Every February, a lot of our team at ON Advertising watches the Super Bowl, whether from the privacy of our own homes or at a neighborhood bar that’s renowned for its buffalo wings. The game is whatever; we mostly care about the ads. Some of us even watch Super Bowl ads like film critics watch Oscar bait, our faces glued to the screens, our minds calculating how and why they made the creative choices they did.
2026 did not disappoint. There were a lot of great ads, including one directed by Oscar-nominated Greek auteur Yorgos Lanthimos starring Emma Stone as herself for Squarespace, Andy Samberg as a Neil Diamond impersonator named Meal Diamond squirting Hellman’s mayo all over Elle Fanning’s meal, and one involving Matthew McConaughey harassing Bradley Cooper about how everything is based on food for Uber Eats.
But here are our Top 6 favorites and why these Super Bowl ads worked so well.
At ON Advertising, we always say the best Super Bowl ads do three things. They entertain, they clearly deliver the brand benefit, and they give people something worth talking about by the water cooler on Monday morning. The six below nailed all three.
Our Favorite Super Bowl Ads and Why They Worked
6. Grubhub
“Eat the Fees”
This spot opens inside what looks like a fancy European castle dinner party. Guests are dressed like a mashup of Amadeus and Austin Powers. A butler dramatically reveals a silver platter filled with one horrifying entrée: fees.
The room collectively recoils. Nobody wants to eat the fees. Saying “eat the fees?!” over and over becomes the running joke. Then George Clooney appears to save the day by announcing Grubhub will eat the fees instead.
It’s simple. It’s absurd. It’s memorable.
From an advertising perspective, this is a masterclass in turning a consumer benefit into a repeatable catchphrase. The message is clear in five seconds. No hidden meaning. No confusion. That clarity is exactly what we preach at ON Advertising when we help brands translate complicated value props into something people actually remember.
5. Rippling
“The Mastermind ft. Tim Robinson”
Rippling leaned heavily into the weird in the best possible way.
Tim Robinson plays a cartoonishly evil CEO who wants to unleash a supernatural red rock baby named Baby Breck on the city because everyone has been rude to him. His board calmly explains that Baby Breck cannot be deployed because he has not been onboarded, and Finance has not approved the harness.
It’s absurdist to be sure, but still accessible enough for everyone.
The closing line reminds us not to let bad software ruin our plans. Whether you are a normal executive or a comic book villain, you still need systems that work.
This is one of those Super Bowl ads that stands out because it takes a B2B style message and makes it entertaining without losing clarity. At ON Advertising, we love it when brands trust audiences to handle something slightly offbeat. Memorable always beats safe.
4. Rocket
“America Needs Neighbors Like You”
Out of all the heartfelt Super Bowl ads this year, this one hit the hardest.
The spot follows two girls from different backgrounds moving into the same neighborhood. Both are dealing with big life changes. One is leaving friends behind. The other is navigating her parents’ divorce. Through a series of small, awkward neighborly moments, they eventually find connection in each other.
Lady Gaga’s reimagined version of “Will You Be My Neighbor?” carries the entire narrative. It becomes the emotional thread that ties every vignette together.
The ad shows neighbors hesitating to reach out, then slowly realizing that letting people in is not a weakness. It’s a necessity. The message is that homeownership is not just about property. It is about belonging and choosing to care about the people next door.
Few Super Bowl ads tackle themes this personal, especially topics like divorce or loneliness, which makes the storytelling feel honest rather than manufactured.
It is a powerful reminder that the world only works when we all act like neighbors and have each other’s backs. And from a strategy standpoint, it proves that emotional storytelling still cuts through the noise.
3. Levi’s
“Backstory”
Levi’s delivered what many brands promise but rarely achieve. The product was the star in every single frame.
The tone is bold, stylish, and confident without feeling forced. There are nods to Bruce Springsteen and Woody from Toy Story. The fit, the movement, and the attitude of wearing Levi’s are baked into the storytelling rather than tacked on at the end. The denim is the hero throughout.
Among this year’s Super Bowl ads, this one stands out because it actually sells the product while still being cool enough that people would willingly watch it again. That balance is harder than it looks, and it is something we focus on daily at ON Advertising when helping brands stay culturally tuned in without losing their core message.
2. Instacart
“For Papa!”
The funniest of the Super Bowl ads this year goes to Instacart.
Ben Stiller and Benson Boone play pop star brothers performing a song about remembering to order bananas. The joke escalates as Stiller’s twin keeps trying to prove his commitment by jumping off increasingly dangerous parts of the set, injuring himself each time.
It’s classic slapstick. It works for every age group.
The humor is simple, but the brand message is strong. Instacart is dependable and never quits. Just like the duo in the ad, the service keeps showing up no matter what.
At ON Advertising, we always remind clients that simple humor often travels further than complicated jokes. This is proof.
1. Xfinity
“Jurassic Park”
This was the event of the night.
The concept is brilliant in its simplicity. If Jurassic Park had Xfinity high-speed internet, the systems never would have failed, the dinosaurs would not have escaped, and everyone would have been safe.
Yes, that would have made for a terrible movie. But it makes for a fantastic commercial.
Bringing back Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum taps directly into millennial nostalgia while delivering a clear benefit. Reliable connectivity prevents chaos.
Of all the Super Bowl ads, this one nails what we call the “one sentence pitch.” If you can explain the entire idea in a single breath, you’re onto something.
What These Super Bowl Ads Teach Brands
Looking across these Super Bowl ads, a few patterns stand out. The best spots had a clear message, a strong emotional or comedic hook, and a reason for the audience to talk about them the next day.
That is the same philosophy we bring to every campaign at ON Advertising. Whether it is a national broadcast moment or a regional Arizona launch, the goal is always the same. Make it memorable. Make it clear. Make it worth sharing.
Because great Super Bowl ads are not just expensive. They are strategic, bold, and built to stick in people’s heads long after the winning touchdown.
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