Celebs Bring Star Power To The Biggest Sunday Of The Year
...And we don't just mean in the halftime show. For as long as the Super Bowl has been broadcast, there have always been commercials. And after the game blew up to such great proportions, the ads did as well... which means celebrities have become a mainstay in Super Bowl ads. And 2022 was no exception.
But today, we are taking a look back at the best and the greatest 20 celeb Super Bowl ads of ALL TIME. In this blog, Hollywood Branded counts down the top 20 celeb Super Bowl ads of all time and what exactly made those ads so memorable.
#20: Bud Light - Charlton Heston (1995)
Charlton Heston wasn't exactly a celebrity who made many endorsements. That is what made this Bud Light commercial so special, as Heston rarely did endorsements, especially in his later years. The astonishment and hilarity of the fans make the commercial, however, as does Heston playing off his well-known persona to make it come full circle.
#19: American Express - Jerry Seinfeld (1998)
Jerry and the Man of Steel join forces in this American Express ad that was so wildly popular that the company came out with a pair of short films in 2003 expanding on the idea. Everyone knows Jerry loves Superman, but even greater was the fact that Superman was voiced by Patrick Warburton, who appeared in Seinfeld as David Puddy.
#18: NFL - Everyone (2011)
It would be impossible to list the names of every celeb in this spot, which includes characters from Happy Days, Dukes of Hazzard, and Seinfeld, among many, many others all gearing up to watch the Super Bowl. The point of the spot was for the NFL to say thank you to its fans for being the "Best Fans Ever." It was also an incredible look back at how the Super Bowl has been portrayed in television over the years.
#17: Doritos - Ali Landry (1998)
Ali Landry, winner of Miss USA 1996, was the star of this ad from Doritos where she shows up the boys by catching Doritos 3D in her mouth. Combining talent and sex appeal, this spot certainly didn't disappoint.
#16: CBS - David Letterman, Oprah Winfrey, and Jay Leno (2010)
This spot, in all its simplicity, never fails to garner some laughs. The idea of some of the biggest names in talk show history all sitting down awkwardly to watch the Super Bowl together is very funny.
#15: Reebok - Terry Tate (2003)
This spot features linebacker Terry Tate as the "Office Linebacker" brought in to boost everyone's productivity. But of course, he does it in his own ridiculous way, leaving a lasting impression on everyone watching.
#14: Noxzema - Farrah Fawcett And Joe Namath (1973)
This raunchy bit definitely got people's attention when it aired in 1973. Two of America's most attractive and beloved people are playfully using Noxzema to get a close shave - and people love it.
#10: Pepsi - Cindy Crawford (1992)
This spot was particularly designed to promote Pepsi's new can. Legendary supermodel Cindy Crawford pulls her sports car up to a dusty rest stop in the middle of nowhere. As she walks to the Pepsi machine, young boys stare with their mouths open at the model who just so happened to stop on their turf. Cindy works her magic, making a sip of Pepsi look more refreshing than an oasis after a week in the desert.
#9: Supercell - Liam Neeson (2015)
It doesn't get any more Liam Neeson than this commercial for the Supercell game "Clash Of Clans". AngryNeeson52 swears ruthless revenge against his opponent in the game, evoking memories of his promise for revenge in the Taken series. His intense demeanor makes the spot hilarious and very memorable.
#8: Diet Pepsi - Michael J. Fox (1986)
Nothing can stop the Back To The Future star from finding a Diet Pepsi for his gorgeous neighbor who won't accept any substitute. A fire escape, Pepsi machine, and locked window later he returns to his apartment with a Diet Pepsi - only to find that his neighbor is joined by her equally as attractive roommate... who also wants a Diet Pepsi.
#7: BMW - Katie Couric and Bryant Gumbel (2015)
This brilliant commercial from BMW begins with footage of Katie Couric struggling to understand the concept of the internet on the air with Bryant Gumbel after admitting she thought '@' meant "about" or "around." Flash forward to 2015 and the duo is sitting in the new BMW i3, entirely electric and built with wind power, experiencing a familiar feeling of wrapping their heads around a big idea. And who doesn't love Katie Couric?
