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This might have been the worst year ever for Super Bowl commercials

This might have been the worst year ever for Super Bowl commercials

Lazy. Retread. Not funny. Over-earnest. And those were the good ones!

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The dirty little secret about Super Bowl ads is viewers can watch them before the Big Game, with companies (presumably) wanting to stretch the impact of their most expensive spots of the year. Why anyone would seek out commercials before they’re forced to watch them, I have no idea, but, uh, yeah, ideally these beer, candy, and Dunkin Donuts ads were met with fresh eyes Sunday because they’re not good enough to sneak preview.

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Honestly, most of the ads were trash, so I just handed out made-up awards.

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Don Draper Award for Laziest Cameo(s)

Don Draper Award for Laziest Cameo(s)

2024 BUD LIGHT SUPER BOWL COMMERCIAL | EASY NIGHT OUT | EASY TO DRINK EASY TO ENJOY :60

Bud Light’s beer genie on its own had comedic potential, but then the ad just devolved into an array of cameos, headlined by Peyton Manning and Post Malone. Funny how no one wished for a beer that doesn’t taste like fermented gym socks.

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The Better Offer Betty Accidental Outrage Award

The Better Offer Betty Accidental Outrage Award

DON’T FORGET UBER EATS

Good thing UberEats prescreened their cameo-laden “You have to forget something to remember something” ad because people with peanut allergies got so pissed the company dropped the peanut butter guy bit. The uncut commercial is above. The internet is undefeated at getting huffy over nonsense, and this is why people hate the “Woke” label. Fictionalized allergic reactions are funny, that actor was wearing fake hives, and the only good outcome is that Uber Eats paid Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, and David and Victoria Beckham a boatload of cash for people to only remember the hive part.

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Lamest Use of a Pop Culture Reference Award

Lamest Use of a Pop Culture Reference Award

NERDS Big Game Commercial ft. Addison Rae | Official :30 | 2024

Whoever over at Nerds decided to make their Super Bowl ad debut a remake of Flashdance’s “What a Feeling” music video with a giant gummy pouring Nerds all over itself needs to be fired. Not only is that reference extremely dated, it’s also been done no less than 35,000 times.

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Best (Worst?) Use of Beloved Sitcom Stars Award

Best (Worst?) Use of Beloved Sitcom Stars Award

MTN DEW | Aubrey Plaza Is Always Having A Blast - Extended Version

I, too, want April Ludgate and Ron Swanson reunited, but Mountain Dew could’ve saved some money and let Aubrey Plaza carry the spot. The lone redeeming factor of this spot is it wasn’t the Scrubs guys singing a T-Mobile duet.

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The “Pete Davidson is Still in Our Life?” Award

The “Pete Davidson is Still in Our Life?” Award

Mayo Cat – Hellmann’s Big Game :60

Hellman’s recruited Kate McKinnon to make a meme out of a cat in Mayo Cat, and among the most unsettling bits were McKinnon eating mayo with a spoon, and Pete Davidson’s dalliance with bestiality. Self-deprecating humor is only funny for so long until it starts to feel like a cry for compliments.

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Nobody Cares About Your Sentiment Award

Nobody Cares About Your Sentiment Award

Javier in Frame | Google Pixel SB Commercial 2024

This is Google’s to lose every year, and while I think they weren’t trying to exploit a disability, it kind of felt like it. So in light of that, let’s pivot to Budweiser’s use of The Band’s “The Weight.”

Budweiser | Super Bowl LVIII Old School Delivery

It’s not like it was good, but these ads never are.

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The God has a Foot Fetish Award

The God has a Foot Fetish Award

Foot Washing

“He washes feet” might not hit the way HeGetsUs.org thought it would. If you read the Bible, sure, but for the unordained, it might’ve been confusing, as was the entire commercial. The variety of couples — gay, straight, trans (with a cop) — feels misleading for the people who like a religion that lets them insult portions of the population they don’t understand.

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Best Movie Trailer Award

Best Movie Trailer Award

Deadpool & Wolverine Teaser

My vote goes to Deadpool 3 because Marvel is desperately in need of a disruptor. (And, yes, this slide was an excuse to show a trailer you would’ve had to Google.)

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Most Egregious Use of Movie IP Award

Most Egregious Use of Movie IP Award

Wicked - First Look

Did we need an origin story for the Wicked Witch of the West? Some villains need only be evil and that’s it. Dishonorable mention: Knuckles

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I guess Sonic the Hedgehog can still move units, but I don’t think it warrants Super Bowl ad money.



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The Get the Choppah Award

The Get the Choppah Award

Like a Good Neighbaaa (:60) | feat. Arnold Schwarzenegger & Danny DeVito | State Farm® Commercial

Making fun of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s accent is never not funny, and the Twins reference with Danny DeVito plays, as well. State Farm has a pretty good grasp on how to use their cameos, which I guess is the only way to advertise now.

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The Everybody Has a Sh*tty Christopher Walken Impression Award

The Everybody Has a Sh*tty Christopher Walken Impression Award

BMW USA | Christopher Walken in “Talkin Like Walken” (ft. Usher)

If this is what Christopher Walken’s life consists of — which I expect it is — shoot me now.

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Funniest Ad Award

Funniest Ad Award

Dunkin’ ‘The DunKings’ ft Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Tom Brady, Jack Harlow, Jennifer Lopez, & Fat Joe

Ben Affleck channeled Chuckie Sullivan for an overtly pro-Boston spot as the rap group The Dunkings, with Tom Brady on the 1’s and 2’s, and an apprehensive Matt Damon doing his buddy a favor. “You know when I said I’d do anything for you, this is anything.” Shout out to J-Lo and Fat Joe for letting the pinstripes affect this judgment.

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Biggest Waste of Money Award

Biggest Waste of Money Award

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The Robert Kennedy PAC repurposed JFK’s presidential ad for reasons that are unclear. They’d be better off burning that pile of cash for heat. Hey, at least that money wasn’t used to further Robert’s insanely dangerous stance on vaccines.

Runner up: South Dakota, what are you doing?

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Most Confusing Use of Crossover Promotion

Most Confusing Use of Crossover Promotion

Sir Anthony Hopkins Unleashes the Wred Dragon

Not going to lie, Anthony Hopkins channeling his inner dragon was great even if I’m not sure what the ad was selling. Was it for Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham team/show, or cold brew? Who cares? Hopkins yelling roar was fun.

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Low-key Best Ad Award

Low-key Best Ad Award

CeraVe with Michael Cera...Ve

There are not a lot of ways to make skincare funny, but CeraVe found a way with Michael Cera. It’s a little cheap, a little reminiscent of other “Bad Pitch Man” commercials, but it’s better than Dove’s weird “empower girls by showing them failing” approach.

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