By Isabel Mattern
Every year, the Super Bowl isn’t just about football—it’s about the commercials. Brands pull out all the stops, spending millions for just 30 seconds of airtime, knowing that this is one of the only times people want to watch ads. It’s a rare moment where marketing becomes entertainment, with companies using humor, nostalgia and celebrity cameos to make their mark. This year, a few ads stood out to me not just because they were creative but because they had me and my friends genuinely reacting—whether that was laughing until we cried, screaming at the TV or watching in disbelief at how well-timed a commercial could be.
Mountain Dew’s “Kiss from a Lime”
Mountain Dew absolutely crushed it this year with their ad featuring Seal—yes, the Seal—singing “Kiss from a Lime” on Baja Beach. It starts off simple enough, with Seal (the singer) performing a dramatic version of his famous song. But then, in a moment of pure, absurd brilliance, he literally transforms into a seal. When I say my friends and I lost it, I mean we were CRYING laughing. Something about the dead-serious delivery combined with the ridiculous visual of Seal-as-a-seal belting out the lyrics made this an instant classic.
What makes this ad so unique is how it plays on nostalgia while being completely unexpected. Mountain Dew has always had a playful brand personality, but this took it to a new level. The absurdity combined with the perfect execution made it one of the most memorable ads of the night. Plus, using a song everyone knows but putting a bizarre twist on it? Genius.
Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch” Teaser
I have never seen a group of people go through so many emotions in 30 seconds. The ad starts with what looks like a typical Super Bowl moment—a random cat loose on the field. Naturally, we all started yelling, “Look at the cat! How did a cat get on the field?” But then, before we could even process it, the “cat” hijacked a cart and drove it straight into the goalpost. That’s when we all realized—IT’S STITCH. There was actual screaming involved.
Disney knew exactly what they were doing with this teaser. They played into the chaos and humor that made Lilo & Stitch such a beloved movie in the first place. Instead of just showing clips from the film, they gave Stitch a moment of pure mayhem that felt right at home during the Super Bowl. Perfect. This was an ad that not only hyped up the live-action remake but also tapped into that deep-rooted nostalgia we all have for the original.
Angel Soft’s “Potty-tunity”
Angel Soft may have had the most strategic ad placement of the night. Right before the halftime show, my roommate was literally sprinting to the bathroom when, at that exact moment, the Angel Soft commercial came on. We all just looked at each other like—they knew.
The ad featured their new mascot, Angel, addressing the audience directly, letting them know that now is the perfect time to take a “potty-tunity.” It was hilariously self-aware, acknowledging that no one wants to miss game time (or worse, the halftime show), so they should take their bathroom break right now. The humor was subtle but effective; honestly, it felt like a public service announcement. Well played, Angel Soft.
Final Thoughts
Super Bowl commercials are more than just ads—they’re cultural moments. Whether they make you laugh until you cry, scream at the TV or run to the bathroom at the perfect time, the best ones stick with you long after the game ends. This year, Mountain Dew, Disney and Angel Soft delivered some of the most memorable ads of the night, and I already can’t wait to see what next year’s Super Bowl brings.
Isabel Mattern is a senior majoring in Journalism Strategic Communications and minoring in Marketing and can be found on LinkedIn here.