Super Bowl LIX Ads: Are They Even Ads Anymore?

Ah, Super Bowl Sunday—the one night a year where people pretend to care about commercials. Brands drop millions for 30 seconds of attention, and in return, we get a mix of celebrity cameos, nostalgia bait, and the occasional heartwarming moment that makes us forget we’re being sold something.

But let’s be real: Are these even ads anymore, or just really expensive short films with logos at the end?

The Same Playbook, Every Year

This year’s lineup? Some hits, some flops, and a whole lot of déjà vu. Budweiser gave us another sentimental Clydesdale story. Michelob Ultra made pickleball look cooler than it is. Google Pixel went for the heartfelt tech angle. Meanwhile, Coffee Mate traumatized us with dancing tongues.

And of course, celebrities everywhere—Martha Stewart, Matthew McConaughey, Brad Pitt. Half these ads could swap logos and you’d never notice.

Are These Ads Even Selling Anything?

Think about the last Super Bowl ad that actually made you want to buy something. Hard, right? That’s because these commercials aren’t about selling anymore—they’re about entertainment. We remember the moment, not the message. If your $7 million ad doesn’t make people remember your brand, what’s the point?

Is a Super Bowl Ad Even Worth It?

For the cost of one Super Bowl spot, brands could run months of digital campaigns with actual data on whether people engage or buy. Instead, they burn cash on a one-time spectacle and hope it “goes viral.”

At this point, Super Bowl ads aren’t really about ROI. They’re a status symbol. A victory lap for brands that can afford to flex.