Top Six Best Super Bowl 2024 Commercials

Two kinds of people watch the Super Bowl: those who watch the game hoping to see their team win and the rest who are there for the commercials. As one of the most-watched events on American television, businesses and studios pay millions of dollars for ad time. Then, they end up trending on YouTube for the next few days. Legends have been born from Super Bowl ads, from the Bud Light Knight to Kid Vader. And while this year had some abysmal examples like “He Gets Us” and RFK’s unwanted campaign ad, there were still some decent ads.

I’m R.J. Writing Ink, and here are my picks for the six best commercials for Super Bowl 2024. However, this will not include any trailers. Those belong on their own, separate lists, or get their own article. Sorry, Deadpool and Wolverine, but your time will come.

“Mr. T in Skechers,” Skechers

Contrary to what some believe, there’s no “T” in the name “Skechers.” Just don’t let Mr. T hear you say that, as the man in this ad learns. Incensed by this notion, The “A-Team” member barges into the man’s house wearing slip-on Skechers. The rest of the ad has him using his famous catchphrase while showing off how easy the Skechers are to put on.

Mr. T is an absolute legend thanks to his roles as B.A. Baracus and Clubber Lang. Thus, most ads that include him are good, thanks to his bombastic personality. In addition, I was intrigued by the product he was promoting. Those sneakers look like a wise investment for someone who dislikes tying shoelaces.

“An American Love Story”, Volkswagen

With 2024 marking 75 years since the first Volkswagen arrived in the U.S., they’d want to celebrate it with a Super Bowl ad. Beginning in 1949 with the first Beetle coming off the boat in New York, “An American Love Story” follows the famous car model as it goes from being a fresh-faced newcomer to an American icon. Interspersed with snippets of Volkswagen through the ages and various cultural references, the entire ad culminates in a preview of their next model, set to come out later this year. 

Even if I weren’t interested in retro automobiles, this ad would still resonate. Volkswagen is iconic, from the vans used by hippies to Disney’s Herbie to the “The Force/Kid Vader” Super Bowl ad in 2011, considered one of the best ads ever made. This commercial included all of them, making it a love letter to the brand. Not bad for a company that had its roots in Nazi Germany. Look it up.

“Couch Potato Farms”-PlutoTV

For better or for worse, the term “couch potato” is a part of the American vocabulary. However, I don’t think anyone expected this ad from PlutoTV to take the term literally. The ad was initially set up to look like a wholesome ad about American Farmers. However, it dives right into parody territory when it’s revealed about people in potato costumes watching PlutoTV. Literal couch potatoes are being grown in America.

I couldn’t help but laugh at this. Generations of Americans have been raised on T.V., hence the term “couch potatoes.” However, the fact that this ad takes that notion literally is incredibly accurate. As a couch potato myself, I approve of this message.

“Can’t B Broken”- Verizon

What do you get when you combine the power of a 5G Internet connection with the star power of Beyoncé? A win-win situation for everyone. After Tony Hale tells the famous singer she’s broken the Internet yet again, but not Verizon’s 5G network, Beyoncé makes it her mission to do just that. From starting a lemonade stand to performing in space, she tries everything but can never entirely break Verizon. At the same time, it can never hurt her, either.

This commercial is a win for both Beyoncé and Verizon. Besides the publicity she’s getting (and hundreds of thousands of new followers on Instagram), this commercial also helped to promote her upcoming album, Renaissance Act II. Verizon shows off how reliable its 5G network is, even managing the hype Beyoncé creates. That, and seeing Beyoncé do all these crazy things, is fun to watch.

Despicable Me 4 – Minion Intelligence (Big Game Spot)- Illumination

You thought this was another commercial promoting how great A.I. is for creativity, but it was them, the Minions! To promote the upcoming Despicable Me 4, Illumination has the Minions using A.I. for the silliest and most trivial things. The whole time, the voiceover talks about the future being in good hands with A.I.

Besides showing the Minions at their silliest, this Super Bowl ad serves a purpose. A.I. can be a powerful tool to improve the world, but uncreative people like the Minions can also waste it. The end result is something that requires little effort and, thus, little artistic soul. Ironically, one of the Super Bowl ads was mocked for seemingly being made by A.I., only proving their point. 

“Hail Patrick”,- Paramount +

In 2021, Paramount started the ad campaign for their new streaming service, Paramount+, at the Super Bowl. It’s only fitting that they continue that campaign with another Super Bowl commercial. This time, a group of characters is trying to scale a cliff in their way, with Patrick Stewart proposing they throw someone to the top. The next thing you know, he’s kicking Arnold from Hey Arnold! into the air while Creed plays their hit song “Higher” in the background. It doesn’t end well.

Even though they released it online a few weeks earlier, this commercial is still one of the best for Super Bowl 2024. Seeing the legendary Patrick Stewart dress in old-fashioned football gear and improvising the lyrics to “Higher” is incredible. Seeing most of the group think his plan is a great idea? Hilarious. The fact that Arnold finally lives up to his nickname of “Football head?” It’s epic, even if it doesn’t end well. Hopefully, Helga Pataki never sees this, or she’ll be on a warpath.