For creatives, Super Bowl Sunday is our unofficial holiday. It’s the one night brands take real risks, internet culture collides with mass media, and advertising becomes a shared conversation. This year was no different. From smart humor to unexpected storytelling, these are the five Super Bowl ads that earned our attention.

Beef 101 with 50 Cent

We all know 50 Cent as an internet troll and savvy businessman, essentially the last person you’d want to feud with. Beyond the trolling, he’s had multiple successful ventures in entertainment, food & beverage, and spirits. G-Unit, Vitamin Water, Midori, Branson Cognac, etc. Turning internet beef into an actual product felt like a natural next step, and DoorDash was the perfect F&B partner to bring that idea to life.

The campaign leaned into product tie-ins rooted in his online feuds, using humor and cultural context to drive the narrative. From parody items to the ABC-style book aimed at Mayweather, everything built towards a jab at Diddy with the punchline: “Four years or fifty months. Who’s counting?”

America Needs Neighbors Like You - Redfin x Rocket Mortgage

This spot follows the story of a teenage girl navigating life in a new neighborhood where fitting in doesn’t come easy. Her father, a man of color, is met with visible skepticism by an older, traditionally “all-American” neighbor. The tension feels familiar, especially in today’s political and cultural climate.

When a storm hits, everything shifts. The girl’s dog runs away. A tree falls into the older neighbor’s yard. As a result of this turmoil, the community comes together with the highlight moment being the father steps in to help clear the fallen tree. No speeches. No moralizing. Just action.

Rocket Mortgage leans heavily into ethos here, using small, human gestures to make a broader point about community, empathy, and shared responsibility. It’s a narrative that feels timely, grounded, and intentionally reflective of the world we’re living in right now.

Backstory - Levi's

Levi’s Backstory is a fast-paced compilation of iconic rear-profile shots spanning pop culture, music, film, and everyday life. From familiar characters like Toy Story’s Woody and artists like Doechii to the average construction worker, the spot celebrates confidence, movement, and self-expression across identities and professions.

Set to James Brown’s “Get Up Offa That Thang,” the commercial is visually dynamic and instantly attention-grabbing. The rhythm, editing, and repetition turn a simple visual motif into a bold statement about individuality and cultural continuity. It’s playful without being crude, nostalgic without feeling dated, and unmistakably Levi’s in how it honors both legacy and modern relevance.

Everybody - Coinbase

Coinbase went big with a full 60-second spot (which, let’s be honest, is no small flex on Super Bowl ad spend). Everybody Coinbase featured the lyrics to the Backstreet Boys’ “Everybody” displayed on screen, instantly turning the commercial into a sing-along moment. It had our whole family chiming in, proof of how powerful a familiar, family-friendly classic can be when used right.

From a production standpoint, the execution was intentionally simple. By leaning heavily on typography and music rather than elaborate sets or celebrity performances, Coinbase likely saved significantly on production costs. Sure, music licensing isn’t cheap, but that tradeoff may be exactly what allowed them to afford a full 60 seconds instead of the standard 15 or 30.

The motif was clear and effective: cryptocurrency is for everyone. The ad positioned crypto as accessible, friendly, and inclusive, reframing a category that often feels intimidating or exclusive. Through a single, universally recognizable song, Coinbase made a strong case that their platform is built not just for early adopters or experts, but for the whole family.

That Was Wild - Southwest Airlines

Southwest took a self-aware, comedic approach with That Was Wild, opening on travelers sprinting through a jungle with luggage and carry-ons in tow. The chaos escalates quickly. People rush to board, fake “saving” seats to avoid sitting next to someone, and one woman yells, “I’m not getting a middle seat.” If you’ve ever flown Southwest, every moment feels painfully familiar.

That’s the genius of the spot. Rather than avoiding a long-standing customer pain point, Southwest leans directly into it. The madness resolves with a simple, clear message: Southwest now has assigned seating. It’s a punchline that doubles as a solution.

This is effective advertising at its best. By acknowledging a real issue their customers have experienced, Southwest takes control of the narrative, disarms criticism with humor, and presents a change that actually makes sense for consumers. It’s honest, relatable, and memorable, exactly what a Super Bowl spot should be.

Honorable Mention:

The Choice - Pepsi

A Cold Play Pepsi? Just watch.