The Super Bowl is one of the nation’s most-watched telecasts, and Sunday’s showdown will likely be no different. While matchups change every year, one thing always gets people talking: Super Bowl commercials. With only 30 to 90 seconds to pitch their products to over 100 million viewers, companies invest heavily in their spots. Football fan or not, you’ll be entertained. You can always expect high-quality production, star-studded cameos, and even a catchphrase or two in the ad rotation throughout the evening.
Most commercials circulate around social media for a few days after airing. But some Super Bowl ads stand the test of time for years and even decades, offering snapshots of pop culture year after year.
So, what truly makes a memorable Super Bowl food commercial? To answer this question, I scoured years of roundups and rankings (who knew there was an official Super Bowl Advertising Archive online?) while watching dozens of ads dating back to the 1970s. Although the TV landscape has changed since then, several key characteristics remain constant across the most iconic commercials.
Celebrities
Super Bowl IV in 1970 marked the first time a commercial featured a celebrity, when Chicago Bears player Dick Butkus advertised the antifreeze brand Prestone, complete with a memorable tagline: “Because plugging holes is my business.” Since then, celeb endorsements have skyrocketed. A 2025 study from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business found that from 2015 to 2024, the number of Super Bowl ads with celebrities increased from 34% to 60%.
Celebrity features help ads perform better, according to Adweek. In the digital age, it’s not hard to see why. Brands have mere seconds to grab viewers’ attention on the biggest stage, and celebrities provide a much-needed immediate recognition that could help a commercial go viral online.
From Britney Spears’ iconic “Joy of Pepsi” song in 2001 to Ben Affleck’s collabs with Dunkin’, household names have become the norm in Super Bowl advertising. Bonus points if it’s someone unexpected, like Betty White being tackled while playing football for Snicker’s.
More Celebrities
What’s better than one celebrity? Multiple celebrities. Actress Farrah Fawcett and New York Jets star Joe Namath’s joint appearance for the skin care brand Noxzema in 1973 is regarded as one of the most memorable Super Bowl commercials of all time. It helped propel Fawcett, still relatively unknown at the time, to stardom.
Another iconic ad is McDonald’s “The Showdown” from 1993. The premise is simple: Larry Bird and Michael Jordan play a game of “H-O-R-S-E” over a Big Mac. But multiple elements made the spot an all-timer. It brought together basketball legends from different generations. Jordan was one of the most famous people in the world at that point. And Bird’s catchphrase “nothing but net” has become a common basketball saying.
In recent years, two celebrities aren’t enough. Ben Affleck’s Dunkin’ ads, for example, also feature Matt Damon and JLo. Hellmann’s 2025 ad paired Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan for a remake of the Katz’s Deli scene from When Harry Met Sally. It also included a Sydney Sweeney appearance.
Uber Eats has taken first place in this trend. Its 2024 ad gave us a much-needed Friends reunion between Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer (with appearances from the Beckhams and Jelly Roll). 2025’s commercial featured Matthew McConaughey, Kevin Bacon, and Martha Stewart — three names I never thought would be in the same sentence. And McConaughey has returned this year with Bradley Cooper and Parker Posey in teasers.
Kids & Old Folks
As more celebrities appear on screen, they may start to lose their allure. Older characters, though, almost always make for fan-favorite commercials by evoking the feels. It was three older women who coined the catchphrase “Where’s the Beef?” in a 1984 Wendy’s ad. With few special effects, the adorable scene remains iconic.
Decades later, older characters might still be the true stars. Taco Bell’s “Viva Young” commercial in 2013 showed a cast of older people dancing the night away before ending the evening with tacos. Doritos’ hilarious 2012 ad “Sling Baby” made use of the entire age range by depicting a grandmother and her grandson who will acquire chips at any cost.
Pop culture nostalgia
Brands also lean on throwback pop culture moments as a way to get the audience’s attention. Nostalgia helps commercials appeal to a broad age range, putting as many eyes on it as possible. The same UVA study found nearly half of all 2023 commercials included nostalgic elements, another twofold jump from 2015.
Hellman’s When Harry Met Sally ad is an emblematic example of this trend, but it’s far from the only one. Snicker’s 2016 commercial featured Willem Dafoe dressed up as Marilyn Monroe, recreating her iconic white dress pose. Cheetos’ 2020 ad revolved around a hilarious take on MC Hammer’s “Can’t Touch This.” Ten years after Breaking Bad ended, PopCorners brought the cast back in its 2023 ad “Breaking Good.” Pepsi even got meta in its 2018 commercial, referencing a previous collaboration with Cindy Crawford as well as a nod to Britney.
Still, some commercials don’t need celebrities to pull at viewers’ heartstrings. This year marks the 48th appearance of Budweiser’s Clydesdale horse in a Super Bowl commercial to celebrate the brand’s 150th anniversary. The ad, “American Icons,” doesn’t have spoken dialogue or familiar faces. It’s just a horse, a bird, picturesque scenery, and a country tune that evokes Americana.
Catchphrases
Super Bowl commercial budgets are bigger than ever before. But truly great ads — the ones people remember decades after they air — are simple. They’re often centered around a simple premise that yields a memorable catchphrase, some of which transcend the brand itself and become pop culture staples. “Nothing but net” and “Where’s the Beef?” are just a few of many.
Budweiser, a Super Bowl staple both onscreen and in the living room, has several famous commercials under its belt. But the most iconic of the bunch is “Whassup.” The greeting caught on immediately in 2000, and Budweiser’s sales went up by over two million barrels. I’m sure you’ve said “Whassup” to your friends at some point. Now, you know its origin.
In 1979, Coca-Cola aired a Super Bowl ad that featured NFL star “Mean” Joe Greene. His wholesome exchange with a young fan ended in a throwback jingle and the iconic “Hey Kid, Catch.” This commercial, often ranked among the best of all time, had it all — a celebrity, a kid, nostalgic music, and a well-known brand. Most importantly, its endearing three-word catchphrase captured the hearts of generations.
Which ads might stand out this year?
Sabrina Carpenter for Pringles. George Clooney for Grubhub. Charli XCX and Rachel Sennott for Poppi. Unsurprisingly, this year’s food and drink commercial roster is yet another who’s who of the entertainment industry. The collabs don’t disappoint, either. Ben Affleck returns for Dunkin’ in what’s also a Friends reunion with Jennifer Aniston and Matt LeBlanc, along with Jason Alexander. Personally, I’m looking forward to Ben Stiller and Benson Boone for Instacart — maybe this year’s newest catchphrase will work in “moonbeam ice cream.”
Going through this lineup, it’s clear Super Bowl commercials have become a reflection of pop culture. As the entertainment landscape has shifted, brands have stepped up with high production values and stacked casts that make each 30-second spot a short film. Of course, people aren’t complaining. It’s great entertainment, especially if you’re not a football fan.
But among the sea of household names, nostalgic elements will help commercials this year take the cake. After all, the Super Bowl reflects the current pop culture moment, and based on this year’s trends, 2016 is the new 2026. Plus, we all could use some comfort with our loved ones right now.