Super Bowl LIV Commercials: The Good, the Bad & the Weird

Here are the best Super Bowl LIV commercials all in one place. Like every year, there were clear winners and losers among the Super Bowl TV spots. And some were just plain weird.

So we picked our favorites (and least favorites) in a long-running text-thread between Axiom employees.

Of course, everyone has their favorites, so we’re highlighting the best, the worst and the weirdest Super Bowl commercials in no particular order.

THE BEST SUPER BOWL LIV COMMERCIALS

Jeep: Groundhog Day Makes a Return, Bill Murray Style

It’s Groundhog Day all over again. Except this time, Phil Connors isn’t in a rush to break the same-day cycle.

Doritos: Old West Shoot Out is Actually a Dance Off

Doritos delivered this year. At the least, it’s likely the ad that found success across the age demographic.

Young people get Lil Nas X on a literal horse and mature viewers get Sam Elliot playing off his defining roles as America’s consummate cowboy.

As a side note, when I saw the old-west town was named “Cool Ranch”, I actually laughed out loud.

Walmart: Big Brands Brought Under One Roof

While not the most creative commercial, it did tell a clear story with multiple brands – a popular approach this year, but unlike others, this one stuck the landing.

Who could have guessed that “Mars Attacks” would ever make a Super Bowl commercial appearance?

State Farm: or, the (New) Jake is Back in the Office

Jake is back, kind of. The new Jake is back in the office, and yes, he’s still wearing khakis.

Disney+: the Marvel Universe is Expanding

We have a few Marvel super fans here, so we had to include our first glimpse into the Marvel Disney+ shows.

Check out this epic tease for the next stage of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Pringles: Rick and Morty’s Adventure into Paid Advertisements

Google: This Year’s Tear-Jerker

Sentimental commercials can go either way during the Big Game. This was maybe the most divisive spot among Axiom employees – some loved the sentimentality, others disliked the heartbreaking topic.

One thing’s for certain – the spot isn’t forgettable, no matter how you felt about the approach.

Hyundai Sonata: Smaht Pahk is Wicked Clevah

Hyundai knew they had a winner on their hands this year, having released this commercial before the Big Game.

Despite that, the spot still made a big impact Sunday night, inspiring tons of engagement on social media.

Tide:  How to Make Multi-Segment Ads Work

Just like the MCU, last night’s Tide ads also focused on continuity.

This year, 4 ads released throughout the Big Game, each continuing the story of Charlie Day and his quest to clean his shirt.

Charlie even met the Bud Knight.

Then he stumbled into a “Masked Singer” promo.

The multi-part Tide ads synergized with the release of Wonder Woman: 1984, blending scenes from the superhero sequel with Charlie Day’s character, who’s still searching for “later”.

Until Charlie eventually found “later.”

Black Widow: MCU’s Phase 4 Starts with a Prequel

You didn’t think Disney would skip promoting the follow-up to the biggest film in history, did you?

This teaser promises audiences that, despite the events of Endgame, there are still more stories to tell about Natasha Romanoff.

Top Gun: Maverick: Tom Cruise Does It Again

This writer might not be the biggest Top Gun fan, but wow, that teaser with Tom Cruise back in the cockpit will be worth the price of admission.

THE BAD SUPER BOWL LIV COMMERCIALS

F9: Cars Swing Like Tarzan 

Coca-Cola: Jonah Hill Ghosts Scorsese

Snickers: It Takes More than a Minute to Fix the World

Avocados from Mexico

You can count on Avocados from Mexico taking an out-of-the-box approach to Super Bowl spots.

This year, unfortunately, the commercial didn’t quite hit the mark.

Mountain Dew: Heeeeeeer’s Product Placement

At first glance, this commercial had all the markers for a viral Super Bowl commercial: fantastical concept, a popular actor and a re-working of a classic film that’s cemented in the zeitgeist.

Unfortunately, this Mountain Dew spot fell flat, compared to previous years’ outings.

Michelob Ultra: The Working-Out Approach Didn’t Work

Jimmy Fallon and John Cena are slam-dunk ingredients in a Super Bowl commercial.

This one just didn’t leave an impact.

Hard Rock: Big Names in a Bigger Hotel

High production value doesn’t guarantee memorability.

In this spot, JLo runs through the Hard Rock hotel until it ends unceremoniously.

THE WEIRD SUPER BOWL LIV COMMERCIALS

Rocket Mortgage by Quicken Loans: Don’t touch My Momoa

Rocket Mortgage took one of the most likable leading men – Jason Momoa – and did this.

I’m not saying it’s necessarily bad – but it definitely fits in the “weird” category.

Planters: Mr. Peanut is Your New Baby Yoda

If this spot launched any other year, it might have worked. When the campaign’s first commercial launched last week – the one that “killed’ Mr. Peanut – it was a viral success.

Unfortunately, the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant led to the pausing of the campaign. out of sensitivity to the victims.

Ultimately, the resolution to the campaign aired during the Big Game, despite the weird timing. That said, the campaign is seeing great engagement on social media.

Proctor and Gamble: The Most Ambitious Crossover in Commercial History

This one almost ended up in the “Best” category.

But as much fun as it was to see Mr. Clean, the Charmin Bears, Bounty and Sofia Vergara assemble, the storyline left something to be desired.

Squarespace: Winona Squared

Funny concept. Weak execution, despite the Fargo-esque vibes.

Cheetos: Can’t Won’t Touch This

Oh, MC Hammar. I’m not sure how this interesting concept became so creepy – maybe when we saw MC Hammer’s face deepfake’d onto a baby.

While playing off the ‘Cheeto Dust” was an interesting concept inherent to the brand, even a creative concept can’t outweigh how unsettling it is.

Facebook: A Whole Lotta Rock

This one almost landed in the “Good” category – catchy music, high production values and a few celebrity cameos to boot.

That said, Facebook is in a lot of hot water regarding privacy, and this ad side-stepped an opportunity to address concerns, opting to highlight a feature that’s not exactly new.

Also – how could you miss the biggest opportunity in a Rock-themed commercial by not adding Dwayne ” The Rock” Johnson?

Genesis: Old Luxury

There were a few humorous moments, but the final gag fell flat considering the talented stars involved.

Bud Light Seltzer: Inside Out but Beer

What do you get when you mix a beer ad, Post Malone and an Inside Out reference? You get this.

Audi: Let It Go

I think this commercial would be a bigger hit if it aired during the Frozen phenomenon a few years ago.

There are several allusions to unpack in this spot: global warming, the film Frozen and a Game of Thrones actress who’s not bothered by the cold.

Despite that, it didn’t play with these themes as effectively as other brands this year.