Sure, the football parts of the Super Bowl are fine. But many viewers who don’t know a touchdown from a tight end tune in to watch the commercials, super-spendy mini-movies packed with celebrities and special effects. From the legendary 1984 ad for Apple Macintosh computers to the many Budweiser Clydesdales commercials, some of the most famous commercials of all time aired during the big game.
As the new Super Bowl ads roll out before Feb. 13, Super Bowl LVI, we’ll share them here. Some companies just drop teasers hinting at the full ad to come, so you still need to watch the entire spectacle on Super Bowl Sunday to get the whole experience. If we’re spotting a trend so far, it’s that companies are stuffing their ads with celebrities — maybe thinking famous faces will sell more product than witty, entertaining ads.
Colin Jost and Scarlett Johansson for Amazon Alexa
Married stars Colin Jost and Scarlett Johansson try to get their Amazon Alexa set up for the Super Bowl and discover along the way that it’s a good thing Alexa devices aren’t psychic.
Vroom stages a musical
Online car-buying platform Vroom stages Flake the Musical to highlight how easy it is for a used-car buyer to flake out and not go through with a purchase.
Irish Spring cleans up
A not-fresh-smelling guy stumbles into the magical land of Irish Spring soap.
Lindsay Lohan for Planet Fitness
Lindsay Lohan isn’t the only celebrity in the Planet Fitness Super Bowl commercial. Dennis Rodman, Danny Trejo and William Shatner all show up, too.
Guy Fieri for Bud Light Seltzer Hard Soda
Food show host Guy Fieri plays off his “Mayor of Flavortown” nickname with an ad in which his minions steal some Bud Light Seltzer Hard Soda and bring it back to an actual place called Flavortown.
Ewan McGregor for Expedia
It’s gotta be hard to sell a travel-booking site during a pandemic, when travel is discouraged. We don’t have the actual ad yet, but in a behind-the-scenes teaser, actor Ewan McGregor talks about what travel’s meant to him, and how travel experiences are better than material possessions.
Idris Elba for Booking.com
Travel website Booking.com enlisted studly Idris Elba for its Super Bowl ad. In two teasers for the ad, Elba calls two other legendary commercial pitchmen, Jonathan Goldsmith of The Most Interesting Man in the World ads, and Old Spice pitchman Isaiah Mustafa, for advice.
Rakuten’s evil laugh
Rakuten.com offers ways to get deals and online shopping rewards. Its first ever Super Bowl commercial stars Hannah Waddingham (the creepy “Shame! Shame!” Septa from Game of Thrones, and Rebecca the team owner from Ted Lasso). All the teaser shows is Waddingham sitting at a mirror delivering a creepy laugh, but the full ad will run during the game.
Sam Adams meets Boston Dynamics robot
Samuel Adams beer spokesman, Your Cousin from Boston, teams up with the famed Boston Dynamics robots for a Super Bowl ad that features the robots dancing.
Lay’s goes to Seth Rogen’s wedding
Lay’s potato chips released its Super Bowl ad in full. It’s like a little comedy with Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd playing themselves, prepping for Rogen’s wedding and reminiscing about golden memories. Stay tuned for the creepy twist.
Flamin’ Hot Doritos go wild
Wild animals get to dancing, and Salt-N-Pepa’s 1987 hit Push It gets to rocking in this Super Bowl ad for Flamin’ Hot Doritos. That’s Megan Thee Stallion as the fiery songbird, and Charlie Puth as the beatboxing fox.
Busch Light and Kenny G
A giant Kenny G interrupts the quiet peace of the mountains in this Busch Light beer ad.
This post will be updated as more ads come out.
