8 Best Super Bowl Commercials from 2023
February 14, 2023
The 2023 Superbowl saw some cultural resets. From Rihanna announcing her second pregnancy during her halftime show, to a tight game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs — the latter claiming the trophy with a 38-35 score — it was an action-packed night.
For many of the millions of Super Bowl viewers, the commercials are the best part of the action. Here’s a ranking of the eight best.
For their Super Bowl prime time, Skechers presented the iconic duo of Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart. Snoop Dogg sports a variety of pairs of Skechers while going through his everyday demands — such as performing and flying on his private jet. He even imagines himself as the president of the United States. Stewart, impressed with his full schedule, asks him how he does it. The obvious answer? Skechers.
The cash-back buying app really brought the ‘90s nostalgia back for the big game. “Clueless” character Alicia Silverstone returns to her roots as Cher Horowitz to lament over her “cluelessness” about shopping before Rakuten. Silverstone even exclaims, “As if!” before encouraging her classmates to not make the same mistake and shop with the app which gives you cash back on all your (probably impulsive) spending.
As a fan of the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, this new trailer was exciting to see. The film is set to come out in theaters May 5, featuring the familiar cast, such as Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana and Bradley Cooper. They chose a humorous scene to highlight in the new trailer, reminding football fans that there’s something to look forward to after the football season comes to an end.
With another star-studded cast, Hellmann’s Mayonnaise really pulled out all the stops. Using word play from the names of Brie Larson and Jon Hamm, Pete Davidson makes a “ham and brie” sandwich using the brand’s mayo. Simultaneously, mini versions of Larson and Hamm converse in the fridge before realizing they’re dinner for Davidson. All’s well in the end, though, with the pair outside the fridge watching Davidson enjoy his meal.
Is it really the Super Bowl if you don’t see an M&M’s commercial, especially one that immediately causes internet controversy? This year, M&M’s chose Maya Rudolph as the star. It’s worth the reminder that M&M’s were recently under fire from Republican voters because of the company’s decision to associate M&M’s characters with genders. Rudolph comedically claims to be the new M&M’s spokesperson, replacing the other “spokescandies.” She reveals the changes she made to the company — the candies are now called “Ma&Ya” and feature her face on one side. And thus, the spokescandy drama ends.
Dunkin’ is a campus home away from home for many students. They went all out with their ad this year, featuring Ben Affleck as an employee, fully decked out in the Dunkin’ uniform taking drive-thru orders and treating customers unprofessionally. His wife, Jennifer Lopez, comes through and chastises him for working a drive-thru job. Affleck leaves so that she won’t judge him anymore. The commercial expertly highlights their menu features and customizability through the interactions between Affleck and the customers. Genius.
2. T-Mobile
T-Mobile caught the attention of Super Bowl audiences with a rendition of “Tell Me More,” sung by John Travolta himself, a reprise of his main role in the iconic “Grease.” Zach Braff and Donald Faiso school Travolta about the features and benefits of using T-Mobile’s home internet services through rewritten lyrics from the song. The creation is quite impressive, managing to highlight why their home internet is so great while staying fiercely loyal to the catchy tune.
The best Super Bowl ad, in my opinion, was Google Pixel’s newest commercial for their new phone. It features Amy Schumer erasing her exes from photos, Doja Cat taking photos with fans and Giannis Antetokounmpo editing a basketball action shot. Google was amazingly funny and memorable as they showcased the phone’s editing capabilities. They really had me, a loyal Apple customer, reconsidering there for a moment. Well done, Google, well done.