Brands have cracked the code of sharing teasers, and extended versions of their ads before the Super Bowl games officially begin, and in Avinash Kaushik’s words, it is the most effective method of advertising during this period. Per Nielsen, over 113 million people tuned in to the Super Bowl LIX, giving a massive audience to the already-released Super Bowl commercials.
Brands that have adopted this strategy of early commercials are more likely to get active attention and in turn, potential customers. By the main event’s day, over 40 ads already made it to the audience’s face, but some stood out better than others. Organizations and survey bodies have ranked these ads from best to worst, with some popular brands that have mastered the art of delivering the best Super Bowl commercials naturally leading the trend.
The best Super Bowl commercials of 2025 released before the big game
Some of these ads featured celebrities like Ben Affleck, Matthew McConaughey, and Wanda Sykes, and even references to fan-favorite shows like When Harry Met Sally and The Muppets. These Super Bowl commercials did not come to life without a big budget, as the average half-minute display reportedly costs advertisers up to $8 million.
According to consumer survey results from iSpot.tv, Budweiser easily ranks number one for best Super Bowl commercial this year. The ad’s touching storyline sees a young Clydesdale foal, a horse breed that is signature to the brand, proving himself despite being too young to join the older horses on the Budweiser delivery team. He finds a keg that fell off the wagon and makes an effort through a difficult, long journey to transport and deliver it to a bar. The wagon driver is pleased and honors him for taking the initiative.
Another commercial that appealed to viewers’ emotions before the game was “Somebody, It Takes All Of Us LIX,” featuring players mentoring children. It reportedly kept the audience engaged and inspired as they watched the kids look up to the stars. Uber Eats’ A Century of Cravings was another pre-game release that easily made the list of the best Super Bowl commercials of 2025. The star-studded ad featured Matthew McConaughey, Charli XCX, and Martha Stewart, with the right amount of witty humor.
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The best Super Bowl commercials released during the game
Budweiser’s advertisement got a 3.56 out of 5 based on USA Today’s Ad Meter, while LAY’s The Little Farmer’s “One little potato, one big dream,” followed closely behind with a score of 3.55. It touched hearts by celebrating the farmer growing potatoes for the company’s chip, like Jeremie Pavelski, a fifth-generation farmer who produces out of his Wisconsin farm alongside his household.
The ULTRA hustle Michelob Ultra ad took third place with a meter result of 3.52. The tagline read, “You can’t out-hustle a hustler. Willem Dafoe, Catherine O’Hara, Sabrina Ionescu, Randy Moss, and Ryan Crouser.”
David Beckham and Matt Damon collaborated for Stella Artois’ David & Dave, The Other David ad. Despite the messaging and touching storytelling, DAIVID’s Creative Effectiveness Score judges this year’s Super Bowl commercials as the least effective in the past five years.
The Somebody ad was the most engaging, as most advertisers went for humor this time, unlike the top-ranking ones that pursued purpose-driven content. Social media users have also shared their sentiments about these ads.
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“That Clydesdale ad really hit the nostalgia button this year. Feels like Budweiser has been in the game forever, and this win just shows how powerful those classic emotional moments can be,” someone wrote about the Budweiser ad on X. “The Lays Potato commercial with the little girl tending her plant was great!” a second user said, with someone agreeing and adding that they are inspired to teach their kids to farm.