February 5, 2012 07:05 PM PDT

Super Bowl Commercials: The Best and Worst!

by Team TVLine

Get More: News, Video

Darth Vader? Check. Creepy babies? Check. Cute puppies swimming? Check. Movie trailers? Check. Regis Philbin? Check.
Super Bowl XLVI is history, but the Monday morning quarterbacking over the real main event — the commercials — is only just beginning.
Herewith are TVLine’s choices for the four best and two worst spots during NBC’s four-hour footballpalooza.
Peruse our picks and then vote for your favorites in the poll below!

BEST | Best Buy — The Trailblazers

So that’s what the creator of Instragram looks like! Cool.

BEST | Chevy — Surviving the Apocalypse

The best End of Days-themed car commercial featuring Barry Manilow music ever.

BEST | Chrysler — Halftime in America

Dirty Harry’s love letter to Detroit was simple, quiet and powerful.

BEST | Bud Light — Rescue Dogs

Cute animal commercial with a twist: It comes with an awesome message!

WORST | Coca-Cola — The Polar Bears

Been there, seen them a million times before.

WORST | Bud Light Platinum — Factory

The official drink for tools.

Tags: Super Bowl, Super Bowl XLVI

Comments (72)

The Avengers trailer was the best thing about it. The action looks awesome, the classic Whedon dialogue is all there and sounds so good coming from Robert Downey Jr. Worth sitting up just to watch that, that film is going to be incredible.
Comment by Vanessa – February 5, 2012 07:09 PM PDT Reply To This Post
- Seriously. I have seen 0 of the movies featuring these superheroes but because this movie is shaping up to be pure Whedon gold I will be there to see The Avengers.
  Comment by Ari – February 5, 2012 08:01 PM PDT Reply To This Post
  - You should see them before you see The Avengers, otherwise you’ll be totally lost.
    Comment by Snapy – February 5, 2012 08:44 PM PDT Reply To This Post
- The commercial where the dog kills and buries the cat was beyond disgusting!! Animal cruelty also occurs when one animal is allowed to kill another one. Doritos should be fined for this outrage!
  There are more than one million more cat owners in the USA than dog owners; why are we not seeing commercials where they are alive and being smart and cute? Or is it the pervasive Neanderthal mentality that’s only being considered here?
  Comment by Universal Constance – February 6, 2012 12:47 PM PDT Reply To This Post
  - Can the crazy lady with too many cats please climb down from the scratching post? Your rant is giving animal lovers a bad name. Besides, everyone knows it takes at least 4 cats to equal the worst dog. Woof!
    Comment by Lukos58 – February 6, 2012 05:16 PM PDT Reply To This Post
    - I hear the next Doritos ad features feesing a dog ground up glass ! You ought to LOVE that!! What a riot!
      Comment by mo – February 7, 2012 04:15 AM PDT Reply To This Post
      - “feesing” a dog? Is that something you do with your cat on a lonely Saturday night, mo? Don’t worry….I won’t tell PETA, but I think that’s illegal in at least 45 states.
        Comment by Lukos58 – February 7, 2012 04:46 PM PDT
I loved the Polar Bears. Thought those spots were sweet and I lived the retro feel of them!
Comment by Rose – February 5, 2012 07:10 PM PDT Reply To This Post
It wasn’t a Pug in the Sketchers commercial. It was a French Bulldog. My pugs are insulted that you would confuse them with Frenchies.
Comment by TW – February 5, 2012 07:10 PM PDT Reply To This Post
- I was so happy to see greyhounds in the commercial. These dogs need more help after their racing careers than they get. They are the most low-key, loyal, funny dogs you could ever own. Thank you Sketchers for including them, even though they were the butt of the joke. If you had put a greyhound adoption website up in this commercial I would buy your brand from here on.
  Comment by Sandi – February 6, 2012 09:41 AM PDT Reply To This Post
I liked the M&M’s commercial with Brown and Red. It was cute.
Comment by Lynn – February 5, 2012 07:10 PM PDT Reply To This Post
Really? Best Buy?
Really?
Is your site sponsored by Best Buy?
The commercials this year were, um, lacking. But Best Buy was no where near the best. No Where.
Re-watch tomorrow.
Best Buy. Really???
Come on TVLINE
Comment by Dana – February 5, 2012 07:12 PM PDT Reply To This Post
- Could not agree more. I find that the very best ones were ones with animals. And the drunk guy on the Doritos commercial. And John Stamos.
  A lot of them were BORING as all heck…
  Very disappointed.
  Comment by Sara – February 5, 2012 07:16 PM PDT Reply To This Post
- I agree. How dare Best Buy compare themselves to the great minds of technology.
