Best Super Bowl Ads 2023: Top Ads According to Experts

Sunday’s Super Bowl isn’t just about advertising, it’s also about the action on the field where companies are demanding to create a commercial in which a different species lands.

Fox was charging up to $7 million for a 30-second slot this year, and the big brands were spending the money in hopes of creating TV gold.

But while a captivating commercial can be an invaluable investment, it’s hard to pull off with some 100 million Americans watching it closely and critically.

“Sunday’s Super Bowl means we can watch great commercials with football breaks in between,” Lucas Bongioanni, executive creative director of a community agency (yes, those are lowercase on purpose), told The Post.

The advertising executive said companies often relied on big names and nostalgia to make memorable ads — and 2023 was no exception.

But when the COVID-19 pandemic was finally in the rearview mirror, Bongioanni also noticed that many of this year’s best commercials were produced by software companies and streaming companies and were optimistic about the future.

“This year it felt like half was nostalgia and half was looking to the future,” he said. “Newbies and veteran brands have gone big.”

Below, Bongioanni and other influential creatives choose the best commercials of 2023 and name the commercials that didn’t work.

GM X Netflix

While the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35, the real winners may have been Netflix and General Motors.

In a 60-second commercial for the brands’ joint venture, prankster Will Ferrell explained how the streaming service is looking to include more electric vehicles in its upcoming movies and shows.

The ‘Elf’ actor has been spotted driving an array of electric vehicles on the set of some of Netflix’s biggest series, including Bridgerton and The Squid Game. The ad also features cameos from Queer Eye stars Anthony Porowski and Jonathan Van Ness.

Advertising experts said the crossover commercial was as electric as one of the cars Ferrell drove.

Chris Graves, chief creative officer of Team One, told The Post that the ad worked because it managed to create a partnership between two big brands in a way that was both interesting and easy to understand.

“Brand crossovers can be complex and confusing – especially in a Super Bowl environment where the fun is the main thing,” Graves explained. “It seems like one brand always gets the short end of the stick, but I think this one works pretty smoothly.”

He added that “both brands will enjoy this relationship” and stated that Netflix fans will likely “enjoy and appreciate the nuance and humor” that was included.

Meanwhile, Bongioanni also declared the ad the clear winner, although he acknowledged that his agency had come up with the concept and executed the ad.

“I mean, we did it, so I’m a little biased, but hear me out,” he told The Post. “The biggest achievement of this video is that it looks simple yet conveys a complex message while remaining interesting from top to bottom.”

Working day

Bringing in rebellious rockers Billy Idol, Ozzy Osbourne, Joan Jett and Paul Stanley to advertise American office culture may sound odd, but that’s why experts say it worked.

This commercial for Workday, a software company that provides cloud-based finance, workforce and planning applications, shows musicians scolding button-down officers for calling each other “rock stars.”

“We know that using Workday for your finances and HR makes you great at your job… but that doesn’t make you a rock star,” they chide.

The concept tickled Bongioanni’s nerves, with the creative director stating, “Challenge for abusing the term ‘rock star’ in the office is a fun idea. It’s not the first blow to corporate culture we’ve seen, but it’s a fresh take and interesting to watch.”

Graves was also impressed, telling The Post: “I started with no idea what Workday was doing. After all, I had enough fun searching for “What is Workday?” Small victories.

Doritos

In this hilarious commercial, young rapper Jack Harlow, 24, starts playing triangles after being fascinated by the shape of Doritos corn chips.

While some older Super Bowl viewers may not recognize Harlow as a Gen Z superstar, the ad also features a number of other celebrity cameos that resonate with older demographics.

“Are you going to quit rapping to play triangle?” Missy Elliot, 51, asks Harlow when she appears in the commercial.

Meanwhile, 75-year-old Elton John also appears at the end of the video in a look that thrilled viewers of all ages.

Freelance creative director Peter Konix, who has worked with big brands like Nike, Gucci and Google, approved the ad.

“The final cameo in the Doritos commercial takes the crown,” Konix told The Post. “Elton John playing a giant triangle should be the winner for me.”

Popcorners

For this PopCorners commercial, Breaking Bad stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul reunited for the first time in years—just what our experts needed.

“Among the many reunions in this year’s commercials, this one was my favorite,” Graves said. “I missed Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul in those roles. I was pleasantly surprised to see them and the brand match seems to be a good one.”

Bongioanni agreed, stating, “Additional points for the two main characters and Vince Gilligan. [of “Breaking Bad” fame] direct. Brian and Aaron make baked snacks, which is something we all love to see.”

Skechers

While some celebrity reunions were acclaimed, others were considered a bit of a miss.

Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg are known for their unusual friendship, and they previously starred in commercials for BIC together.

This year, the duo reunited for a Skechers ad that made headlines, but not everyone was convinced that the lifestyle queen and rapper was the perfect fit for the sneaker brand.

“I love that Skechers aims for the stars from a clear perspective,” Bongioanni said of the ad. “I don’t completely agree with the celebrity choices here, but they’re on the right track.”

Hellman

Meanwhile, Graves was not sold in a Hellman’s condiment commercial that featured Jon Hamm and Brie Larson stuck in a refrigerator.

At the time of the commercial, the duo claimed that they could be turned into leftovers, given their names – a game of ham and brie.

“Some celebrity ads give you new respect for those celebrities, and some less so. This is the last one for me,” Graves snapped.

“Ham and Bree? Turns them into light jokes and seems too simplistic… Plus, I hate seeing Don Draper. [Jon Hamm’s most famous character] do something he probably would never have approved of.”

square space

This futuristic ad with Adam Driver explores the possibilities of the web with website builder Squarespace, but ad experts are divided on whether this ad was one of the most memorable this year.

While Bongioanni said the commercial was “beautifully shot”, Konickx stated that the behind-the-scenes footage posted on YouTube was much more convincing.

“This is real gold,” he said. “It’s a comedic genius and, in my opinion, turned out much better than the main commercial.”

And when you pay $7 million for a 30 second slot, you want your best shots on screen for everyone to see, which means that this can be one very costly mistake.