Super Bowl LVIII: Top Super Bowl commercials 2024
It’s official, Super Bowl LVIII was the most viewed US broadcast since the 1969 Moon landing. That’s mind-blowing. It’s also no surprise then, that a 30-second commercial during the CBS broadcast cost a whopping $7 million.
Between the Chiefs back-to-back wins, Taylor Swift chugging her drink, Jason Kelce’s dungarees, Beyonce’s new album announcement, and Usher’s half-time show it’s fair to say this year’s Super Bowl was iconic. But were the commercials?
Let’s have a look at some of the winners and losers from this year’s offerings and see if we can learn why some made more impact than others.
The best Super Bowl commercials 2024
Watching over this year’s commercials, I noticed one distinct differentiator. Those that did well this year had a clear direction. Essentially, their storytelling was on point. Whether they decided to go kooky and weird or tug at the heartstrings, the goal was clear and the result was memorable.
Google Pixel
The importance of accessibility cannot be understated. We all want to live in a fairer world where no one feels segregated or disadvantaged. Of course, a smartphone isn’t going to solve the world’s problems, but it’s a step in the right direction.
This commercial from Google tugs at the heartstrings and forces many viewers to see the world from a completely different perspective – one where we don’t take clear vision for granted. The story was strong and heartfelt, the goal was clear and the message memorable. An all-round winner in my eyes.
REESE’S
This is a great example of a brand that knows its customer base. As a big fan of REESE’S Big Cups, I totally get the reaction, why mess with something so perfect? I know a lot of people who would agree with me too, don’t go changing something so perfect. But hold on… adding caramel, yes, please.
It’s wonderfully weird which makes it memorable. Plus, the voiceover is provided by Will Arnett. Any Arrested Development fans out there will certainly enjoy the parallels in humor.
Dove
I can’t deny that this commercial appeals to me greatly. Amid the male-dominated Super Bowl comes a poignant reminder that young girls often stop playing sports because they lack body confidence. This advert is a continuation of Dove’s campaign empowering women and promoting body positivity and acceptance. Its goal wasn’t to promote its products but to share its brand values. We love to see it.
Microsoft
Microsoft spent its Super Bowl slot promoting its AI assistant, Copilot. The beautiful thing about this commercial is how it furthers user creativity.
There is still a lot of uncertainty around AI. People are worried about AI displacing human roles, but Microsoft dedicated its 60-second slot to showcasing all the ways Copilot can be used to help people achieve their goals.
Dunkin’ Donuts
This commercial deserves a shout-out for the cast alone. Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Jennifer Lopez, Jack Harlow, Fat Joe, and Super Bowl Alum Tom Brady – it’s an outstanding line-up. It has widely been declared the best ad of the Super Bowl and the garish pink and orange tracksuits sold out within 19 minutes of being added to the shopdunkin.com site.
All in all, it’s a genius stroke by a marketing team who knows what will appeal it its audience.
CeraVe
For those of you like me, who love regularly checking in with all things related to celebrity gossip, you’ll have noticed strange pictures of Michael Cera lugging around bags of CeraVe around New York. Well, what was considered to be a semi-successful publicity stunt turned into a genius marketing event.
The best thing about this ad is that even if you’re not familiar with CeraVe products, they make it explicitly clear it is dermatologists, not Michael Cera behind the brand.
The worst Super Bowl commercials 2024
Conversely, the worst Super Bowl commercials of 2024 lacked any clear goal or story. Despite many of them having some truly a-list star power behind them, the actual commercial and poor.
Snap
Social media giant, Snapchat produced an ad that tries to set it apart from other photo and video-sharing apps. It is (apparently) the app for authenticity. No faking, stripping back on the inauthentic content produced by influencers, just allowing people to be themselves, however weird and wonderful that may be.
Unfortunately, it’s just a bit hard to swallow. While it may not be a channel that’s all about the ‘likes’ and is more private, the ad doesn’t sell it. It may be because I work in marketing, I see friends and family using Snapchat daily, but I don’t believe it’s a more authentic channel and the commercial does nothing to convince me otherwise.
Squarespace
Talk about disconnected – what is this commercial actually saying? The only time the Aliens capture people’s attention is when they broadcast to their phones. So, people are always connected to their phones. How does this convince anyone to use Squarespace to create their website? Every time I watch this ad (and for the purpose of this article, I have watched it more than I care to) I just left with more questions. The biggest of them all: where does Martin Scorsese fit into it all?
Homes.com
Three days ago, I would have said Dan Levy could do no wrong. Then I watched this commercial. I just don’t get it. What are the benefits of using Home.com? Why are they in a salon? Why do they remove her eyebrows? What are they even saying?
Are Super Bowl commercials still worth the money?
No matter what, there will always be winners and losers during these kinds of events. In the UK, it’s the holidays, in the US, it’s the Super Bowl, but with so many people streaming movies and series these days, is it worth a $7 million price tag?
Well, I would have to say yes. And not just because I love reviewing them after the fact. There’s an excitement around them that can’t be denied. Viewing figures are at an all-time high. Plus, if Travis and Taylor stay together, we could be watching a damn dynasty being created before our very eyes.
Temu is a prime example of how valuable these commercials are to brands. The Chinese-owned ecommerce company spent nearly $21 million on ad slots and according to Google Trends data, it may have paid off. Web searches for the brand spiked when its commercials played.
On Apple’s App Store, Temu was in the top three most downloaded free apps, alongside Copilot and Paramount+, all brands that utilized the Super Bowl commercial slots. There’s no denying the power of the Super Bowl. The price tag is hefty, and paying superstars like Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, and Lionel Messi certainly adds to the production costs, but it’s still well worth the money.
To check out all the ads from this year’s Super Bowl (and years gone by), click here.
