Super Bowl Sunday.
The only day of the year when people actually shush their friends during the commercial breaks.
You know the stakes are incredibly high when a single 30-second spot costs upwards of $7 million. That massive price tag demands absolute perfection, and brands enter the arena knowing they’ll either become cultural legends… or expensive flops.
But today, we aren’t looking at the flops. You want to see the winners. So we’re breaking down the ads that didn’t just sell products, but actually shifted culture.
These commercials understood the assignment. They knew their audience. They took risks. And they paid off in huge ways.
Here are the top 10 most iconic Super Bowl ads of all time and exactly why they worked.
1. Apple: "1984" (1984)
This is the commercial that set the standard for every Super Bowl ad that followed. Directed by Ridley Scott, this spot introduced the Macintosh computer to the world by positioning IBM as a dystopian "Big Brother" figure.
It was cinematic. It was dark. It was completely different from the cheery jingles of the era.
Honestly, you have to appreciate the boldness here. Because Apple didn’t show the computer. They didn't list specs or talk about RAM. They sold a feeling of rebellion and individuality. By casting themselves as the hammer-wielding hero smashing the status quo, they defined their brand identity for decades to come.
This ad proved that the Super Bowl wasn't just for selling beer or cars, but instead, was a platform for brand manifestos. It worked because it treated the audience like they were part of a revolution rather than just consumers looking for a calculator.
2. Wendy’s: "Where’s the Beef?" (1984)
While Apple was going high-concept, Wendy’s went straight for the jugular with comedy. This ad featured three elderly women examining a massive hamburger bun from a competitor only to find a microscopic patty inside. The phrase "Where's the beef?" became an instant catchphrase that permeated everything from playground insults to presidential debates.
Comedy is hard to get right, but Wendy’s absolutely nailed the timing. The ad addressed a genuine consumer pain point (skimpy burgers) with memorable humor, and it gave people a line they could repeat, again and again and again. And that, friends, is the gold standard of word-of-mouth marketing.
If you can get people quoting your ad in their daily lives, you’ve already won. Wendy’s revenue jumped 31% that year, and that’s no coincidence. It shows that you don't always need high drama. Sometimes you just need a funny grandmother calling out your competition.
3. Coca-Cola: "Hey Kid, Catch!" (1980)
Technically this aired first in late 1979, but its Super Bowl airing cemented its legacy. "Mean" Joe Greene, a defensive tackle known for being tough, limps down a stadium tunnel. A kid offers him a Coke. Joe drinks it in one go, smiles, and tosses the kid his jersey. It’s simple, sweet, and incredibly effective.
This ad mastered emotional storytelling before it was ever a buzzword, humanizing a tough figure and connecting the product to a universal feeling of kindness and refreshment. You watch it and you feel good, and that positive association transfers directly to the brand.
It also highlights the power of visual storytelling, since there’s very little dialogue. The story is told through expressions and actions, reminding us that you don't need to overcomplicate the script. A simple exchange of value (a Coke for a jersey) can tell a complete story.
4. Budweiser: "Whassup?" (2000)
If you were alive in the year 2000, you couldn't go five minutes without hearing someone scream "Whassup" into a phone. So, the premise for this ad was incredibly basic: a group of friends watching a game, calling each other, and yelling the phrase back and forth. It was absurd. It was loud. It was perfect.
Budweiser tapped into real male bonding behavior in an ad that wasn't polished and certainly, wasn’t aspirational. It looked like a real conversation between friends (because the actors were actually friends in real life) and it captured the zeitgeist perfectly.
This ad worked so well because it gave the audience a way to interact with the brand, it became a greeting. It removed the barrier between the corporate entity and the consumer. In reflecting how their customers actually spoke and hung out, Budweiser proved they were part of the group.
5. E-Trade: "Baby" (2008)
Financial investing is boring. It’s complicated. And all too often, it’s scary. E-Trade solved that branding problem by using a talking baby. The baby sat in a high chair and explained how easy it was to buy stocks online, occasionally spitting up or getting distracted.
This is a classic example of juxtaposition. You take a high-stakes topic like personal finance and deliver it through the lowest-stakes vessel imaginable. The message was clear: Even a baby can do this.
The ad dismantled the intimidation factor of trading stocks. The takeaway here is this: if you’re selling a complex service, your marketing needs to simplify it. E-Trade didn't dumb down the product. They just made the entry point accessible.
Not to mention, the CGI lip-syncing was just unsettling enough to be memorable.