#6 Hulu - Alec Baldwin (2008)
Alec Baldwin comes clean in this commercial. He explains that television is a plot by aliens like himself to turn humanity's brains soft so they can eat them with a spoon. And how will they do this? By Hulu, of course. After all, when you can stream your favorite TV right to your computer for free, why would you ever turn it off?
#5: Snickers - Betty White (2010)
The "you're not you when you're hungry" Snickers campaign has been a mainstay for the company as well as television viewers. However, when you add Betty White to the mix, the spot becomes even more memorable. This as features Betty being tackled to the ground in a pick-up football game. "Mike, you're playing like Betty White out there!" However, after eating a Snickers, Betty has turned back into a man playing football with his friends.
#4: McDonald's - Michael Jordan and Larry Bird
It's Bird vs. Jordan in this commercial as the two legends have a trick shot competition over a Big Mac and fries. The trick shots get more and more ridiculous as the players shoot from the bleachers, the rafters, and eventually outside. Pure, simple, memorable genius.
#3: Dodge Ram - Paul Harvey (2013)
While Paul Harvey wasn't technically an endorser for Ram Trucks, there was no way we could leave this ad off the list. His speech, "So God Made The Farmer" was the most perfect, eloquent, and iconic background for this ad. It spoke so well to its demographic that it made the rest of us choke up as well.
#2: Nike - Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny (1992)
Before the world was blessed with Space Jam, Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny shared the screen in a spot for the 1992 Super Bowl. After getting bullied by some not-so-nice fellows on the court, Bugs laces up his "Hare Jordans" to match Jordan's Air Jordan sneakers and they put the bullies in their place as a duo. Reportedly, this ad cost $1 million to make, not including what Nike paid Jordan to be in it or what their ad space-time cost in the Super Bowl. And in the early 90s, that was still considered some serious cashola. But for Nike, it was worth it and we think so too.
#1: Coca-Cola - Joe Greene (1979)
This "Mean Joe Greene" is an absolute Super Bowl classic, and takes the number one spot on our list by a landslide. Not only was the spot great in and of itself, but it also represented the changing climate of the United States culture. Joe Greene was one of the first black Americans to be featured in a mainstream ad campaign for a huge national corporation - Coke. And come on, we all love that fuzzy feeling when Greene says, "Hey kid, catch" while tossing his jersey to the kid.
This commercial was such a simple concept but has changed the way we look at celebrity endorsements as well as the Super Bowl ad game. And it was so much more than an ad, in our opinion. It was a statement.
Celebrities Have Been A Major Part of The Super Bowl Since Its Inception
When advertisers are shelling out the big bucks for the big game, they often spare no expense in getting the talent to match the ad buy. And since 43% of consumers state that they are conscious of being influenced to purchase a brand after seeing a celebrity endorsement for it, it's certainly a wise allocation of marketing funds.
If 43% of this year's Super Bowl audience was even slightly influenced to buy a product based on its celebrity endorsement that would mean the brand gained 48.1 million potential new customers after the commercial aired. Not to mention the high caliber of celebrity endorsement in these ads. Celebrities make a difference - there's no denying that.
Brands like Weatherguard (who reportedly saw a "46% year-over-year increase in visits to their website in 2015 and 26% increase in phone inquiries over the previous year" per Advertising Age) and Avocados from Mexico (who saw a 33% sales increase in 2015) stating that they have seen MAJOR sales results, so much so that they want to continue their multi-million media buys, brands should step up and take note.
Now That The Super Bowl is Over, What's Next?
The biggest advertising day of the year might have passed, but that doesn't mean that you can't plan ahead! As more and more brands get involved in the most expensive TV ad-buy, it can be difficult to stand out. Make sure to stay ahead of the game by reading what other brands have done for Super Bowl ads in the past!
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Are you interested in integrating product placement into your entertainment marketing mix, but simply don’t know where to start? There is so much more to product placement than you may think, and it is important to be educated about the key tactics to best fit your brand. Stay up-to-date on all things entertainment marketing by signing up for our Hot in Hollywood newsletter below!
