Let’s get this out of the way: JACKSON did not create a Super Bowl TV spot in 2025. Or 2024. Or 2020. Or ever. Though we have worked with Ric Flair!
That said, we are Hall of Fame armchair quarterbacks when it comes to critiquing ads. And this year’s ensemble of ads had it all: Muppets, seals, aliens, callbacks to 80s movies, Budweiser horses and more celebrities than we can ever remember.
Some connected. Some missed. And some burned a pile of cash. But hey, even the worst spots took massive amounts of sweat, Microsoft Teams calls and rewrites, so let’s focus on the positives and cut to the chase: what spots were our favorites?
There was no consensus. Quite the opposite:
JEEP “OWNER’S MANUAL”
“I loved the Jeep ad, ‘Owner’s Manual.’ Starring Harrison Ford, the slow, emotional ad captured much of the essence of the Jeep brand. In doing so, it also talked about the freedom to write our own stories, a hallmark of Jeep ownership and a timely cultural concept. Woven in the spot were Jeep products—both EV and internal combustion. And unlike many automotive companies, Jeep made the point that the choice of electric or not is up to us, the consumer. Finally, the spot included two witty competitive jabs. First, when the audio said, ‘Freedom is the ability to inspire,”’ as a Jeep passed a new Ford Bronco. Then in the last line, when Harrison Ford said, ‘This Jeep makes me happy, even though my name is Ford.’”
– DAVID JONES, EVP/CHIEF BRAND OFFICER (AND JEEP OWNER FYI)
“Man, this one hit right in the feels. Growing up, Harrison Ford was always cast as a man’s man and someone we wanted to be (Indiana Jones). This ad has no agenda, just the straight talk that we all need from time to time. Life doesn’t have an owner’s manual and it’s up to you to find your way and what makes you happy—and a Jeep is always a good choice to make you happy.”
– CHRIS BRADY, CREATIVE TECHNOLOGIES DIRECTOR (ALSO A JEEP OWNER FYI)
“Loved the Jeep ad. Emotional connection without being sappy, felt genuine—just wish it was a little more condensed.”
– MYLES GRIMM, CREATIVE DIRECTOR (NOT A JEEP OWNER)
“Great casting choice for a long-form ad. Never fails to pull the ‘America’ message. Excellent writing with the right amount of humor (Ford liking a Jeep).”
– JOHN MININGER, SENIOR VIDEO PRODUCER
TOTINOS “CHAZMO FINALLY GOES HOME”
“This was the only ad I wanted to rewind on the spot. I laughed out loud. (“RIP Chazmo.”) Great set up and hits all the right beats…a unique visual, a shocking twist, then actors screaming and falling to their knees juxtaposed with two guys who suddenly don’t care. Just a lot going on in a small amount of time. This could be an entire TV episode! And the title of the TV spot? Chef’s kiss. That said, here’s the major rub: I forgot what brand paid for the advertising. So my favorite spot was, in essence, a brand awareness fail for me. That makes me sad for Totinos. And Chazmo.”
– CHAD RUCKER, VP/CREATIVE (AND FAN OF DETROITERS)
“This is the only one that made me laugh out loud—dark humor.”
– MYLES GRIMM, CREATIVE DIRECTOR
GOOGLE PIXEL “DREAM JOB”
“It made me cry, which ruined the Super Bowl party vibe. I will not be invited back next year.”
– KYLE JUELL, CONTENT & SOCIAL MEDIA SUPERVISOR
RAM TRUCKS “GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE TRUCKS”
“I initially saw the :30 second version. Tight, humorous, great production value. And the storytelling really connected to me as a father of two (soon to be three). My only contention is that I realized their demographic was older than me, which means I’m getting older. No fun. What’s also interesting is that I despise the 1 minute, 30 second version of this ad. Just way too much of everything. Way too overwhelming. The 1-minute version on the Super Bowl was good, but not great. The 30 second version was just right.”