  Also, Cadillac with Dirty Harry? I think the Big 3 need to be reminded that they ABANDONED Detroit for cheaper labor and parts in Mexico and China. It wasn’t the economy, but it was certainly the start of the off-shore trend that destroyed Detroit and the US. Yes Dirty Harry, a Toyota is made in the US with US Steal, US workers, and US suppliers!! How much US is in that imported domestic?
  Comment by Phil – February 6, 2012 06:31 AM PDT Reply To This Post
Should movie trailers really be counted as regular commercials?
Comment by Jon – February 5, 2012 07:12 PM PDT Reply To This Post
- I was thinking that, too! It almost seems like an unfair advantage because they’ve already spent the money on the content and effects. These ads are just creative editing.
  Comment by Amanda – February 6, 2012 04:11 AM PDT Reply To This Post
My one of my 3 faves didn’t even make your list. The Voice with Betty White… OMG. Made me snort my Diet Dr. Pepper.
Comment by InvisibleWoman – February 5, 2012 07:13 PM PDT Reply To This Post
Not listed but the winning commercial was The Voice with Betty White. How can Betty White NOT be listed????
Comment by Melissa S. – February 5, 2012 07:13 PM PDT Reply To This Post
- LOVED the awesome Voice ad! Definitely my favorite this year – they really got that Tarrentino “Kill Bill” feeling. Very cinematic, and I loved the cameo with Betty White.
  Comment by Trent – February 5, 2012 11:04 PM PDT Reply To This Post
- It’s Betty’s world and we just live in it. All power to the Betty!
  Comment by Lukos58 – February 6, 2012 05:19 PM PDT Reply To This Post
Maybe I’m the only one who gets the disappointing irony that a commercial asking to help rescue dogs is about a dog who has been trained – presumably by the abusing owner that the dog was rescued from prior to the new guy – to fetch beer for people on command.
Comment by Tucker – February 5, 2012 07:14 PM PDT Reply To This Post
- This was EXACTLY my problem with it. It was pretty awful IMO
  Comment by Tay – February 5, 2012 08:41 PM PDT Reply To This Post
- Training can be a rewarding experience for dog and owner if done properly. Therefore, don’t assume all trained dogs were abused.
  Comment by Pam – February 6, 2012 08:32 AM PDT Reply To This Post
- Yes, because the poor dog couldn’t have been the companion to a dying old man who’s last years were made easier and happier by the little doggie who could fetch his slippers and beer and sit in his lap getting his ears scratched. No, must be a mean old human who abused the poor widdle puppy into becoming his slave. So much easier to be negative about a cute situation, ain’t it? Are you by any chance related to the crazy cat lady who posted earlier?
  Comment by Lukos58 – February 6, 2012 05:24 PM PDT Reply To This Post
Best: chevy/Mayan; Volvo/overweight dog; David Beckham, Matthew Broderick / Honda; The Voice/Betty White; Avengers
Worst: everything else
Lame year for commercials
Comment by Candice – February 5, 2012 07:15 PM PDT Reply To This Post
What? The Coke Polar Bears was one of the best of the night!
Comment by DryedMangoez – February 5, 2012 07:15 PM PDT Reply To This Post
FYI -the dog in the Skechers spot is a French bulldog, not a pug. The only spot that made me laugh out loud. Monkeys, talking baby, retreads by Pepsi+Coke+M&Ms, trailers for terrible-looking movies… pretty sad crop overall.
Comment by Grey_LV – February 5, 2012 07:15 PM PDT Reply To This Post
Vanessa Williams is the brown M&M? Could’ve sworn it was Bebe Neuwirth.
Comment by Jon – February 5, 2012 07:15 PM PDT Reply To This Post
Mr Quiggley was a French Bulldog NOT a pug
Comment by mdb – February 5, 2012 07:15 PM PDT Reply To This Post
The Dog Strikes Back VW commercial was the best one.
Comment by LOL – February 5, 2012 07:15 PM PDT Reply To This Post
ETA:
Also Best: Clint / Detroit and the brown M&M
Comment by Candice – February 5, 2012 07:19 PM PDT Reply To This Post
- Wasn’t that a subliminal ad for Obama’s re-election?
  Comment by Jones – February 6, 2012 09:39 AM PDT Reply To This Post
  - No. Clint is a known Republican.
    Comment by JohnDoe – February 6, 2012 02:13 PM PDT Reply To This Post
I think it was Vanessa W
Comment by Candice – February 5, 2012 07:20 PM PDT Reply To This Post
Clint Eastwood. Half time in America. The end.
Comment by Sg.Grant – February 5, 2012 07:23 PM PDT Reply To This Post
- Yup. Everything else sucked. Probably the worst year for commercials I’ve ever seen.
  Comment by JohnDoe – February 5, 2012 07:30 PM PDT Reply To This Post
- Cadillac with Dirty Harry? I think the Big 3 need to be reminded that they ABANDONED Detroit for cheaper labor and parts in Mexico and China. It wasn’t the economy, but it was certainly the start of the off-shore trend that destroyed Detroit and the US. Yes Dirty Harry, a Toyota is made in the US with US Steal, US workers, and US suppliers!! How much US is in that imported domestic?
