Why buy a dozen mansions when you could spend 16.8 million dollars on a minute and a half worth of advertisements? Amazon’s “Before Alexa” and Google’s “Loretta” were aired in the 2020 Super Bowl and cost $16.8 million each to produce. According to CNN, the Super Bowl profits around $500 million on commercials alone.

To judge these 2023 Super Bowl commercials, creating criteria is needed. The advertisements will be judged based on how attention-grabbing they are, the humor, the celebrities that appear in them, and how effective it was. Before the best Super Bowl advertisements can be ranked, let’s take a look at the worst.

Worst Ads

5. Hellmann’s

In this commercial, John Hamm and Brie Larson are stuck in a refrigerator having a conversation together as ingredients. Suddenly, Pete Davidson, at his normal size, opens the refrigerator door to inform John and Brie he’s going to eat them. He then makes a sandwich out of ham and brie and eats it in front of them to produce an unfunny, absurd ad. Simply put, two irrelevant celebrities in a refrigerator together is just about as interesting as mayonnaise.

4. T-Mobile

T-Mobile’s “New Year. New Neighbor,” stars “Grease” actor John Travolta, “Scrubs” actor Zach Braff, and “Scrubs” actor Donald Faison. What do these three men have in common? Nothing, chances are the budget was already spent on John Travolta, but T-Mobile needed two other bland celebrities to take up space in their minute-long commercial. The commercial only exists so Generation X can justify John Travolta is still relevant.

3. Tubi

Tubi’s commercial begins with what are believed to be the NFL broadcasters for the Super Bowl, but then the ad makes it appear as though the channel is being changed. Tubi is just a company that needed attention, considering most people weren’t aware of it until they thought someone was sitting on the television remote.

2. Limit Break

Limit Break had a more interesting approach, simply displaying a QR code on the screen for the entire advertisement and informing the viewers that the code is for a free digital collectible. However, the code leads you straight to Gabriel Leydon, the CEO of Limit Break, and the viewer is encouraged to follow to win the company’s non-fungible tokens or NFTs.

1. E-Trade

E-Trade’s ad wasn’t just a QR code or a bad pun, it was worse: babies. Their idea was to go through the process of a wedding, but instead of people, they used babies. E-Trade had a similar commercial in 2008, including babies with disturbing adult voices. E-Trade’s commercial was deranged in 2008, and it is even more so now.

This year’s worst ads, whether it was a bad song or creepy babies, were diverse, but the best commercials are even more so.

Best Ads

5. Doritos

Doritos’ advertisement was one to remember, and not solely because it features Generation Z heartthrob Jack Harlow. In this commercial, Harlow quits his job as a rapper to become a triangle player. Harlow creates a triangle trend in the fashion industry and also increases the number of triangle players. Doritos found an amusing way to advertise their new sweet and tangy barbeque flavor.

4. Pringles

Pringles’ commercial normalized losing your hand in their slim cylinder design in their 2023 advertisement “Best of Us.” The commercial displays the numerous people who have unfortunately permanently lost a limb inside a Pringles’ can: judges, surgeons, airport ground crew, game show contestants, Meghan Trainor, chess prodigies, bowlers, etc. The concept of a brand advertising a flaw with their product is a little odd, but also is a humorous way to connect with its consumers.

3. General Motors x Netflix

General Motors did a collaboration with Netflix to promote putting electric vehicles in television shows. Will Ferrell stars in the advertisement as he walks through the set of “Army of the Dead,” “Squid Games,” “Bridgerton,” “Stranger Things,” and “Love is Blind” all of which managed to include an electric vehicle. The commercial was a great way to reach and inform a majority of Netflix’s fan base. Anyone can appreciate General Motors’ commercial regardless of how many shows you’ve watched.

2. Ram

Ram took a risky approach to Super Bowl advertising, one that could only be appreciated by those with a sense of humor. Although the ad wasn’t for everyone, “Premature Electrification” certainly made a name for Ram’s electric truck. The commercial is too great to be transformed into words, but I recommend watching Ram’s just one more time.

1. Pop Corners

Pop Corners commercial was memorable in a few ways. To start, Aaron Paul, who plays Jesse Pinkman in “Breaking Bad” is their trailer with Bryan Cranston who plays Walter White. It’s similar to the plot of the television show except for their newly manufactured good: Pop Corners. Jesse loves the product so much they turn to Tuco, played by Raymond Cruz, who is also extremely fond of Pop Corners. The ad is a funny twist on the television show’s concept. Even if you haven’t seen “Breaking Bad,” you can still appreciate the advertisement “Break into Something Good.”