The Super Bowl Ad I Wanted to See
Great Super Bowl ads are creative, memorable, make us feel, make us laugh, surprise us, and fully commit to the bit. This year, they played it safe—when what I really wanted was more cowbell.
I went into the game most excited for Jon Batiste singing the National Anthem (playing the beautiful piano painted by his wife,
, a brilliant writer I admire) and, of course, the commercials. But by the end of the night, while I was thrilled that the Eagles won, I was left underwhelmed by the ads.There were a few that stood out to me that I’ll mention here –
Squarespace’s “Tale as old as websites” ad gets the trophy from me. It was clever, creative, and memorable!
Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal’s mayonnaise ad gets points for really hitting the nostalgia button
The DoorDash ad featuring Nate Bargatze made me smile, because I do find Nate a brilliant comedian and it had great comedic elements - in particular some of the ridiculousness of the premise and the assistant character as a nice juxtaposition to Bargatze.
The Uber Eats commercial where Matthew McConaughey lights up a conspiracy theory that the NFL is just trying to sell more food, has some cleverness, and could’ve been a great premise with or without all of the celebrity placements.
Overall though, I didn’t find myself overwhelmingly laughing out loud or thinking “oh, wow, that was clever”. To me, it seemed like celebrity appearances substituted for good, clever writing and implementation of an ad.
Where’s the creativity? The playfulness? The “yes, and” energy that transforms an idea into something unforgettable?
Instead, I watched ad after ad featuring celebrities awkwardly wedged into concepts that felt like they were written in a boardroom where someone said, "Let’s just get [insert famous person], and it’ll be funny." But comedy doesn’t work like that. The best moments—whether in an improv scene or a well-crafted commercial—come from strong, surprising choices and genuine commitment to the bit.
The best Super Bowl ads in history didn’t just throw celebrities on screen; they built something clever around them. Think about the State Farm ads that made the actor “Jake from State Farm” known. Terry Tate, the office linebacker, a Reebok ad with over-the-top physical comedy and absurdity that resonated with audiences. Or even the unique no-ad-at-all approach like the Skittles Broadway musical. Not at all ads need to be funny to be memorable, take the 2011 Volkswagen Star Wars inspired ad, and I’m keen for the classic Budweiser ads with the horses and dogs, but of course there’s the funnier Budweiser ‘Whassup’ ad, which turned a simple, relatable greeting into an iconic comedic moment. These weren’t just ads with famous faces reading lines; they were well crafted scripts, solid performances, and strong comedic bones.
After the Super Bowl, I watched one of the SNL 50 documentary episodes—the one about the More Cowbell sketch. You know, the one where Will Ferrell fully commits to an aggressively enthusiastic cowbell player while Christopher Walken deadpans, "I gotta have more cowbell!" It’s one of those sketches that sticks with you because it’s absurd, unexpected, and perfectly executed.
And as I watched it, I couldn’t help but think: This is what the Super Bowl ads were missing.
What made More Cowbell great?
First, the commitment.
Will Ferrell wasn’t just in the sketch—he was all in. His physicality, his dead-serious enthusiasm for a ridiculous premise—it’s what makes comedy work. Super Bowl ads, on the other hand, often feel like they’re hedging their bets. They throw in a celebrity, a reference, or a wink at the audience, but they don’t fully commit to the bit. They play it safe instead of heightening the absurdity.
Second, the element of surprise.
No one watching More Cowbell for the first time expected that to be the sketch. It wasn’t an obvious joke—it was a weird, left-field choice that paid off. Meanwhile, so many of this year’s Super Bowl ads felt like the same formula: famous face + nostalgia reference = ??? But comedy, especially improv and sketch comedy, thrives when it defies expectations.
So if I could have seen one Super Bowl ad that embodied the spirit of More Cowbell, it would have been something truly unexpected—maybe an ad that starts as a standard beer commercial but escalates into a full-blown musical featuring an overly enthusiastic cowbell player. Or a commercial that breaks the fourth wall, with the actors realizing mid-ad that they’re in yet another celebrity-stuffed Super Bowl spot and deciding to improvise their way out of it.
Because if there’s one thing Super Bowl advertisers could learn from More Cowbell, it’s this: Don’t just sprinkle in a famous face and call it a day. Commit to the bit. Take risks. Give us something so bold, so ridiculous, so unexpected that we’ll be quoting it for years. Otherwise? I gotta have more cowbell.
What do you think? If, by chance, you think one of the commercials aligns with my ad dream, please share!
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