Despite a last-second reception that will go down in history as one of the best, the Seattle Seahawks lost to the New England Patriots in an exciting, nail-biting Super Bowl that ended with a final score of 28-24. Now that the game’s over, instead of analyzing Russell Wilson’s downright barbaric decision to throw the ball instead of run it into the end zone for an easy touchdown, let’s take a look at some of the most memorable commercials that aired between the gameplay. A whole bunch of them, including the buzziest movie and TV trailers, are posted after the break.
Update (2/2): NBC and the advertisers who shelled out $4.5 million for a 30-second spot have reason to celebrate today just as much as the Pats did last night. The final tally is in and a record 114.4 million people tuned into the big game. So many eyeballs; somebody do the math. This makes Super Bowl XLIX the most watched telecast in U.S. history. Bam.
We begin with my personal favorites: three uplifting gems and three laughers. The true winner of Super Bowl XLIX is this Coca-Cola spot which transmits a positive message of spreading love instead of hate. The way in which it shares said message is clever and oh-so-endearing. Way to go, Coke; body, mind, and spirit, uplifted.
Dodge rounded up a bunch of wizened and wise people to celebrate 100 years of making cars. The senior citizens share sage advice about living life to the fullest and enjoying every second of it because life is good.
Carnival Cruise took great advantage of a famous speech made by President John F. Kennedy that’s about humans and our connection to the ocean. “We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch – we are going back from whence we came.” Chills.
I found this Doritos spot to be the funniest Super Bowl commercial to air in years. It’s simple, but it’s so true to life that it’s hard not to relate if you’re a guy, on a plane, hoping “the hot girl” picks to sit next to you.
Snickers twists The Brady Bunch with surprise appearances by Danny Trejo and Steve Buscemi. It’s just the right kind of weird, especially Buscemi’s playful meltdown at the end.
The entire town’s got strong arms (even the baby and the dog!) in this absurd, hilarious spot promoting Skittles. Job well done.
This year, so many commercials went right for the sweet spot and pulled at our heartstrings to evoke some emotion. These next few in particular did the trick. Budweiser’s new spot featuring the world’s cutest pup and the beer company’s signature Clydesdales had me smiling in glee.
This one for Jeep takes a beautiful rendition of “This Land is Your Land” by Marc Scibilia and brings the song’s lyrics to life with breathtaking vistas and landscapes.
Always attempts to flip the “like a girl” insult on its head and turn it into an empowering statement for girls and women everyone. Message received.
Microsoft enlisted rapper Common to narrate this touching spot following the progress of six year old Braylon O’Neill who is living with two prosthetic legs. Inspiring.
Super Bowls are always littered with car ads, and this year there were a handful that made a memorable mark. This one here by BMW includes a dash of humor. Back in 1994, broadcast journalists Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric questioned the meaning of the Internet before it exploded and the archived footage presented is pure gold. 21 years later, they discuss the technology powering BMW’s new wind-powered all-electric i3.
Mercedes-Benz had some fun putting together this animated spot featuring a fun spin on the classic fable pitting the tortoise against the hare. In the story you know, slow and steady wins the race; here, there’s a plot twist!
Kia brought in the former James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan for an action-packed adventure that even 007 didn’t see coming. The result is funny banter and slick visuals.
There’s no denying it; a major theme of this year’s SB spots was dads. Here, Nissan brings a father closer to his son before an estranged relationship has time to fully form.
And here, Dove reminds dads around the world about the power of being there for your kids, always.
There were a number of ads marketing apps today, and this one takes the cake. Taken star Liam Neeson slips into character for a funny bit about taking “revenge” in Clash of Clans.
Bryan Cranston brings Walter White back to life for this Esurance commercial. Too soon? Perhaps. But the major Breaking Bad callback was certainly a sight for sore eyes.
As pointless as this Squarespace commercial was, Jeff Bridges managed to hold my attention. So, success?
Mophie makes great battery cases, and apparently now they’re also good at whipping together ads. Watch the world fall apart all because the Almighty’s phone battery is dying. Win!
Had you ever heard of Locite before? Nope, same here. But now you can’t forget it thanks to this humorously bizarre spot. Hands down the oddest ad of the bunch.
Last but not least, here’s a round-up of the buzziest movie and TV trailers to come out of this year’s Super Bowl. First up there’s a new footage from the upcoming Jurassic World. A new kind of dinosaur has been cooked up at the park and it’s about to wreck havoc on humans. Opens June 12.
Disney’s mysterious Tomorrowland with George Clooney, Britt Robertson, and Hugh Laurie still remains a mystery even after this teaser aired. The flashy clip includes some never-before-seen footage, but the plot from Lost‘s Damon Lindelof remains tightly wrapped. The Brad Bird directed pic opens May 22.
The Minions took over the Super Bowl with this fun little spot that really has nothing do to with the upcoming Despicable Me spinoff. Gotta love these yellow fellows. Illumination’s Minions is out July 10.
This 30-second spot for Terminator Genisys is not unlike the trailer that preceded it. Arnold Schwarzenegger has aged for sure, but from all appearances, he’s still got it. Opens July 1.
The late Paul Walker stars with his fellow Furious folk in this speedy new look at Furious 7. The wild (final?) ride races into theatres April 3.
This Pitch Perfect 2 ad made for the SB doesn’t pack the punch that the film’s debut trailer does, but it’s something alright! Things are looking good for this highly anticipated sequel which opens May 15.
Days after pushing out Ted 2‘s first full-length trailer, Universal showed off some new footage including Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. What a coup! Out June 26.
And here are two TV ads to get viewers’ blood pumping. Above is an explosive trailer for The Blacklist starring James Spader as Raymond “Red” Reddington in his typical epic fashion. Spader owns this role. If you were excited about the return of NBC’s top drama, this action-packed clip will push you over the edge. The Peacock aired a new episode of The Blacklist following the big game. The show relocates to Thursdays at 9pm starting this week.
I’ve saved perhaps the most tantalizing teaser for last. It’s not news that Heroes is making a comeback to NBC later this year. It’s even been made known that Jack Coleman is reprising his role as H.R.G. (aka Horn-Rimmed Glasses) and that Chuck star Zachary Levi is joining the series in a major role. Yet still, this 15-second tease for Heroes Reborn managed to capture my attention and imagination immensely. My yearning for the series to return to its solid foundation captured in season one remains alive and kicking. Seeing H.R.G. and the iconic eclipse and hearing the unforgettable score played with the nostalgic part of my brain and I can’t help but be excited for what’s in store. Now, is there anything to glean from this brief look at the renewed Heroes? The teaser places a young girl atop a snowy landscape; she’s got the ability to control cosmic auroras and this captures the attention of H.R.G. and Levi’s character who lingers behind. “For those with special abilities, a new era awaits,” reads the clip’s tagline. Perhaps Mr. Bennet is on the prowl for these enhanced people, and Levi is shares a similar interest? Creator Tim Kring remains tight-lipped, but I’m sure more info will leak as we continue to approach a still-unspecified 2015 premiere date.
To view the rest of the game’s commercials, head on over to YouTube.