Super Bowl Ad Scoreboard Features Lay’s, NFL, Budweiser and More

System1, The Creative Effectiveness Platform, has revealed which of the Big Game commercials released thus far are consumers’ favourites: Lay’s, the NFL, Budweiser, Doritos and Reese’s are at the top thanks to inspiring narratives, beloved recurring distinctive assets and humour. System1’s Test Your Ad platform tests consumers’ emotional responses throughout an ad, assigning creative a score of 1.0 to 5.9 Stars based on long-term brand-building potential. Ads that make people feel intense, positive emotions like happiness and surprise score high on the scale. Usually only 1% of ads secure a 5-Star score.

Thus far, the early-release ads average 3.7-Stars. In 2024, Super Bowl ads averaged 2.7-Stars, above the 2.3-Star average for all US ads but still predicting ‘modest’ brand-building potential. Since 2020, only six of the Big Game ads have hit the 5-Star level – this year’s work from Lay’s and the NFL, Disney in 2023, Huggies in 2021, and Doritos and Jeep in 2020.

The majority of Super Bowl ads rely on celebrities to entertain. Of the top 10 early leaders, just four ads leverage celebrity spokespersons: the NFL features its athletes alongside children it supports through youth organizations, while Häagen-Dazs, Hellmann’s and Michelob cast Hollywood stars to elicit nostalgia and laughs.

This year’s standouts follow these winning strategies:

1)    Storytelling – Lay’s showcases a heart warming narrative of a young girl planting and growing her own potatoes. The story has a clear beginning, middle and end, with a touch of tension and a happy resolution. Meanwhile, the Dorito’s “Crash the Super Bowl” contest winner tells a short tale about an alien invasion.

2)    Distinctive assets – Brand assets help viewers quickly identify who an ad is for, helping to maximize a multi-million-dollar investment. Some brands use fluent devices (recurring characters and scenarios), like the Budweiser Clydesdales in their 47th Super Bowl appearance, while Reese’s leverages its distinctive, orange-toned background.

3)    Humour – Reese’s once again leans into slapstick humour, Booking.com features the Muppets to showcase its services and Michelob ULTRA puts Catherine O’Hara and Willem Defoe in a fierce pickleball battle with a few other stars.

4)    Cultural references – Hellmann’s gives a playful nod to a famous When Harry Met Sally scene, Instacart references past Super Bowl spots and Häagen-Dazs recreates Fast & Furious with a cool twist.

The top ads are ordered by Star Rating. Ads equal on Star Rating are ordered according to System1’s Spike Rating which predicts short-term sales impact. 1. Lay’s (Highdive), Little Farmer – 5.9-Stars 2. NFL (72andSunny), Somebody | It Takes All of Us – 5.6-Stars 3. Häagen-Dazs (nice&frank), Not So Fast, Not So Furious – 4.7-Stars 4. Budweiser (FCB New York), First Delivery – 4.5-Stars 5. Doritos (Dylan Bradshaw), Abduction – 4.4-Stars 6. Reese’s (Erich & Kallman), Don’t Eat Lava – 4.1-Stars 7. Booking.com (Zulu Alpha Kilo), Get Your Stay Ridiculously Right – 4.1-Stars 8. Hellmann’s (VML), When Sally Met Hellmann’s – 4.1-Stars 9. Instacart (TBWA\Chiat\Day), We’re Here – 4.1-Stars 10. Michelob ULTRA (Wieden+Kennedy), The ULTRA Hustle – 4-Stars

“Lay’s and the NFL have made Super Bowl history – only four other ads have achieved 5-Stars since 2020,” said Jon Evans, chief customer officer, System1. “By leaning into inspirational and heartfelt stories, they’re driving intense, positive emotions among viewers, resulting in exceptional brand-building potential. When investing $8 million in a single spot, it’s essential for ads to make an impact – releasing early is a great approach for building awareness and excitement before game day.” For more information, visit https://system1group.com/test-your-ad.