  Comment by Phil – February 6, 2012 06:34 AM PDT Reply To This Post
  - It wasn’t a Cadillac ad, Phil. It was a Chrysler ad. You must have missed that while you were climbing on your soapbox.
    Comment by Kate – February 6, 2012 12:22 PM PDT Reply To This Post
- I love that commercial! LOVE! Best of the year!
  I will actually be looking for it when I scan the rest of the with my TiVo. It was that awesome.
  Comment by Ariel – February 6, 2012 09:44 AM PDT Reply To This Post
What about the Doritos commercial with the slingshot baby?! It was hysterical. I couldn’t stop laughing.
Comment by Brian – February 5, 2012 07:33 PM PDT Reply To This Post
I am utterly ashamed that you chose the Chevy 2012 ad as one of your “best”. That was tawdry, tasteless, and it lowered the bar so that one of the ones you picked as the “worst” (the Coca-Cola polar bears) could actually seem BETTER in comparison.
Comment by BJ Wanlund – February 5, 2012 07:39 PM PDT Reply To This Post
- Which Chevy ad are you talking about? The one where only those in a silverado survived?
  The Twinkies were the best part, wonder if Hostess pitched in for the 7 million time slot?
  Comment by kathy – February 5, 2012 09:48 PM PDT Reply To This Post
  - That’s the one!
    Comment by BJ Wanlund – February 6, 2012 02:19 PM PDT Reply To This Post
- Agreed. The Chevy ad was one of the worst.
  Comment by maggie – February 5, 2012 10:47 PM PDT Reply To This Post
- Which part so greatly offended you? That they slammed Ford? Or that Armageddon didn’t include the Christian God unleashing his heavenly hosts to lay waste to the remaining humans after he allows the rest to be killed? Or that it featured those heathen Mayan being right?
  Comment by Lukos58 – February 6, 2012 05:39 PM PDT Reply To This Post
Definitely the rescue dog, at least that is doing some good on top of trying to sell a product. If I drank beer, I’d make an effort to drink it.
Comment by Val – February 5, 2012 07:44 PM PDT Reply To This Post
Ditto. Just the right ad for the young.
Comment by Dennis – February 5, 2012 07:49 PM PDT Reply To This Post
The best out of all of the was the voice
Comment by james – February 5, 2012 07:51 PM PDT Reply To This Post
This commercial was well written and filmed by someone who really knows how to sell a product several ways with one advertisement. I was very impressed by how the product was the main focus and the Humane Society was the endearing product. My hat is off to the real genius of this ad.
Comment by Dennis – February 5, 2012 07:58 PM PDT Reply To This Post
I have seen at least 50% of these commercials before. What’s the point of having a special Superbowl commercial if you are going to release it online or at the movies? I saw the Coca Cola polar bear one and the Chevy one at the movies this morning.
Comment by Ari – February 5, 2012 08:02 PM PDT Reply To This Post
My favorite part was on before the super bowl when all the NBC show did the brotherhood of men it was amazing loved it its crazy how good Amy poehler from parks and rec can sing!
Comment by DOT – February 5, 2012 08:24 PM PDT Reply To This Post
did people not get the polar bear ads? one was a Giants fan(red/blue scarf) and one was Patriots(blue/silver scarf) fan and it was like they where really following along with the guy they would each get mad at different times when their team stunk it up…I thought they where great
Comment by ggny – February 5, 2012 08:24 PM PDT Reply To This Post
It seemed like kind of a…limp year in terms of commercials. I’m not sure there’s going to be a lot of positive water cooler buzz. – John
Comment by John Grose – February 5, 2012 08:40 PM PDT Reply To This Post
The Audi/Vampire Party commercial topped my list. How could you not enjoy destroying vampires? #solongvampires LOL.
Comment by donna – February 5, 2012 08:59 PM PDT Reply To This Post
Picking the best out of this group would be damning with faint praise.
Comment by Tim – February 5, 2012 09:30 PM PDT Reply To This Post
1. Honda’s Ferris Buehler 2012
the best of the rest:
1. VW’s Star Wars fat dog and vader/cantina
rest of the best of the rest:
Audi’s vamps party -poof- (complete with absurd twlight scamper up trees, just like, err real bats??)
Sketcher’s french bulldog
Doritos – bad dog bribes over cat
Acura NSX with Seinfeld and flying squirrel Leno
oh and lasts but oh so not leasts, the ones with Adriana Lima….
Teleflora and Kia (the latter which you left off the list!!)
(samsung/iphone was good but then it went on too long, and it’s already been seen for weeks and they have terrible customer and warranty service)
