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10 Best Super Bowl 2025 Ads—and How to Steal Their Marketing Genius
Last modified: February 11, 2025
The Super Bowl is more than just a football game—it’s the biggest advertising stage on the planet. Brands drop millions (over $7 million for 30 seconds, to be exact) to create commercials that people actually want to watch. And while most Shopify store owners don’t have Super Bowl-sized budgets, the good news is: you don’t need one.
The best Super Bowl ads follow timeless marketing principles—humor, emotion, nostalgia, and storytelling. You can use these same tactics to grab attention, boost sales, and build your brand without spending millions.
Here’s a highlight reel of 10 Super Bowl 2025 commercials and how you can replicate their success for less.
1. Hellmann’s – “When Sally Met Hellmann’s”
The Ad:
Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal reunite at Katz’s Delicatessen, recreating their When Harry Met Sally diner scene—with a twist. This time, they’re passionately discussing sandwiches (and mayo) instead of romance.
Why It Worked:
- Nostalgia hits hard. People love seeing their favorite movie moments come back to life.
- Humor keeps it lighthearted and shareable.
- The product feels seamlessly integrated into the storyline.
How You Can Do It:
- Tap into nostalgia. If you sell retro-inspired fashion, vintage home goods, or anything with history, highlight the cultural references that make people sentimental.
- Use humor in your content. Don’t be afraid to be playful in your ads, product descriptions, and social media posts.
2. Uber Eats – “Secret Sharing”
The Ad:
Pop star Charli XCX and home guru Martha Stewart exchange “secrets” in a playful promo for Uber Eats’ expanded grocery delivery service.
Why It Worked:
- Unexpected celebrity pairings grab attention.
- The dialogue is short, snappy, and TikTok-friendly.
- It subtly reinforces Uber Eats’ expanded offerings.
How You Can Do It:
- Do an unexpected collab. Partner with another small business in your niche (or outside of it) for a joint product or promotion.
- Make your content TikTok-worthy. Keep it quick, witty, and easily shareable.
3. Pringles – “The Call of The Moustaches”
The Ad:
Nick Offerman, Andy Reid, and James Harden go on a wild adventure after realizing they all have the same mustache as the Pringles logo.
Why It Worked:
- Brand consistency. Pringles has leaned into its mustache branding for years, and this reinforced it in a fun way.
- Humor + star power. People love seeing celebrities play into their own public image.
How You Can Do It:
- Own your brand identity. Whether it’s a signature logo, color scheme, or catchphrase—make it memorable and use it often.
- Use humor to reinforce your branding. Is there a fun quirk about your business? Lean into it!
4. Dunkin’ – “DunKings Sequel”
The Ad:
Ben Affleck returns as the self-appointed “DunKing,” now joined by Jeremy Strong and Kevin Smith, leading an over-the-top Dunkin’ fan club.
Why It Worked:
- Building on a successful campaign. Dunkin’ took last year’s viral Super Bowl ad and made it even bigger.
- Inside jokes and community-building. Fans love brands that make them feel part of something bigger.
How You Can Do It:
- If something works, build on it. If a product launch, ad, or post resonates, keep going with that energy.
- Create a community around your brand. Make inside jokes, name your customers, or launch a VIP club.
5. Reese’s – “Yes! Yes! Yes!”
The Ad:
Reese’s announces a new peanut butter cup innovation while people overreact dramatically, in soap opera-style slow motion.
Why It Worked:
- The absurdity is instantly shareable. Over-the-top humor makes people want to send it to friends.
- Clear product focus. They made sure you left the ad knowing exactly what they were selling.
How You Can Do It:
- Lean into drama for fun. If you’re launching a new product, make it feel like a BIG DEAL.
- Make your key message clear. What’s your “Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup” moment? Make sure people remember it.
6. M&M’s – “The Heist”
The Ad:
A high-stakes action sequence where characters pull off a “heist” to grab the last bag of M&M’s.
Why It Worked:
- Action-packed storytelling kept people hooked.
- It emphasized the product’s value. If something is worth “stealing,” it must be good.
How You Can Do It:
- Make your product feel exclusive. Use limited drops and scarcity tactics to build demand.
- Use storytelling in your marketing. Don’t just post “New product available.” Instead, tell a story around why people need it.
7. CeraVe – “Michael CeraVe”
The Ad:
Michael Cera playfully claims that CeraVe is named after him. The ad never confirms or denies it, fueling social media debates.
Why It Worked:
- It turned into a viral conversation. People were genuinely Googling if it was true.
- It made people laugh—and talk.
How You Can Do It:
- Create mystery in your marketing. Try a fun, slightly ambiguous campaign to get people curious.
- Lean into internet humor. Memes and irony work really well right now.
8. BMW – “The Future is Timeless”
The Ad:
A futuristic BMW ad featuring David Beckham, showing how classic style never goes out of fashion.
Why It Worked:
- It tied innovation with nostalgia.
- It made luxury feel accessible.
How You Can Do It:
- Frame your product as timeless. Why will people still love your product in 5, 10, 20 years?
- If you sell a premium product, make it aspirational. Show people why it’s worth it.
9. Squarespace: “Barry Keoghan and a Donkey”
- The Ad: Squarespace continued its tradition of quirky storytelling by featuring Barry Keoghan wandering the Irish coast with a donkey, struggling to launch a website. Chaos (and hilarity) ensued.
- Public Reaction: Fans of The Banshees of Inisherin loved the callback to Keoghan’s Irish roots, and the ad’s humor made Squarespace feel approachable and fun.
- How You Can Do It for Less:
- Use humor in your ads to make your brand more relatable.
- Showcase a simple, clear message about what your product does.
- Create engaging, shareable content that plays on cultural references.
10. Taco Bell: “Doja Cat’s Drive-Thru Takeover”
- The Ad: Doja Cat appeared in a Taco Bell ad photobombing unsuspecting customers trying out their “Live Más Drive-Thru Cams.”
- Public Reaction: The unexpected, chaotic energy fit Doja Cat’s personality perfectly and got people talking about Taco Bell’s new tech feature.
- How You Can Do It for Less:
- Incorporate real customer reactions into your marketing.
- Partner with influencers or micro-creators for viral-style content.
- Make your promotions interactive to encourage audience participation.
The Biggest Lesson? You Don’t Need Millions—You Need Meaning
Super Bowl ads don’t go viral because of their budgets. They go viral because they make people feel something.
They make us laugh, cry, or get so hyped that we suddenly need a Michelob Ultra or a Taco Bell run.
As a Shopify store owner, you don’t need Hollywood-level production or celebrity cameos to create that kind of connection.
You just need authenticity, creativity, and a deep understanding of your audience.
You can make people laugh like Pringles did—by embracing weird, memorable branding.
You can stir up nostalgia like Instacart—by tying your products to shared cultural memories.
You can even create unexpected partnerships like Stella Artois—by collaborating with creators or influencers your audience wouldn’t expect.
At the end of the day, Super Bowl marketing isn’t about who has the biggest budget. It’s about who tells the best story. And in 2025, that’s something every Shopify business—no matter how small—has the power to do.