There is no objective all-time ranking of the best, worst, or most baffling Super Bowl ads. The most useful way to judge them is to ask whether the spot makes its product clear, uses its celebrity or joke in service of the brand, and leaves a memorable impression after the cameo or punchline ends. By those standards, the 2023 Dunkin’ commercial featuring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez is a strong example of casting that fits its premise; a high-profile appearance alone is not enough to make an ad work.
What makes a Super Bowl ad “best,” “worst,” or “WTF”?
Those labels depend on the reviewer’s criteria, not a universal scorecard. For this retrospective, the test is whether a commercial clearly communicates what it is selling, whether its celebrity or pop-culture reference strengthens the product message, and whether its humor, sentiment, or surprise feels original and right for the brand. A spot can be entertaining yet fail to make the product memorable; it can also be strange in a way that is deliberate and effective rather than simply confusing.
- Best: the idea and execution reinforce the brand, and the ad remains memorable beyond its big moment.
- Worst: the joke, cameo, or spectacle obscures the product or feels mismatched to it.
- Most WTF: the spot takes an unusually surprising, confusing, or off-putting turn. That reaction is not automatically praise or criticism.
These are editorial judgments, not a poll or a measurement service’s ranking. TIME’s 2023 roundup illustrates why categories can be more useful than a single league table: it named Heineken 0.0 “Best,” Dunkin’ “Most On-Brand Casting,” Avocados from Mexico “Most Questionable Casting,” and Squarespace “Most Dramatic.” Those are TIME’s labels for that year, not a consensus about all Super Bowl advertising. Read TIME’s 2023 roundup.
Bennifer’s Dunkin’ spot: celebrity casting with a clear premise
The “Bennifer” reference points to Dunkin’s 2023 Super Bowl commercial. TIME reported that Ben Affleck worked the drive-through in Medford, Massachusetts, and Jennifer Lopez appeared to order from her husband. The joke depends on the recognizable couple, but the setting keeps the action tied to Dunkin’ and its drive-through service—one reason TIME categorized the casting as “Most On-Brand.”
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That is a more useful standard than asking whether a celebrity appeared: does the star’s presence make sense inside the ad’s idea? For a retrospective comparison, look beyond the cameo to see whether the product remains part of the story and whether the spot would still be identifiable as an ad for that brand after the immediate laugh.
Why Super Bowl ads arrive before game day
Some advertisers release commercials ahead of the game to draw attention during the buildup, rather than relying only on the broadcast. In its February 2024 preview, the Associated Press highlighted early-released campaigns including Budweiser’s Clydesdales, Michelob Ultra’s Lionel Messi spot, and an Uber Eats ad reuniting Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer. The AP described the reported price of a 30-second spot that year as $7 million; that figure applies to the 2024 market, not to later games or future ad rates. See the AP’s 2024 preview.
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Early releases also change how viewers encounter a campaign: the teaser, full spot, celebrity conversation, and game broadcast can all contribute to its visibility. That exposure may help an ad become part of the event’s conversation, but it is not itself evidence that the commercial communicated well or persuaded viewers.
Super Bowl ad prices and audience figures change by year
Big numbers help explain the attention around the ads, but they should always be read with their year and source attached. The AP reported 127.7 million U.S. viewers across television and streaming for the 2025 game. In its February 2026 preview, the AP reported an average of $8 million per 30-second ad unit for Super Bowl LX, with a handful of placements above $10 million, attributing the figures to NBCUniversal executive Peter Lazarus. These are reports about the 2026 market, not evergreen prices. Read the AP’s 2026 preview.
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The same preview described celebrity casting, nostalgia, artificial intelligence and technology, health advertising, and sentimental themes among that year’s campaigns. Villanova University marketing professor Charles Taylor forecast that advertisers would generally avoid dark or divisive tones in favor of escapist entertainment, given the Super Bowl’s pop-culture and party atmosphere. That was Taylor’s prediction in the preview, not a verified description of every commercial that aired.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to revisit Super Bowl commercials
To compare spots for yourself, iSpot’s Super Bowl event page serves as an archive and includes a multi-year greatest-ad curation. It is a useful starting point for revisiting commercials, though its page does not establish that every historical spot is available. Browse iSpot’s Super Bowl TV Ad Measurement Center.
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As you watch, keep the same questions in view: Is the product clear? Does the reference or celebrity serve the idea? Does the ad’s oddest or funniest moment feel earned? Does the brand stay with you after the surprise is over? Those criteria make “best,” “worst,” and “most WTF” more than interchangeable reactions.
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