Top Super Bowl 2025 Ads Released Before and During the Game

In the lead-up to and during Super Bowl 2025, brands fiercely competed for audience attention. Here’s a look at which commercials stood out according to various rankings.

Last week, Avinash Kaushik emphasized that the most effective approach for Super Bowl ads is the “spike and sustain” strategy.

He explained that releasing teasers, commercials, and extended versions before the big event helps “sustain” interest and build momentum ahead of the “spike” in viewership during the game.

Super Bowl LIX attracted 113 million viewers, according to Nielsen.

Many brands adopted this strategy, unveiling their commercials in advance to create buzz and expand their audience reach.

By midday Sunday, over 40 ads had already been released, and several organizations had analyzed the ones aired before February 9.

Notable Pre-Game Super Bowl Ads

One standout, according to iSpot.tv, was Budweiser | Super Bowl LIX “First Delivery” based on consumer surveys.

The heartwarming ad features a young Clydesdale colt who dreams of joining Budweiser’s delivery team but is deemed too young.

When the other horses set off, a keg accidentally falls from the wagon.

Determined to prove himself, the foal embarks on a challenging journey, pushing the keg through numerous obstacles.

He finally delivers it to a bar, interrupting a “horse walks into a bar” joke and earning the admiration of the driver who had previously dismissed him.

The determined young foal gains recognition and a sense of accomplishment.

Budweiser | Super Bowl LIX “First Delivery”

“Somebody | It Takes All of Us SB LIX”

The “Somebody | It Takes All of Us SB LIX” commercial was the most emotionally resonant and attention-grabbing ad released before Super Bowl 2025, according to DAIVID research.

It evoked strong positive emotions in more than half of viewers, particularly feelings of warmth, inspiration, and pride, which significantly exceeded U.S. averages.

Moreover, the ad maintained viewers’ attention better than others, both at the beginning and the end.

Sprout Social’s social media analysis highlighted the success of the “A Century of Cravings | Uber Eats” commercial.

This celebrity-filled ad featuring Matthew McConaughey, Charli XCX, and Martha Stewart cleverly incorporates the stadium’s name into a joke about Stewart’s Caesar salad.

The Best Super Bowl Ads Released During the Game

This year, around 80 Super Bowl commercials cost a record $8 million for 30 seconds, according to the Associated Press.

The top-rated ad during the game was “Budweiser | Super Bowl LIX ‘First Delivery’,” scoring 3.56 out of 5, according to USA Today’s Ad Meter. Notably, iSpot.tv had predicted this winner in advance.

The second spot went to “LAY’S | The Little Farmer | :60,” with a score of 3.55. As the video’s description states: “One little potato. One big dream.”

In third place was “The ULTRA Hustle | Super Bowl LIX | Michelob ULTRA,” scoring 3.52.

As the ad’s description states, “You can’t out-hustle a hustler. Willem Dafoe, Catherine O’Hara, Sabrina Ionescu, Randy Moss, and Ryan Crouser.”

In fourth place was the “Stella Artois | David & Dave: The Other David” commercial, earning a score of 3.51.

The ad features David Beckham meeting his long-lost twin, portrayed by Matt Damon.

What connects them? “A passion for Stella? Impressive footwork?”

Ranked fifth with a score of 3.49 was “Somebody | It Takes All of Us SB LIX.” Congratulations to DAIVID for accurately predicting this winner in advance.

It’s also worth mentioning that “A Century of Cravings | Uber Eats” secured eighth place in USA Today’s Ad Meter rankings. Sprout Social’s analysis of social media activity turned out to be quite accurate.

Alternative Metrics for Evaluating Super Bowl Ads

There are other ways to assess the top commercials released during Super Bowl 2025.

For instance, DAIVID used its AI-powered platform to analyze 65 Super Bowl ads aired on Sunday night, predicting their emotional impact and effectiveness.

Their AI models combine facial coding, eye tracking, survey data, computer vision, and even listening APIs.

“Somebody | It Takes All of Us SB LIX” was not only the most emotionally engaging ad among the 40+ spots released before the game, but it also generated the most intense positive emotions of the 65 ads aired during Sunday’s Super Bowl broadcast.

The ad also held the highest attention levels of any spot shown.

In second place was “Jeep | Big Game | Harrison Ford x Jeep | Owner’s Manual.”

As the video’s description states:

“Life doesn’t come with an owner’s manual — you have to write your own. And no one knows this better than Harrison Ford.”

According to DAIVID, 54.2% of viewers experienced intense positive emotions while watching this ad.

In third place was the ad “What is Greatness?” from He Get Us.

The video’s description poses the question:

“Is being great, as our society defines it, really that great? Or is greatness quite the opposite of what we think it is? In this video, we explore how Jesus redefined true greatness and what it might mean for us. All of us.”

53.3% of viewers experienced intense positive emotions while watching this ad.

Ranking fourth was the ad “Own the Dream | Rocket.”

The video’s description states:

“Everyone deserves their shot at the American Dream.”

The ad generated intense positive emotional responses from 52.6% of viewers.

In fifth place was the ad “Pfizer | Big Game Commercial 2025 | Knock Out.”

The video highlights Pfizer’s commitment to achieving eight cancer breakthroughs by 2030.

The ad sparked intense positive emotions in 52.3% of viewers.

DAIVID’s Analysis of Super Bowl 2025 Ads: Serious Messages Outshine Humor

DAIVID analyzed the Super Bowl 2025 commercials and presented a list of the top 10 most emotionally engaging ads. “LAY’S | The Little Farmer | :60” ranked eighth, while “Budweiser | Super Bowl LIX ‘First Delivery’” secured the tenth spot.

Despite different evaluation methodologies, some results aligned with USA Today’s rankings. However, DAIVID’s post-game analysis revealed entirely different insights.

Super Bowl Ads Became Less Effective

According to DAIVID’s Creative Effectiveness Score, this year’s ads were the least effective in five years. The average score was 6.2 out of 10, the lowest since 2020. Ads attracted less attention and generated fewer positive emotions compared to previous years.

While many brands aimed for humor, serious and purpose-driven commercials dominated the top 10. Notably, the NFL’s “Somebody” ad became the most emotionally engaging.

A Shift Toward Serious Messages

Ian Forrester, CEO of DAIVID, remarked:

“It’s interesting that brands that stepped away from the usual Super Bowl celebrity/humor trope attracted the most positivity. It shows just how hard it is to cut through when so many are trying the same approach. With overall effectiveness down, maybe it’s time brands tried something different to get people’s attention on game day.”

What to Expect Next

In the coming days, digital marketers can anticipate new rankings from Kantar, System1, and other organizations analyzing the impact of Super Bowl ads on both performance and branding.

These insights are crucial as metrics like Brand Life and Engaged-View Key Events can serve as KPIs for “spike and sustain” campaigns throughout various seasons, from back-to-school and Thanksgiving to major product launches.

This article available in Ukrainian.