Here are the Super Bowl ads creatives believe set the benchmark for the industry – and why they still matter today.
The Super Bowl is more than a sporting event; it’s a stage where advertisers can reach millions around the world.
From foundational classics like Apple’s ‘1984’ to cultural phenomena such as Budweiser’s ‘Whassup?’ and modern disruptors including Coinbase’s ‘QR Code,’ creative leaders share with us the commercials that set the benchmark for the industry – and why they still resonate today.
And once you’re done reading that, why not have your say on the best Super Bowl ad of all time?
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Susan Golkin, executive creative director at VML: “‘I’m just talking to my spleen,’ do you really need any other reason than that line? This spot has some of the best writing I have ever been jealous of in a Super Bowl spot. I know, I have about 300 more words to write about the perfect performances and body part art direction, but the writing has always nailed this one for me. So, I will stop writing.”
Laurent Simon, chief creative officer, BMB: “Ouch. That’s like asking someone to pick a favorite child. ‘The Chase.’ ‘Whassup?’ ‘Imported from Detroit.’ ‘You’re Not You When You’re Hungry.’ All amazing in their own way.
“But if I have to step back from personal taste and shine a light on the original blueprint, then come forth Apple’s ‘1984,’ because it had a point of view, one that’s almost depressingly timeless.
“It didn’t sell a product. It sold a belief. It trusted the audience. It treated advertising as storytelling, culture-making and provocation all at once. The craft was exquisite, the ambition fearless and the message clear without being explained to death.
“But it also didn’t just inspire customers; it raised the bar for what advertising could and should be. And it inspired an entire generation of creatives.”
Alex Michaelsen, executive creative director, JVM Sports: “My favorite Super Bowl advertisement dates back to Super Bowl XXIX in 1995: Budweiser’s iconic ‘Frogs’ ad. No Hollywood stars, no famous pop song, just a clear message that’s conveyed with a little bit of weirdness and a lot of subtle humor. 30 seconds, that’s all it took to make an ad become a national advertising treasure.
“Bear in mind that I’m not American, yet even 30 years later, I still think about it every once in a while. Perhaps that’s also because it travelled from the Super Bowl to a German TV show called The Funniest Advertisements in the World, which I loved watching as a child in the 90s. This is another argument for the advert being an all-time classic, by the way: You don’t need any local cultural knowledge or to understand a certain language. The ad talks to you, no matter where you are. Even if it were to air during this month’s Super Bowl LX, it would still generate a similar positive response.”
Trevor Robinson, founder and executive creative director, Quiet Storm: “My favorite is ‘Whassup?’ for Budweiser by DDB Chicago. It genuinely excited people in the real world, not just those of us working in advertising, and assimilated into culture around the world. There have been countless spin-offs over the years. It’s a sign of a powerful ad when it takes a life of its own and people start talking about it and imitating it.
“It’s terribly difficult to make ads that achieve such longevity. As a creative, when you see a commercial, such as this one, that you know people are going to love, one you wish you’d created yourself, it’s the worst pain possible, because it’s already out there in the world and any imitation will never be the same.
“Even now, 26 years after its launch, it retains power and gravitas because it humorously yet accurately depicts men’s inane conversations. I’m always drawn towards work that I know is going to take on in the real world and I love it when ads celebrate everyday interactions between people instead of worrying about being clever.”
Michael Ruby, chief creative officer, Park & Battery: “Budweiser’s ‘Wassup?’ wasn’t just a commercial. It was a moment. Budweiser took a single word and turned it into a cultural phenomenon. It wasn’t clever for the sake of being clever. It was simple, sticky and stupidly human. No big effects, no forced heartstrings, just a universal truth: friends being weird together. And somehow, it sold beer. Still gets quoted. Still gets laughs. My kids still say it and they were negative-10 years old when the spot aired. That’s wassup.”
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Felipe Serradourada Guimaraes, executive creative director, BBH: “It’s one of the best strategies to simply change the audience and create the whole film, aiming at one but speaking to both. The writing is impeccably stupid in the best way (‘I’m on a horse’). It’s Tom Kuntz at its best with the whole practical in-camera collapsing walls. It’s perfect in every way.
“I don’t usually do comedy or much writing, but damn, I wish I’d done that film. And it was for the deadest of brands at the time. Turned around with one mega lols film. (Kinda)”
Dan Fisher, global chief creative officer, Ingo: “As a born-and-bred Geordie, a Newcastle Brown Ale-induced hangover was an early teenage rite of passage.
“Truth is, I never really liked the stuff and, once my tastes widened, it didn’t take long to drop off my radar. Despite that, I couldn’t help but feel a huge swell of pride when I first saw the ‘If We Made It’ campaign from a top-of-its-game Droga5 back in 2014.
“OK, so strictly speaking it wasn’t a Super Bowl ad at all. But by being comfortable in its outsider skin and channelling the no-nonsense confidence of its roots, it somehow turned media spend, ad excess and the logic-defying arms race of Super Bowl advertising into high entertainment.
“It was cheeky. It was disruptive. It was original. And not only did it highlight how ridiculous the whole thing had become, but it also stole the show. I still won’t touch the stuff, though.”
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Marc Allenby chief creative officer and co-founder, Hijinks: “I could have gone for Apple’s epic ‘1984’ spot, the witty and celeb a-go-go ‘Alexa Loses Her Voice’ or the unforgettable VW’s ‘The Force.’ All of these were brilliant, but on reflection, there were two pieces which have really stuck with me; more so for doing something completely differently, smartly, disruptively and of course creatively.
“So I crown my all-time favourites as Coinbase ‘QR Code’ (who knew a QR code could be so wondrous, bizarre and effective?) and Tubi’s ‘Interface Disruption’ for its comedy and sheer brilliance.”
Leonardo Ricagni, founder and executive creative director, Migrante: “Lerma’s 2023 Super Bowl ad from the ‘He Gets Us’ campaign was one I really connected with and stood out among the multiple ads for consumer brands featuring celebrities. Entitled ‘Love Your Enemies,’ the spot consists of a series of powerful black-and-white images of people in visceral scenes of confrontation and hatred. Backed by Human by Rag n Bone Man, it concludes with the words ‘Jesus Loved The People We Hate.’ It’s a message of love and humanity that really hits home, and as we head into Super Bowl 2026, it is one that will have more resonance than ever in a divided America.
“Advertisers will be struggling this year to strike the right tone amid the civil unrest on the streets of major US cities, and although brands may be reluctant to take a political stance in today’s febrile climate, they could do worse than to take a leaf out of this campaign’s book.”