The 21 Most Memorable Super Bowl Commercials to Rewatch Before the Big Game

As one of the most-watched televised events each year in the United States, the Super Bowl isn't just about football — it's also a prime stage for brands competing to make the biggest impact between plays.

Year after year, advertisers go the extra mile to craft unforgettable campaigns that capitalize on the millions of viewers glued to their screens. For many companies, these commercials are just as anticipated as the game itself.

Over time, brands have perfected the art of the Super Bowl ad, incorporating A-list stars, humor and powerful social messages to leave a lasting impression. Some ads have even achieved legendary status, becoming part of pop culture history.

From the buzziest celebrity cameos to the heartstring-tugging commercials that made us cry, here are the Super Bowl ads that have stood the test of time.

Verizon's "Can't B Broken" (2024)

You can't break Verizon's 5G, but Beyoncé sure knows how to break the internet.

Queen Bey proved that in this Super Bowl commercial, where she took on the ultimate challenge — trying to overload Verizon's network. From dressing up as Bar-Bey, live streaming as Slayoncé and even announcing her run for "Beyoncé of the United States" — she pulled out all the stops in a battle of wits against Veep star Tony Hale. However, when all else failed, she pulled out the ultimate power move: dropping new music.

Shortly after the ad aired, Beyoncé sent her fans into a frenzy by teasing the follow-up to 2022's Renaissance, the first installment in her three-act project. The wait wasn't long — her 11-time Grammy-nominated country album, Cowboy Carter, arrived on March 29, 2024. Verizon's 5G may be unbreakable, but the BeyHive? Absolutely shook.

Pepsi's "The Joy of Pepsi" (2001)

Football hasn't been the same since Britney Spears ripped off her Pepsi jumpsuit at the beginning of this iconic ad.

For her debut commercial as a Pepsi spokesperson, Spears performed an original song that redefined the pop in soda pop. Backed by dancing Pepsi "employees," the singer turned the beverage factory into a stage with her bubbly personality and showstopping choreography.

Between "The Joy of Pepsi" and her feature in the halftime performance, Spears clearly won Super Bowl XXXV.

[Editors' note: Pepsi has had so many iconic spots it was hard to choose just one! Other editor favorites included this Cindy Crawford roadside moment; the time Beyoncé, Spears and Pink were gladiators in a stadium overseen by Emperor Enrique Iglesias; and this time-traveling Spears spot.]

Volkswagen's "The Force" (2011)

Super Bowl viewers first watched a miniature Darth Vader try to summon "The Force'' in 2011, but its hold on our imaginations has been strong ever since.

The adorable advertisement opens with the pint-sized Star Wars villain stalking around his home, trying (and failing) to make things happen with the force of his mind as "The Imperial March" plays in the background. When Dad pulls into the driveway in his Volkswagen Passat, the costumed kid tries his hand at commanding the car — and to his surprise, the effort works, thanks to a secret helping hand from his dad inside the house.

Max Page, the boy behind the mask, would remain in the public eye as a pediatric health advocate. Page was born with a congenital heart condition that required several surgical procedures throughout his lifetime.

In 2018, Page spoke to PEOPLE about how he's turned his experience into a means to help other kids undergoing similar complications and how his Super Bowl XLV ad changed his life forever.

"It was more than I could have ever imagined, especially at 7," Page said. "I didn't even know what a Super Bowl commercial meant; I didn't understand the magnitude it would have. For it to become something of this caliber is just awesome."

Budweiser's "Whassup?" (1999)

IIn 1999, Budweiser asked one simple question that can still be heard today: "Whassup?"

The iconic ad features five friends checking in on the phone, prompting each other with the exaggerated greeting that necessitates a floppy tongue and open mouth. Bookending the chorus of "Whassup" are two friends having a simple exchange, both with one hand on the phone and another on their Budweiser beer bottles. Both friends ask each other what's up, and both answer, "Nothing. Just watching the game, having a Bud."

The clip originally aired during Monday Night Football in December 1999, earning iconic status during the 2000 Super Bowl. The ripple effect of "Whassup?" still shows in today's pop culture. The commercial — based on the short film True — won the Grand Prix award at the International Advertising Festival in Cannes, a Clio Award and a place in the latter program's hall of fame.

It has been parodied in films like 2000's Scary Movie and Adam Sandler's That's My Boy in 2012 and referenced on TV shows, including The Simpsons, Friends and The Office. Budweiser also revived the iconic catchphrase in 2020 as part of its "Checking In, That's Whassup" campaign. The new ad encouraged friends to check in with each other during the COVID-19 pandemic and featured stars like Dwyane Wade and his wife, Gabrielle Union.

E*Trade's "Monkey" (2000)

E*Trade's famous dancing monkey kicked off the 21st century with an unforgettably eccentric scene made possible by a comically large budget.

The ad sees a monkey dancing next to two men in flannel shirts to the simple soundtrack of "La Cucaracha."

Standing on top of a bucket, the superstar primate flails about in his E*Trade-branded T-shirt until the song finishes and text appears on the screen as a punchline.

"Well, we just wasted $2,000,000. What are you doing with your money?" read the company's tagline.

