Sports Biz with Darren Rovell

The 10 Best Super Bowl Ads of All-Time

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The Best Super Bowl Ads of All-Time

Millions of dollars are spent on creating Super Bowl commercials and millions more go to paying for the ad time to air the spots during the game, reaching a one-of-a-kind global audience. For some observers, the commercials are as much fun -- and as important -- as the game itself. Here are my top-ten picks.
Photo: Zephyr Picture | Photolibrary | Getty Images

Millions of dollars are spent on creating Super Bowl commercials and millions more go to paying for the ad time to air the spots during the game, reaching a one-of-a-kind global audience. For some observers, the commercials are as much fun -- and as important -- as the game itself. Here are my top-ten picks.

By Darren Rovell
Updated 27 Jan 2012

10. Budweiser, Clydesdales Playing Football (2003)

Stupid humor is easy to do, high-brow humor, not so much. Having the Clydesdales as football players and the zebra as the referee was an absolute classic.
Photo: Anheuser-Busch

Stupid humor is easy to do, high-brow humor, not so much. Having the Clydesdales as football players and the zebra as the referee was an absolute classic.

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9. Monster.com, When I Grow Up... (1999)

Having kids recite lines like "I want to claw my way up to middle management" and "I want to be paid less for doing the same job" was a very well conceived spot.
Photo: Monster.com

Having kids recite lines like "I want to claw my way up to middle management" and "I want to be paid less for doing the same job" was a very well conceived spot.

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8. McDonalds, The Showdown (1993)

A classic H-O-R-S-E battle between the NBA's biggest stars at the time, Michael Jordan and Larry Bird, playing for a Big Mac.
Photo: McDonald's

A classic H-O-R-S-E battle between the NBA's biggest stars at the time, Michael Jordan and Larry Bird, playing for a Big Mac.

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7. E-Trade, Money Out the Wazoo! (2000)

On a list of greatest Super Bowl commercials, you'll be hard-pressed to find this one, but I loved  it—a man is diagnosed with money coming out of his "wazoo."
Photo: E-Trade

On a list of greatest Super Bowl commercials, you'll be hard-pressed to find this one, but I loved  it—a man is diagnosed with money coming out of his "wazoo."

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6. Pepsi, Security Camera (1996)

Another really clever spot where a Coca-Cola  driver tries to take a Pepsi and a slew of cans fall to the floor. Extra touch—the security camera view.
Photo: Pepsi-Cola Company

Another really clever spot where a Coca-Cola  driver tries to take a Pepsi and a slew of cans fall to the floor. Extra touch—the security camera view.

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5. Tabasco, Mosquito (1998)

A mosquito explodes after sucking the blood of a sweaty guy, who has poured tons of tabasco on his pizza. Not only is it clever, it's the only time in my life I ever wanted to try Tabasco.
Photo: McIlhenny Company

A mosquito explodes after sucking the blood of a sweaty guy, who has poured tons of tabasco on his pizza. Not only is it clever, it's the only time in my life I ever wanted to try Tabasco.

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4. Coca-Cola, Mean Joe Greene (1980)

You all know this one—a kid gives Greene a Coke, Greene chugs it and throws the kid his jersey. We give Greene extra credit for chugging a million cokes, but Coca-Cola later said this spot didn't convince people to buy the product.
Photo: Coca-Cola Company

You all know this one—a kid gives Greene a Coke, Greene chugs it and throws the kid his jersey. We give Greene extra credit for chugging a million cokes, but Coca-Cola later said this spot didn't convince people to buy the product.

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3. Budweiser, Frogs (1995)

Croaking frogs saying "Bud...Weis....Errrrr." This was my junior year of high school and we didn't stop talking about this commercial for months.
Photo: Istock Photo

Croaking frogs saying "Bud...Weis....Errrrr." This was my junior year of high school and we didn't stop talking about this commercial for months.

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2. Apple, 1984 (1984)

This ad probably did more for a product or brand than any other Super Bowl ad ever did. Extra points for almost not even running it.
Photo: AP

This ad probably did more for a product or brand than any other Super Bowl ad ever did. Extra points for almost not even running it.

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1. Reebok, Terry Tate: Office Linebacker (2003)

It's amazing that the shoe and apparel company with the most memorable Super Bowl spot, isn't Nike. It's Reebok, which was smart enough to pick up on this office linebacker short and turn it into  it  own.  I love when Terry says, "Hi, Janice!"

It's amazing that the shoe and apparel company with the most memorable Super Bowl spot, isn't Nike. It's Reebok, which was smart enough to pick up on this office linebacker short and turn it into its own.  I love when Terry says, "Hi, Janice!"

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