When the biggest football game of the year rolls around, it’s truly a go-big-or-go-home scenario. Not only is it a game for all of the marbles on the field, but there exists somewhat of a game outside of the game on national television as well. 

113 million viewers tuned into Sunday’s NFL season finale between the Eagles and Chiefs. While one of the best Super Bowl matchups in recent history aired on screen, many fans couldn’t wait for pauses in the action, giving way to one of the more recent phenomena of advertising: over-the-top super bowl commercials. 

In recent years, these short blurbs of entertainment have become a staple in both the sports and marketing worlds. How do this year’s commercials stack up? Here are my top five commercials from Super Bowl LVII. 

Honorable Mention: M&Ms Reunite

This quick commercial from the loveable candy brand was nothing special, but the effort put into the whole setup was impressive, earning it an honorable mention. On January 23, M&Ms put out a statement on twitter announcing that they would be putting their somewhat iconic cartoon candy characters on “indefinite pause” due to recent “controversies” over the the characters. In the meantime, several M&M characters found new gigs with different companies, as the yellow M&M began working with Snickers, the Blue with ESPN, and so on and so forth. In a quick Super Bowl ad, the “spokescandies” reunited and announced that they were officially back for good. While the commercial was quick, the setup itself was worth a shout among the best Super Bowl marketing stunts. 

5. Breaking Bad and Popcorners

One of the more exciting ads of the super bowl was the thrill of seeing iconic characters on the big screen together once again, with Popcorners’ Breaking Bad commercial. Although the show ended ten years ago, many viewers were delighted to see Bryan Cranston’s Walter White, Aaron Paul’s Jesse Pinkman and Raymond Cruz’s Tuco Salamanca revive a piece of iconic television. The three dug into popcorners chips as if it was some kind of thrilling discovery or sketchy substance the crew of characters had found so many times in the infamous show. 

4. Amazon: “Saving Sawyer”

There are always a few commercials each super bowl that tug on the viewers’ heartstrings, and there’s no better way to do so than with a dog. This Amazon ad highlights a dog growing up with a family during quarantine, and immediately beginning to misbehave when the family has to go out and about their daily lives again. The family considers giving up on the dog, but eventually buys another dog to keep it company and become playmates. While, of course, the commercial is filled with assorted Amazon products, the message and heartwarming feelings are still present, tied together in a well-directed commercial. 

3. The Farmer’s Dog

Well would you guess, it’s another dog commercial. This Farmer’s Dog commercial, a small pet food company from New York, made its brand a household name through a heartwarming  minute of air time Sunday. This ad takes the viewers through the life of a black lab and its owner as they grow older together. This commercial takes the viewers through various stages of life the two experience together, including playing as children, leaving for college, marriage, and even welcoming a new child into the world. It’s an age-old script of going through life with a pet by your side, but it never fails to warm the heart and raise appreciation for our furry friends time and time again.

2. NFL: “Run With It”

While the NFL was the star of the show on Super Bowl Sunday, that didn’t stop them from making their presence felt off the field as well. The “Run With It” commercial centered around Mexican female flag football star Diana Flores, who became known for her skill at flag football and avoiding defenders. Flores spent the ad sprinting through stadiums, malls, streets, hotels, and even her own home attempting to evade others who tried to pull her flag. The advertisement featured several NFL stars including Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey and New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner, who played security guards at the stadium, Las Vegas Raiders receiver Davante Adams, who was disguised in a parrot costume at the mall, and Detroit Lions defensive end Aiden Hutchinson and Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward, who were disguised as housekeepers at the hotel. Other notable names in the ad included reporter Erin Andrews, youtube star Mr. Beast, and even Flores’ own mother attempting to pull her flag. Despite chaotic efforts, all were unsuccessful in stopping Flores. The commercial shined light on both women in football and the growing phenomenon of flag football, two topics the NFL touched on in order to unite their audience and praise the game. 

1. Tubi Channel Switch

Despite many contenders for the number one spot, streaming service Tubi takes the crown with one of the more creative and tricky commercials in Super Bowl history. The ad began by returning the viewer to the Super Bowl commentary booth, where it appeared the game was back on. Soon after, a menu popped up on screen, and changed to the Tubi program, where it began playing an entirely different show. Viewers across the country quickly became confused, tearing apart their couches to look for the remote to switch the channel and resume the game. The advertisement fooled millions of viewers, making it somewhat iconic, and certainly the most creative and unique ad of this year’s big game. 

While Super Bowl commercials have become a bigger and bigger deal each year, it seems as if the demand for new ideas and fun advertisements is surpassing the actual supply. Nonetheless, each year brings the opportunity for fun and creativity during the breaks in the big game. Although Super Bowl commercials may never be as unique as they once were, it’s safe to say that viewers should still keep their eyes peeled for the next great thirty seconds of marketing genius.