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Snickers' "You're Not You When You're Hungry" (2010)

This Snickers ad takes its tagline, "You're not you when you're hungry," to a new level. You're more than just "not yourself." You're Betty White.

The clip featured a group of guys and the late Golden Girls star playing a game of football. When one player throws the ball to White, she's brutally tackled by an opponent into a puddle of mud.

Approaching the huddle, the other guys on her team critique her "sloppy" performance; one of them even complains, "You're playing like Betty White out there," to which the actress replies, bitingly, "That's not what your girlfriend says!"

At that point, a woman jogs onto the field to encourage White to "eat a Snickers." It takes only one bite for White to transform back into Mike, ready to get back into the game.

Old Spice's "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" (2010)

In 2010, Old Spice urged viewers to stop settling for men who smell like ordinary soap. The heartthrob spokesperson, Isaiah Mustafa, encourages viewers to imagine that their own boyfriends could be more like him if only they smelled like him, taking viewers on a romantic journey "with the man your man could smell like," including tickets to "that thing you love," a handful of diamonds and a beachside horseback ride. Seems unlikely? "Anything is possible when your man smells like Old Spice."

E*Trade's "Baby" (2008–Present)

In 2008, E*Trade introduced an unlikely spokesperson for a financial services corporation: a baby. In the many advertisements that followed his on-air debut during Super Bowl XLII, the E*Trade baby — voiced by comedian Pete Holmes — proved he could handle his money and investments thanks to the company's help.

The 2013 commercial, shared by the Wall Street Journal, saw the econ-genius infant describing how E*Trade can help manage your 401(k) (because who wouldn't trust a baby with that?).

The famed tot returned to Super Bowl screens in 2022 in a commercial called "Off the Grid," which saw E*Trade executives trying to convince the baby to come out of his peaceful retirement in the woods.

E.l.f. Cosmetics' "In e.l.f. We Trust" (2024)

E.l.f. Cosmetics makes its case in this hilarious, over-the-top legal drama for Super Bowl 2024, where the only crime is paying too much for foundation.

Presiding over the courtroom is Judge Judy Sheindlin, with Gina Torres standing accused of overspending by her former Suits costar Rick Hoffman, who leads the charge against her. Stacked with surprise cameos — including Sarah Rafferty as the stenographer, Meghan Trainor reporting live and even Jury Duty's Ronald Gladden as an unexpected juror — the courtroom showdown comes to a head with a no-nonsense (but affordable) verdict: E.l.f.'s $14 Halo Glow Liquid Filter is all you need. Court adjourned!

Budweiser's "Respect" (2002)

Clydesdale horses first appeared in Budweiser Super Bowl ads in 1986, and since then, the graceful animals have been making football lovers smile, laugh and cry through game breaks. One of the most moving and memorable Budweiser commercials played nationwide in 2002, and then it never aired again.

The clip, titled "Respect," was a tribute to the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks just months prior. The emotional advertisement shows the horses trotting from the countryside to the city. The pack of Clydesdales pull the iconic red Budweiser carriage across the Brooklyn Bridge and then collectively bow their heads toward the Manhattan skyline.

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Apple's "1984" (1984)

The world met the Apple Macintosh computer during the third quarter of Super Bowl XVIII when the Los Angeles Raiders were on their way to defeating the Washington Redskins (now called the Washington Commanders) in 1984.

The one-minute ad opens on the dystopian vision of technology and the future from George Orwell's 1949 novel 1984, showing gray-suited drones walking through a tunnel as an unseen voice lauds the "glorious anniversary of the Information Purification Directives." As the mindless figures stare at a projection of the person speaking, a woman wearing bright, athletic shorts and a tank emblazoned with an illustration of the Macintosh hurls a sledgehammer into the screen, resulting in a blinding flash that washes over the crowd and presumably undoes the brainwashing.

The legendary commercial — which earned several accolades, including a Clio award — finishes with a narrated message of hope for the trailblazing tech: "On January 24th, Apple Computer will introduce Macintosh. And you'll see why 1984 won't be like 1984," a new voice says.

McDonald's "The Showdown" (1993)

This McDonald's ad featuring two NBA legends became an instant classic when it first aired during Super Bowl XXVII in 1993. Larry Bird offers to play Michael Jordan for the Big Mac and fries Jordan brought for lunch, declaring, "first one to miss watches the winner eat."

With such high stakes on the line, the duo matches each other's every shot. Their talents are so well-matched that at one point, Jordan looks into the camera and tells viewers, "I think we're gonna be here a while. I suggest you go get a Big Mac."

As the shootout goes on, the players go to further extremes to get the coveted McDonald's meal — moving from the court to the rafters to outside the stadium to Chicago's former John Hancock Center, with the challenges getting tougher and tougher.

The ball continues to swish into the basket, and the game is still going even after the McDonald's jingle plays. As the commercial ends, we see the two standing on the edge of the Hancock Center as Jordan describes the next trick shot: "Off the expressway, over the river, off the billboard, through the window, off the wall, nothin' but net."

