(CNN) – On Super Bowl Sunday, there is one thing that is almost as important as the game: the commercials.
And this year they delivered.
While some popular brands were conspicuously absent, such as Budweiser, which chose to donate the millions it would have spent on an advertisement to increase awareness of the Covid-19 vaccine, many others did.
CBS would have charged $ 5.5 million for a 30-second ad, a little less than last year, but not exactly the change you have in your pocket.
Certainly it was the most important event to see the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeat the Kansas City Chiefs. But here are the announcements that we think really made the long game even more fun.
By Dash
It was hard not to love the company’s Super Bowl commercial, which served as an ode to the neighborhoods. It also featured the characters from Sesame Street singing and Daveed Diggs. How to resist?
General engines
This commercial beats sheer narrative ingenuity. Will Ferrell stars as someone who hates Norway for selling more electric vehicles per capita than the United States.
The ad takes the opportunity to showcase GM’s new ultium battery and advocate for alternatives to gas-guzzling cars, all during Ferrell’s trip to Norway, with cameos from Awkwafina and Kenan Thompson. With those three, this ad was destined to be a winner.
State farm
This State Farm commercial, like many other State Farm commercials, was full of stars: it featured Aaron Rodgers, Paul Rudd and Patrick Mahomes (just after we just saw him play!).
Then Drake appeared, introducing himself as “Drake from State Farm.” We couldn’t be more interested in insurance than this time.
Toyota
Toyota’s commercial featuring American Paralympic swimmer Jessica Long is one that is sure to touch hearts. Long, a 13-time gold medalist in the Paralympic Games, shows “the hope and strength in all of us,” Toyota said of the announcement, which describes Long’s adoption story. And while we’re not really sure how it compares to cars, we felt our eyes filled with tears for a moment.
Huggies
Babies are clearly insanely cute, so they’re guaranteed to win us over. Huggies’ ad shows just how much loved babies are by showing short videos of babies doing things like flushing the toilet, licking their toes and eating. In a way, Huggies had an unfair advantage. Who Doesn’t Love Babies?
Honorable Mentions
OatlyOf course, the CEO’s song may not be a hit with everyone. But after the ad ran, the company (now out of print) gave away T-shirts that made fun of the ad’s hideousness. That, my friends, is a good marketing strategy.
Reddit: Super Bowl ads, as we’ve discussed, are expensive. So the Reddit ad only lasted 5 seconds and maybe that was more effective for them.
What just happened? pic.twitter.com/DypRp6DeQt
– Reddit (@reddit) February 8, 2021
Cheetos: Who among us didn’t steal our roommate / partner / husband’s snacks? In this ad, Mila Kunis Ashton keeps stealing Kutcher’s Cheetos and we can honestly say that.
JeepWhatever you thought of this ad, it was one of the first to point out that the country we live in is currently quite divided. Of course he makes an awkward effort to convey unity, but at least he acknowledged that even a great American pastime cannot hide the fact that we are anything but united.