The best Superbowl ads of 2019

On Sunday 3 February, the New England Patriots beat the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 in Atlanta, Georgia for the 2019 Super Bowl. While the lowest-scoring Super Bowl in NFL history was unfolding, I was busy flicking between the nine Wikipedia tabs I had open to pages like ‘bootleg’ and ‘wildcat’ in a vain attempt to understand what was going on and, more importantly, to pass the time before the main event – the ads.

In 2018, consultancy group Kantar Media estimated that the cost of a 30-second spot during the game would set advertisers back £3.7 million – if you don’t happen to have a calculator handy, that works out to a little over £135,000 per second.  With such a hefty price tag, massive corporations who air their 30-second commercials during the championship game are all vying for the most memorable and talked-about Super Bowl Sunday advert.

Although the Super Bowl LIII game didn’t quite live up to expectations, Microsoft’s genuinely inspiring commercial certainly did

This year certainly saw an exceptional crop, some of which I found myself watching over and over. One of my favourites – a tear-jerker from Microsoft – promoted the company’s new Xbox Adaptive controller. In a direct and simply executed advert, several young gamers with physical disabilities explain how they struggle to use standard controllers. One of the young boys taking part in Microsoft’s campaign says, “I never thought it was unfair, I just thought, ‘Hey, this is the way it is and it’s not going to change’.” In a truly moving scene which pulls at the heartstrings, the children are then filmed trying out the adaptive video game controller. “I can hit the buttons just as fast as they can,” one girl says when discussing what it is like to play with her friends. Although the Super Bowl LIII game didn’t quite live up to expectations, Microsoft’s genuinely inspiring commercial certainly did.

Budweiser’s Super Bowl ads are often among the most popular. This year, their wind-powered message featuring the Clydesdales and an adorable dog was certainly a winner. The commercial, scored to the 1960s Bob Dylan song ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’, features a dalmatian, enjoying the wind at its snout, sitting on top of an old-fashioned Budweiser wagon that’s being pulled along by a group of horses. As the camera zooms out, numerous wind turbines are revealed, demonstrating the company’s commitment – made in 2018 – to eventually brew 100% of its beer using renewable energy from wind power. The incredibly pricey soundtrack was the perfect background to complement the beautiful imagery. Throw in an incredibly cute dalmatian, complete with ears billowing and jowls flapping, and you get a standout advert.

Bud Light’s fire-breathing dragon and medieval-themed mashup came as a refreshing departure from some of the more run-of-the-mill adverts

Marvel may have branded Avengers: Infinity War “the most ambitious crossover event in history,” but perhaps that title would be better applied to the Bud Light x Game of Thrones ad. Budweiser’s second commercial of the night definitely deserves a brief mention. HBO and Game of Thrones essentially hijacked the brand’s advert to announce its forthcoming final season. Bud Light’s fire-breathing dragon and medieval-themed mashup came not only as a surprise but also a refreshing departure from some of the more run-of-the-mill adverts.

Very possibly the best ad of the night saw Sarah Jessica Parker and Jeff Bridges re-visiting their iconic characters as Carrie Bradshaw and Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski respectively. Sex in the City’s Carrie and The Big Lebowski’s The Dude – resplendent in cardigan and pj pants – order glasses of Stella Artois instead of their signature drinks. A waiter, who has already prepared Carrie her beloved Cosmopolitan cocktail, is so surprised he drops his tray. The restaurant is further plunged into chaos when The Dude declines a White Russian in favour of the Belgian pilsner, declaring: “Well, changing can do a little good.” It was savvy of Stella to appeal to TV shows and films with huge cult followings, and a move which certainly paid off.