Budweiser's "Frogs" (1995)

The world first met frogs "Bud," "Weis" and "Er" during a commercial break for 1995's Super Bowl XXIX. In the ad, the trio gathers in a swampy setting to croak out their names in succession, eventually stringing them together to say the beer company's full name. When the camera pans above the rocks and lily pads, a neon Budweiser sign appears and glows over the slimy spokesfrogs.

Lay's "Golden Memories" (2022)

Longtime costars and friends Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd teamed up to tout Lay's potato chips in this 2022 Super Bowl spot. The tuxedo-clad twosome share a bag of the brand's classic flavor as they reminisce about some of their favorite memories, including their first road trip and "first heart-to-heart" during extreme plane turbulence. (Between hyperventilating breaths into an empty Lay's bag, Rudd admits he's never seen any of Rogen's movies.)

Their memories take a turn for the weird as they look back on turf wars, a kidnapping by a stalker and moving into Rogen's first (haunted) house — all with a bag of Lay's in tow. Finally, the friends wrap up their trip down memory lane, and we see they were snacking before Rogen's wedding (hence their black-tie apparel). As the Neighbors actor walks down the aisle with his betrothed — who turns out to be the demon from his haunted first house — the guests shower them with potato chips.

Interestingly, the ad could have included an homage to 2005's The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Per Entertainment Weekly, director Judd Apatow was in talks to participate in the ad but declined, feeling that updating the film's "Wanna know how I know you're gay?" joke wouldn't translate well. Despite his absence, the commercial was still a laugh-out-loud success.

Related: Who Was MVP of the Last 10 Super Bowls?

Coca-Cola's "Hey Kid, Catch!" (1980)

Former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle "Mean" Joe Greene softens up a bit in the Coca-Cola commercial that aired during Super Bowl XIV in 1980, though it made its official TV debut in 1979. The acclaimed ad begins as Greene hobbles off the field toward the locker room, having just gotten injured during gameplay. He's stopped by a young kid who sweetly asks if he needs help, but Greene dismisses him and keeps walking.

What does stop him in his tracks? "Want my Coke?" After some convincing, Greene takes the soda bottle with gratitude as the soundtrack croons: "A Coke and a smile makes me feel good!"

A cheerful Greene calls out to the kid leaving the tunnel: "Hey, kid — catch!" The young fan receives the legendary player's jersey with a huge grin.

In an action-packed blast from the past, Coca-Cola released a follow-up ad for its Coke Mini product during the 2016 Super Bowl. It featured Marvel's Hulk and Ant-Man recreating the memorable jersey moment — with a Coke Mini bottle instead.

Squarespace's "Sally's Seashells" (2022)

In this seaside Squarespace spot, Zendaya — or "Sally" as she's called in the ad — becomes a beachy entrepreneur who takes her seashell business from an unfulfilled dream to a full-fledged empire.

After setting up a website for her inventory, the Euphoria star became "such a seaside sensation" that she was able to integrate her shells into the worlds of fashion ("swanky seashell accessories"), wellness ("seashell serenity sessions"), food ("savory seaside snacks") and travel ("seashell excursions of the seashore").

The tongue-twister-inspired commercial is full of fun and sun. Plus, Squarespace manages to fit four iconic Zendaya-style moments into just 30 seconds of ad space.

Wendy's "Where's the Beef" (1984)

The mark of a truly iconic commercial is whether people still use the catchphrase years later — even totally divorced from its original context. This 1984 ad features three elderly women examining a competitor's burger with a critical eye for its too-big bun and too-paltry meat patty. It ended up capturing the zeitgeist and making a star out of the actress who delivered the line, Clara Peller.

Related: A History of Super Bowl National Anthem Singers

Dunkin's "Drive-Thru" (2023)

Ben Affleck posed as a drive-thru attendant in this hilarious Dunkin's Super Bowl spot, surprising (most) of the fast-food chain's customers. The ad also features a fun cameo by Affleck's now ex-wife, multihyphenate superstar Jennifer Lopez, with whom he finalized his divorce in January 2025.

T-Mobile's "New Neighbor" (2023)

Grease star John Travolta joined Scrubs alums Zach Braff and Donald Faison for a special rendition of "Summer Nights" in this T-Mobile Super Bowl spot.

The Farmer's Dog's "Forever" (2023)

The Farmer's Dog introduced a Labrador named Bear in this heartwarming Super Bowl ad. The commercial, described as a "love letter to dogs," follows Bear growing up alongside a young girl named Ava, staying by her side throughout her life's biggest moments.

Uber Eats' "Don't Forget" (2024)

A case of A-list amnesia is going around in Uber Eats' 2024 Super Bowl ad.

Somehow, Jennifer Aniston completely forgets who David Schwimmer is — despite working with him for 10 years on Friends.

"Have we met?" she asks, leaving her former costar stunned. Meanwhile, David Beckham and Spice Girls member Victoria Beckham struggle to recall the name of the successful girl group she's famous for — the Paprika Girls, right? Hilariously enough, Usher dreams of wanting to perform at the halftime show during the big game, probably not realizing he's set to headline Super Bowl LVIII any moment now.

Uber Eats isn't just delivering food — it's dishing up comedy gold, too!

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