6. Snickers: "Betty White" (2010)
This ad launched the "You're Not You When You're Hungry" campaign, which is still running today. It featured guys playing tackle football, but one of them was played by the legendary Betty White. She gets tackled into the mud, eats a Snickers, and transforms back into a young man.
This spot had a clear value proposition, wrapped in a clever joke. The product solves a specific problem: hunger changes your personality. And using Betty White was a stroke of casting genius. It appealed to older generations who loved her and younger generations who appreciated the physical comedy.
7. Old Spice: "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" (2010)
Isaiah Mustafa stands in a towel. Then he’s on a boat. Then he’s on a horse. He holds an oyster with tickets to that thing you love. The dialogue is fast, the transitions are practical effects (mostly), and the eye contact is unbroken.
Old Spice realized something important in this ad: men use the body wash, but women often buy it. This ad spoke directly to the women in the audience ("Hello, ladies") while remaining entertaining enough for the guys.
It was kinetic and surreal, demanding your full attention because if you looked away for a second, you missed a visual gag. This ad revitalized a dusty brand that was previously associated with grandfathers and proved that a legacy brand can pivot its voice overnight with the right creative execution.
8. Volkswagen: "The Force" (2011)
A little kid in a Darth Vader costume runs around the house trying to use "The Force" on the dog, the washing machine, and a doll. Nothing works. Then he runs outside to the new Passat. The dad, watching from the kitchen, hits the remote start button. The car roars to life. The kid is stunned.
This ad changed how Super Bowl commercials are released. VW posted it online days before the game, and it went viral immediately. By the time kickoff happened, millions had already seen it and loved it.
The content itself relied on pure charm. There was no dialogue, instead tapping into the nostalgia of Star Wars and the universal cuteness of a kid with an imagination. It connected the car’s features (remote start) to a magical moment. It showed that tech specs are always better when they facilitate a human connection.
9. Always: "#LikeAGirl" (2015)
Always took a phrase used as an insult ("like a girl") and flipped it on its head. They asked adults to run "like a girl" and they flailed around mockingly. Then they asked young girls to run "like a girl" and they ran as hard as they could, a stark, powerful illustration of how confidence drops during puberty.
This is purpose-driven marketing done correctly. Rather than preaching, it was showing. It started a conversation about female empowerment that aligned perfectly with the brand’s values.
It also worked because it made the viewer think. And it challenged, arguably destroying, a societal norm in 60 seconds. Brands often shy away from social commentary, but Always leaned in. This resulted in massive engagement and a brand lift that went beyond just selling pads to build powerful loyalty based on shared values.
10. Tide – "It’s a Tide Ad" (2018)
David Harbour (from Stranger Things) appears in what looks like a car ad. Then a beer ad. Then an insurance ad. But in every scene, the clothes are spotlessly clean. He reveals the punchline: "It’s a Tide ad."
This was a meta-marketing masterpiece. By claiming that any ad with clean clothes is a Tide ad, they hijacked the entire Super Bowl. Every time another commercial came on, viewers at home were checking the actors' shirts and asking, "Wait, is this a Tide ad too?"
It turned the viewing experience into a game, and you can’t buy that kind of engagement. They utilized the context of the event perfectly. Instead of competing with other ads, they co-opted them. It was brilliant, self-aware, and incredibly memorable.
How to Apply This to Your Marketing
You might not have a $7 million budget for a 30-second spot. Most businesses don't. But you can still use the principles that made these ads legends.
Be Brave with Your Voice
Apple and Wendy’s didn’t play it safe. Instead, they called out the status quo. If your marketing sounds like everyone else, you are invisible. Find a unique angle and own it.
Simplify Your Message
E-Trade stripped away the complexity. If you confuse your customer, you lose them. Make your value proposition so simple a baby (or a bouncing QR code) could explain it.
Connect Emotionally
Whether it is humor (Old Spice) or heart (Volkswagen), you must make people feel something. Facts tell, but stories sell. Don't just list features. Show how those features impact real life.
Engage, Don't Just Broadcast
Budweiser and Tide gave people something to do: a phrase to say or a game to play. Your marketing should invite participation, too.
Ready to Make Some Noise?
You have the inspiration. Now you need the execution. At Kinetic319, we help brands find their "Whassup" moment. We dig into the data, craft the creative, and build strategies that get people talking.
Don’t wait until kickoff to start thinking about your brand’s opportunity for a touchdown. Get in touch with Kinetic319 today.