The 21 Most Iconic Super Bowl Ads Of All Time

Nothing says "Super Bowl budget" like calling in Michael Jordan and Larry Bird for a game of H-O-R-S-E. This McDonald's commercial, in which the two basketball legends duel for a Big Mac, is packed with loads of classic '90s charm—and a funky soundtrack to boot.

Maybe it's the result of being on a time crunch, or just a Hail Mary pass for memorability, but Super Bowl ads have a history of veering into absurd territory. And Wendy's "Where's the Beef?" ad is a perfect example of this: an oddball tagline, stylized production, and the inexplicable presence of three old ladies.

There's something inextricably Americana about the Coca-Cola brand. And nothing leans into Americana quite like a young kid giving a bottle of Coke to his football hero—only to receive his game jersey in return.

At first glance, the Budweiser "Whassup" commercial maybe didn't seem like a guaranteed cultural touchstone for years to come. But its simplicity might just be what keeps it coming back, whether it's being referenced in Scary Movie or even YouTube phenomenon Annoying Orange. After all, what's more timeless than watching the game, and drinking a Bud?

What's more iconic than the Old Spice commercial that started Isiah Mustafa's ongoing stint as the Old Spice Man? Creating a persona reminiscent of Dos Esquis's "The Most Interesting Man in the World," "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" seamlessly toes the line between tongue-in-cheek and oh-so-cool.

There's no better way to kick off a new ad campaign than with Betty White getting sacked in a pickup football game. The hilarious "You're not you when you're hungry" slogan is now nearly synonymous with Snickers, and it's hard to imagine this isn't in large part due to such a memorable sketch with White at its core.

Short, to the point, and so late '90s. Man eats Tabasco. Mosquito eats man. Mosquito blows up. It's the spicy circle of life.

In the year 2023, the now all-powerful Apple "1984" ad spot might feel a bit ironic. Sure, Apple isn't exactly the face of non-conformity these days. But, as far as Super Bowl commercials go, the Orwellian, Scott Ridley-directed clip is an all-time standout.

Perhaps the novelty of the E*Trade talking baby could only thrive in an era where JibJabs were still considered hilarious. Regardless, the E*Trade Baby has solidified his place amongst advertising greats, offering a user-friendly message like GEICO's "So easy a caveman could do it."

You'd think that FedEx might save up some of their Super Bowl advertising budget to cast Tom Hanks in a Cast Away spoof. But that didn't stop them from jumping at the chance to extend their Cast Away relevance for a few more years with this witty ad spot.

Britney Spears performing multiple stylized musical numbers about the "Joy of Pepsi" across decades of American history was the Super Bowl ad that none of us knew we needed. Not to mention, the ad has aged to be a perfect relic of early '00s nostalgia.

Google has a pretty steady track record of crushing it when it comes to Super Bowl ads. But when "Parisian Love" first aired in 2010, few were prepared to be emotionally wrecked by a web browser. The sub-minute love story is as heart-warming as it is brilliant in displaying Google's capabilities.

The Budweiser frogs are another fairly nonsensical Super Bowl campaign. But that hasn't stopped us from welcoming their ribbits into the cultural zeitgeist.

If there's one thing that can cut mid-game tension during commercial breaks, it's something cute or something funny. And this Doritos spot is the perfect combination of the two. Who won't remember a little boy slapping his mother's boyfriend in the face for taking one of his Doritos?

When it comes to 30-second Super Bowl ads, efficiency is key. And this Tide To Go ad cuts straight to the point, illustrating the importance of a stain-free outfit by featuring a shirt stain talking over a job interviewee. The animation paired with hilariously passionate gibberish from the stain make this an ad to remember.

Few Super Bowl ads match the production quality of Coca-Cola's "Hilltop" spot from Super Bowl VI, which features young people "from all over the world" assembled on an Italian hilltop to sing in harmony. The tagline "I'd like to buy the world a Coke" is catchy in itself—not to mention the fact that the song could easily double as a radio hit.

Movie spoof ads don't always quite make the mark. But Volkswagen's "The Force" truly re-awakened the force of advertising. In fact, Time reports that the ad's rollout—debuting on YouTube before game day—set the precedent for advertisers going forward.

Arguably one of the most laugh-out-loud commercials in Super Bowl history, Reebok's "Terry Tate, Office Linebacker" campaign dives full-force into narrative. Tate's performance totally sells the script, as he decks coworkers for office no-nos while cheerfully making small talk with others.

Centering a Super Bowl ad upon Michael Jordan, one of the world's most recognizable and beloved athletes in history, is something of a no-brainer. Still, Gatorade didn't rest on their laurels with this one, creatively depicting Jordan sparring against a younger version of himself on the court using innovative visual effects.

It's hard to think of the Super Bowl without thinking of Budweiser. And it's hard to think of Budweiser without thinking of its iconic Clydesdales.