(NEXSTAR) – Super Bowl Sunday ended with the Kansas City Chiefs beating the San Francisco 49ers in overtime, but the game isn’t the only thing people are talking about. The commercials are also making a buzz online.
For many viewers, the ads are just as fun to watch as the game itself, as brands rely on humor and celebrity cameos to keep everyone entertained while promoting their products and services.
According to Axios, more than 110 million people were expected to watch the Super Bowl, and with such a large audience tuning in, companies paid top-dollar to capture their attention and stand out in a sea of adverts.
“It costs $7 million to air 30 seconds in the Super Bowl. That’s a lot of money. Brands want to get the most bang for their buck,” Jeanine Poggi, an editor for Ad Age, told the Associated Press.
Some companies released their ads days before the game, while others decided to wait until the big day. Take a look at some of the most-talked about commercials:
Budweiser
Budweiser is bringing back familiar characters to its gameday slot. In the nostalgic ad, a snowstorm threatens to derail a delivery to a small-town bar. But a team of Clydesdales and a Labrador retriever team up to help Budweiser make the delivery.
Bud Light
Bud Light is taking a more playful approach: the beer brand’s genie fulfills some pretty gnarly wishes in its ad — like granting someone ’80s metal hair and giving another person a massive bicep. NFL legend Peyton Manning, rapper Post Malone, and more also appear on screen. Click here to watch Bud Light’s ad on YouTube.
CeraVe
An ad for CeraVe stars none other than Michael Cera. But despite the skincare brand’s name (and actor’s claims), CeraVe moisturizing cream was “Developed with dermatologists. Not Michael Cera.” Click here to watch CeraVe’s ad on YouTube.
Drumstick
For its first-ever Super Bowl ad, the Drumstick ice cream brand is flying high with actor and comedian Eric André. The 40-year-old plays an airline passenger whose stomach starts hurting mid-flight. Thankfully (or not so much), there’s a doctor on the plane named “Dr. Umstick.” While he’s no medical professional, the Drumstick mascot is equipped with lots of ice cream.
Dunkin
“Bennifer” teamed up with Dunkin for a second Super Bowl in a row. In an ad for the Massachusetts-based chain, Ben Affleck enlists Matt Damon, Tom Brady and more to visit Jennifer Lopez at work and give a “DunKings” performance full of Boston pride. Rappers Jack Harlow and Fat Joe also make appearances in the celebrity-filled commercial. Click here to watch Dunkin’s ad on YouTube.
E-Trade
The E-Trade babies are back in action — and this time they’re playing pickleball, which is just “tennis for babies, but for adults,” according to the ad. In the 30-second clip, a pair of trash-talking toddlers face off against two adults in a very brief match. E-Trade baby “spokespersons” have appeared in Super Bowl ads since 2008, though not every consecutive year.
Google’s heartstring-pulling ad follows a blind man as he uses “Guided Frame” to take pictures of the people and places in his life. The AI-powered accessibility feature for the Pixel camera uses a combination of audio cues, high-contrast animations and tactile vibrations to snap photos.
Hellmann’s
In an ad for Hellmann’s, Kate McKinnon makes an unusual discovery: her cat can talk. Well, sort of. Her furry friend can say one word, “may-ow” — which skyrockets her to celebrity status and causes a mayonnaise-buying frenzy. The “Mayo Cat” becomes so famous that she even dates (and soon dumps) Pete Davidson. Click here to watch Hellman’s ad on YouTube.
Mountain Dew Baja Blast
Aubrey Plaza reunites with her “Parks and Recreation” co-star Nick Offerman in a commercial for Mountain Dew Baja Blast. The ad pokes fun at Plaza’s often deadpan demeanor. She’s described as “always having a blast,” whether she is stuck in an elevator or being abducted by aliens.
Nerds
Nerds candy is also making its Super Bowl debut this year, with an ad that pays homage to the 1983 movie “Flashdance.” During the commercial, a gigantic Nerds gummy hits the stage and does choreography from the film. Singer and social media star Addison Rae also makes a cameo.
Oreo
According to Oreo, the key to making life’s biggest decisions is to “twist on it.” An ad for the iconic sandwich cookie suggests that even Kris Jenner used the tactic before agreeing to start “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” back in 2007. Click here to watch Oreo’s ad on YouTube.
Reese’s
Pure chaos erupts in Reese’s Super Bowl ad when the narrator announces the brand is making a “big change” to its iconic peanut butter cup. The silly commercial features six friends who gathered to watch the game. After hearing the announcement, the group overreacts, with one person breaking a table and another jumping out of a window.
Starry
PepsiCo’s year-old lemon-lime soda’s debut Super Bowl ad features rapper Ice Spice dealing with a breakup by spending time with the Starry lemon and lime spokescharacters — the message: “It’s time to see other sodas.”
Uber Eats
When someone tells Jennifer Aniston they didn’t know you could order a wide variety of products on Uber Eats, Aniston tells them, “In order to remember something, you’ve got to forget something else.” This prompts a wave of forgetting: David and Victoria Beckham forget Victoria used to be Posh Spice, and Jennifer Aniston forgets she starred in “Friends” with David Schwimmer. Click here to watch Uber Eats’ Super Bowl ad on YouTube.
The Associated Press’ Mae Anderson and Wyatte Granthan-Philips contributed to this story.