cockroach-turned-narrator? Blockbuster. While we hope it never comes to that, we appreciate Blockbuster looking out for humanity.
Did we miss your favorite? Comment below.