While Super Bowl ads typically run 30 seconds to one minute or even two, it only takes a simple frame for a spot to go from average to a pop-culture conversation — one that lasts well after the big game is over.
Whether it’s a funny punchline or a creative twist, the brands and creative agencies that have found the winning formula to execute such a feat is one of the more impressive achievements in the entertainment cosmos.
It’s a digital-age spin on Mark Twain’s famous quote: “I didn’t have time to write you a short letter, so I wrote you a long one.”
That’s to say… to capture an audience’s attention—some 80-plus million each year—in such a brief time is an underestimated talent. More so when considering the final product is battling trips to the refrigerator, football fandom convos and social media browsing, bathroom breaks, all the general flare of Super Bowl parties.
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Since 1989, when USA TODAY Ad Meter first began, more than a few spots have competed for such rare space in the iconic commercial vault. But out of the thousands of commercials that panelists have rated, only a select group of ads have excelled at creating instant recognition and reactions, where the audience simply needs a freeze-frame glimpse.
These five Super Bowl ads would be on that short list…
5. Pepsi “Pepsi vs. Coke Truck Drivers in Diner” — 1995
What started as a nice moment between a Pepsi delivery truck driver and a Coke delivery truck driver at a diner quickly turned into a scuffle with fisticuffs a flying. It was another hit for Pepsi—literally and metaphorically—and was one of three Pepsi ads in 1995 that placed at the top of the Ad Meter ratings.
4. Volkswagen “The Force” — 2012
A little Darth Vader stepped into the galactic world of Super Bowl commercials back in 2012 and won the night. Even though his powers didn’t come to full “force” until his dad gave a little behind-the-scenes assist, the boy’s reaction to the Volkswagen starting is television gold —and is still priceless today.
3. Budweiser “Frogs Know Their Beer” — 1995
There have been more than a few classic Budweiser characters throughout Super Bowl commercial history, from the Dalmatians and Clydesdales to the Cooler-Worshipping Crabs. But nothing can hold up to the Budweiser frogs. One look at the 1995 commercial, and chances are, someone will begin the cadence: Bud-Wei…SER!
2. Snickers “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” — 2010
A football game for the ages took place during the 2010 Super Bowl…and it happened in a commercial break. The Snickers ad featuring the late, great Betty White truly became an instant classic, introducing her to millions of new fans and creating a legendary status in the Super Bowl commercial world.
1. Pepsi “New Can” — 1992
One supermodel. One vending machine. One Pepsi. Two very awestruck boys. Cindy Crawford pulled up to the Halfway Cafe in her Lamborghini and slow-mo strutted to grab a soda back in ’92, creating a lasting image—one that people only need to glance at before they start humming Doris Troy’s “Just One Look.”
Fun fact: The commercial finished second in the Ad Meter ratings that year, just behind Nike’s basketball game between Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny.
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