– MATT FREELAND, ART DIRECTOR
UBER EATS “CENTURY OF CRAVING”
“My top pick goes to Uber Eats ‘Century of Craving.’ The iconic Matthew McConaughey claims that football was created to make us hungry. He’s pitching the idea to Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Greta Gerwig, and his conspiracy theory is told through flashbacks in which he stars as Bears coach Mike Dikta, quarterback Peyton Manning and others. With the witty one liners, spot-on casting and clever storytelling, this commercial is as smart as it is funny. But most importantly, it states a truth we can all agree with: football makes us hungry. So, why wouldn’t you just order Uber Eats?”
– HEIDI BURGESS, SENIOR COPYWRITER
BUD LIGHT “BIG MEN ON CUL-DE-SAC”
“It is fun and witty. The celebrities that they chose seem to be bought into the brand, unlike others who just have a celebrity for the sake of having one. It shows the product in a desirable light by showing the product bring people together. After their oopsie a few years ago I think this is a step in the right direction to gain back some of the momentum that was lost.”
– LUCAS NASH, ACCOUNT COORDINATOR
MOUNTAIN DEW “KISS FROM A LIME”
“Being a pop culture fan, I really love celebrity cameos in commercials. Seal as a seal cracked me up. I also loved that the commercial poked fun at the Superbowl ad tropes: ‘None of this makes sense!,’ says the dashing lead in a furry green coat, which is exactly what I said about the Dunkin’ commercial that was also celeb-filled.
My biggest interest from the Superbowl ad industry, though, is the business behind it. I can’t fathom how on earth these brands are getting away with releasing Superbowl ads before the Superbowl. I watched that Mountain Dew ad days before the game. If I were the network, I’d be negotiating into contracts that no creative that was going to be televised before the big game could air anywhere else. There’s a whole audience that watches the game just for the entertainment, crazy ads included. I have to imagine all the ad spoilers hurts viewership (though, viewership this year was up over the 5 previous years).”
– ALISSA RICCI MAFFETT, VP/STRATEGIC PLANNING
INSTACART “WE’RE HERE”
“Immediately it led to total confusion on my part with the amalgamation of brand mascots and previous Super Bowl characters (especially Mountain Dew’s Puppy Monkey Baby). My mind wasn’t believing what I was seeing as there was brand overflow, then it all made sense when the Old Spice guy morphed into a bottle and dropped into an Instacart bag. No matter your product preferences, Instacart delivers it. I’m a big fan of the nostalgic ads and the inclusion of so many iconic brand mascots and previous Superbowl campaigns made me love it.”
– CHRIS BRADY, CREATIVE TECHNOLOGIES DIRECTOR
“My second favorite, though I wince at the thought of all the phone calls to the lawyers. Really unexpected, nostalgic setup with a conclusion that showcases the brand’s benefit to the consumer. Emotional pull, rational conclusion. Bravo.”
– CHAD RUCKER, VP/CREATIVE
CIRKUL “YOU GOT CIRKUL”
“I thought the Cirkul one was great simply because it made me do something, which no other ad did this year. The ad was about them giving away free starter kits in the mail and telling you to keep an eye out for yours. I immediately went to X to see if they had already been sent out or what I needed to do to try and get one.”
– ROSS MCILWAIN, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
SQUARESPACE “BARRY AND MOSLEY”
“Squarespace throwing the laptops. The vibe/setting was cool and different, +and I loved him walking into the sky and ‘Making it Real’ with a website idea. ‘A Tale as old as Websites’ also was a funny thought.”
– JORDAN FRETZ, CREATIVE DIRECTOR (AND EAGLES FAN)
REESE’S “DON’T EAT LAVA”
“Absurdity on a high-level works wonders to drive the message home. I love the frenetic cutting and ridiculous product-centric VFX. Unabashedly strong product shots (giant Reese’s—they know it works, and they pound you with it).
– JOHN MININGER, SENIOR VIDEO PRODUCER
COORS LIGHT “CASE OF THE MONDAY’S”
“The Case of the Mondays from Coors Light was a good idea. A few clips in slow motion could have been funnier, but the last one was great missing the catch and I like that they did the box.”
– JORDAN FRETZ, CREATIVE DIRECTOR (AND KING OF BREVITY)
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