Super Bowl Ads that Scored Big
(According to the Freshwater Team)
The Super Bowl isn’t just about football—it’s the biggest night of the year for advertisers. From heartwarming storytelling to laugh-out-loud moments, brands pull out all the stops to grab our attention. Our team watched closely, debated passionately, and picked their favorites. Check out which ads won us over and why they stood out.
Matt Taylor, EVP Client Experience
Favorite: Michelob Ultra
Michelob Ultra went all out with its one-minute Super Bowl commercial featuring William Dafoe and Catherine O'Hara playing pickleball against other athletes such as former NFL icon Randy Moss and current WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu. As an avid pickleball player, it was great to see what happens to all players within the sport, the underestimation of your opponents. Dafoe and O'Hara's characters are in an older demographic and begin challenging younger and potentially more skilled players (eventually the jokes on them) to a game of pickleball for their Michelob Ultra drafts. As I've witnessed and done myself in real pickleball, Dafoe and O'Hara are seen as inferior (most likely due to their age) but end up beating their over-exuberant opponents with ease and enjoying the fruits of their labor, an ice-cold Michelob Ultra.
A Super Bowl ad was a significant investment by Michelob Ultra, and it was a smart play to continue to build on the rise of pickleball. From a current player, I've learned don't underestimate your opponent as you step on the court, and Michelob Ultra nailed the message all while pedaling their brew.
Amy Crowley, Copy Director
Favorite: Nike’s “So Win”
Nike's “So Win” campaign deeply resonated with me as a mother of a female, soon-to-be college athlete. The spot featured inspiring female athletes like Caitlin Clark and powerfully focused on the challenges and limitations often imposed on women in sports.
“Whatever you do, you can’t win,” the ad narrator said, pointing out the double standard women can face. “So, win.” The ad went on to say:
“You can’t be confident. So, be confident.”
“You can’t fill a stadium. So, fill that stadium.”
My daughter plays volleyball, and that last one really hit home. Remember that world record the Nebraska volleyball team set in 2023 for the largest attendance at a women’s sporting event, with 92,003 filling Memorial Stadium for their match against Omaha? Oh, you don’t? You should look it up. It was amazing. To give a visual comparison, Super Bowl LIX had approximately 65,700 fans in attendance.
This was Nike’s first Super Bowl ad in nearly 30 years, and they chose to spend their ad dollars on women in sports. That says something. To me, this Nike ad resonated deeply with its target, which I can only assume was me, my daughter, and the many female athletes looking to make their mark and defy expectations. Because the reality is, we’re filling stadiums and that can’t be ignored.
Stacie Brown, Production Manager
Favorite: Uber Eats “Football Conspiracy”
This was at the top of my list because it was humorous in depicting the link between football terminology/team naming and foods subliminally trying to make the fans hungry. Matthew McConaughey was funny in his portrayal of the various people while telling the conspiracies’ history.
Brennan Hill, VP Client Experience
Favorite: Google Pixel SB
This really tugged at my heartstrings. As a parent of a four-year-old daughter, it resonated with me and reminded me how parenting skills can translate into the workforce. I also appreciated how it highlights the positive uses of technology and emphasizes how it can help us feel more prepared and connected to our loved ones.
Pat Morgan, Partner & Chief Creative Officer
Favorite: Liquid Death
In a Super Bowl commercial era marked by the pointless overuse of Hollywood talent (often at the expense of being able to remember what product the spot was supposed to be advertising), Liquid Death kept it old school by featuring no celebrities and a simple, memorable idea. The idea? Drinking on the job. The twist? Liquid Death is a can of water that looks like it could be a beer.
The combination of visuals of professionals drinking what appears to be an alcoholic beverage in very inappropriate places and an earworm 80s-like hair band song with the lead singer repeatedly bellowing "Drink on the job" was a funny, unexpected rug pull that made the audience take notice.
The composition of the spot made the product the hero, with every scene including a shot of a Liquid Death can and driving awareness of an underexposed brand. The edgy, provocative nature of the spot reinforces the Liquid Death brand's rebellious spirit and continues its history as a disruptor in the water category. This is a perfect example of a strong creative idea breaking through the clutter and driving business results for the brand.
Tom Hutchinson, Managing Partner
Favorite: Bud Light's “Big Men on Cul-De-Sac”
Bud Light’s "Big Men on Cul-De-Sac" Super Bowl ad is just pure fun—exactly what you’d expect from a brand that knows how to throw a party. They bring in Post Malone, comedian Shane Gillis, and Peyton Manning (rocking the ultimate dad outfit, complete with jorts and a fanny pack) to turn an average suburban hangout into the block party of the year. The whole thing is ridiculous in the best way—leaf blowers distributing Bud Light, an 80s soundtrack, and just a lot of good vibes. It’s all about celebrating the people who know how to bring the fun, whether that’s at a Super Bowl party or just a random Tuesday night. Classic Bud Light—laid-back, lighthearted, and totally on-brand.
Adam Wolf, Executive Creative Director
Favorite: Matthew McConaughey everything
Absurdity seemed to bind most of the commercials we saw during Super Bowl 59. An alien being crushed by doors during a Totinos Pizza Roll commercial? Eugene Levy’s eyebrows taking off like a butterfly? Honestly, I got a smile, even a chuckle; it was unexpected and irrational. That’s the point we’re at now; some version of slapstick is taking over star power because we see everyone everywhere, all the time.
And that brings me to Matthew McConaughey.
Is he on everywhere, all the time? Yep.
Is he on streaming services, series, even? Sure is.
There is something about him that creates a sense of connection. Chiseled good looks aside, there is a charisma he’s had and manicured throughout his career that makes me believe every word that comes out of his mouth. I 100% need to have Salesforce in my life (even though every time I’ve interacted with that platform, it’s wildly complicated and incredibly unintuitive), and I will petition the NFL for their team-naming scandal to sell more food.
In the absurdity of the 2025 Super Bowl ad set, true star power, perhaps, still can exist without absurdity, and I want more of it. Please don’t remind me of how absurd my day-to-day life is or how unreal life can be. Give me someone I can connect with. Give me someone charismatic, authentic, and yes, “real.” Alright.Alright.Alright?
