The Super Bowl LIX ads showcased a mix of storytelling, humor, and creativity that resonated with viewers and advertising professionals alike. According to data from marketing research company System1, the 2025 Super Bowl ads were deemed the most effective of the decade. System1 Chief Customer Officer Jon Evans stated, “With a record-breaking number of 4- and 5-star ads, 2025 is the best Super Bowl advertising performance of the last six years.
Brands leaned into storytelling, like Lay’s, Pfizer, the NFL, and WeatherTech.” These stories were balanced with humor from brands like Reese’s, Pringles, Mountain Dew, and Doritos. Lay’s “Little Farmer” ad, created with agency Highdive, stood out, earning a 5.9-star rating for its long-term brand-building potential. The ad, featuring an enthusiastic young potato farmer, also secured the number-two spot in Ad Meter rankings.
The NFL’s “Somebody” ad for the league’s “It Takes All Of Us” campaign, created by 72andSunny, scored 5.6 stars. WeatherTech’s “Whatever Comes Your Way” ad, produced by Pinnacle Advertising, followed closely with 5.2 stars. Budweiser, while not cracking the top 10 in star ratings, made System1’s list of top performers by “Spike Rating” at number seven with a score of 1.51.
Super Bowl storytelling and humor blend
The Spike Rating measures short-term sales effects. Vanessa Chin, System1’s senior vice president of marketing, noted, “The number of high-performing ads this year meant entire categories closely associated with the big game were pushed out entirely.
Brands really stepped things up, meaning that even a high score doesn’t guarantee a spot on the list.”
Other notable ads included Reese’s topping the Spike Rating list with a 1.70 score and Doritos’ “Abduction” ad with a 1.67 Spike Rating. Local advertising and marketing professionals in Richmond also gathered to critique the Super Bowl ads at the Advertising Club of Richmond’s annual “Ad Bowl” event. The panel, moderated by Brand Federation CEO Kelly O’Keefe, included creative directors from The Martin Agency, Familiar Creatures, and Arts & Letters Creative Co.
The panelists had mixed opinions on ads like Pfizer’s 60-second spot and WeatherTech’s ad featuring wild grannies. However, they praised Mountain Dew’s Baja Blast spot featuring singer Seal’s face on a CGI seal body as a creative and humorous touchdown. In the Middle East, creative agency leaders ranked their top 10 Super Bowl LIX ads, with Bud Light’s “Big Men on Cul-de-Sac,” Uber Eats’ “We Listen and We Don’t Judge,” and Michelob ULTRA’s “The ULTRA Hustle” making the list.
The rankings showcased a blend of humor, social commentary, and inventive concepts that resonated with the region’s creative professionals. Overall, the 2025 Super Bowl ads demonstrated the power of effective storytelling, humor, and creativity in capturing the audience’s attention and creating memorable moments.