Comment by me – February 5, 2012 09:31 PM PDT Reply To This Post
Everyone that I was watching the game agreed; this year’s and for the last few years, the commercials haven’t been all that great. The vampire one was amusing, VW Dog, cute and when they are released on the web ahead of time, it’s not that “new”. Whomever is being employed at the ad agencies that came up with these need to find new employment.
Comment by kathy – February 5, 2012 09:52 PM PDT Reply To This Post
Acura NSX commercial with Seinfeld and Leno was definitely my favorite. Loved it.
Comment by Mark – February 5, 2012 09:52 PM PDT Reply To This Post
I’ll never get sick of seeing the Coke Polar Bears. Where’s your sense of nostalgia?
Comment by Justin – February 5, 2012 10:47 PM PDT Reply To This Post
- Me either.
  Comment by Renee – February 6, 2012 05:37 AM PDT Reply To This Post
I totally agree! The Voice commercial with Betty White was awesome and made me laugh!
Another commercial that was hilarious was the one with the monkeys. The guy smelling the toothbrush, PRICELESS!!!
Comment by Manola – February 6, 2012 12:34 AM PDT Reply To This Post
My personal take:
Worst: Peeing in pool (Taxact) Just grossed me out. Kids don’t do that in real life please.
Best: America’s halftime with Clint! Too bad he’s not running for POTUS!
Runners up I liked:
Seinfeld
Matthew Broderick
Samsung Galaxy Note (because I want one sooo bad.)
The Voice with Betty White
Guilty pleasure: Beckham – H.O.T.!
Comment by kirads09 – February 6, 2012 03:23 AM PDT Reply To This Post
While it wasn’t the funniest, edgiest, buzziest, etc. the Samsung Note commercial was the best. From a pure marketing standpoint, it announced its product, trashed its competitors subtly, and created a perfect entry point to its target market. The Bueller commercial, for instance, did a better job promoting nostalgia than the product. Had I not seen it already, I would have forgotten that the product was a CRV.
Comment by Marc – February 6, 2012 04:59 AM PDT Reply To This Post
beckham. that is all haha!
Comment by lauren – February 6, 2012 07:12 AM PDT Reply To This Post
Halftime in America was a great spot – it wasn’t so clear what was being advertised except Clint. The Doritos – buried cat commerical and the vampire commercial struck funny bones.
Comment by p59w – February 6, 2012 07:34 AM PDT Reply To This Post
My favorite was the Ferris Bueller one.
Comment by Pam – February 6, 2012 08:33 AM PDT Reply To This Post
Off your list I liked the Chevy 2012 commercial and the rescue dog, but they weren’t my favorites.
My favorites were the M&M’s and the dog gets rid of the cat Doritios. I also liked the E trade baby, the vampires, and the fat dog commercials.
Some of the rest of them were ok, but most of them were just meh.
Comment by Nicole – February 6, 2012 09:10 AM PDT Reply To This Post
Worst one that I saw (I didn’t watch most of them): the kid peeing in the pool. First, gross! Second, it was impossible until the last few seconds of the ad to tell what was being advertised. I thought maybe the product was toilet paper, wipes, or underwear. When I found out it was TaxAct, my immediate thought was that I never want to use TaxAct again because I was so icked out. Horrible commercial. Major ewwwww.
Comment by Rebecca – February 6, 2012 09:21 AM PDT Reply To This Post
I loved the Audi vampire commercial, Ferris Buehler, Jerry Seinfeld, the slingshot baby, the dog strikes back, and the eTrade baby (Speed dating!). I am tired of the Coca-Cola bears; retire them!
Comment by Doris – February 6, 2012 10:06 AM PDT Reply To This Post
How did Chevy get away with dissing Ford in their Apocalypse commercial?
My favorite was the M&M dancing naked to I’m Sexy and I Know It, and the one where the dog buries the cat and bribes the guy with Doritos.
Comment by Amber – February 6, 2012 12:25 PM PDT Reply To This Post
I liked the dream car one from KIA :p
Comment by Erin – February 6, 2012 04:03 PM PDT Reply To This Post
My favorite commercial was not listed here, as it was the promo for all the NBC shows with the musical number from How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Great to see Community get a bit of a shout-out. And they got more screen time than stupid Whitney and Chelsea, hehe. My least favorite commercial was that d*mn Doritos commercial. It was pretty dark. I don’t especially find violence against any species of animal to be humorous or tolerable. And my freaking psychopathic nephew celebrated that commercial by laughing and kicking one of the family pets after he saw it and then laughed some more. So thanks for supporting that kind of behavior, Doritos.
Comment by Amber – February 6, 2012 05:13 PM PDT Reply To This Post