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ANOTHER SUPER BOWL has ended – meaning millions of Americans have watched dozens of 30-second long ads that companies pay millions to air during the annual football championship.
This year’s ad offering was largely dominated by companies attempting to convince the audience that AI chatbots are the future.
There were also some less dystopian offerings, including a polar bear in therapy, Charli XCX in ‘vibes’ college and the Backstreet Boys singing a rendition of their pop hit I Want it That Way to advertise a mobile network.
Actually, maybe they were all equally dystopian.
Anyway, here’s a look at some of the best/worst ads from this year’s extravaganza.
This clever ad sees a longtime Coca-Cola mascot (a polar bear) deal with a personal crisis after realising he preferred Pepsi to Coke in a blind taste test.
Directed by (and starring) Academy Award–winning filmmaker Taika Waititi, the ad chronicles the bear’s struggle – from denial to therapy to gradual acceptance.
“I think it’s just a vibes thing”.
British popstar Charli XCX features in this ad for soda company Poppi, where a can of the drink turns a dull college lecture into a party with Charli replacing the lecturer.
Actor Rachel Sennott even makes a cameo.
American band the Backstreet Boys have turned their catchy pop hit I Want it That Way into an advertisement for T-mobile network.
“Tell me why it’s America’s best network. Tell me why Netflix included and lots of perks.”
Kind of catchy.
Here's that Ring #SuperBowl commercial: pic.twitter.com/1gAxIJATdz
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) February 9, 2026
Home security company Ring’s ad is being talked about for all the wrong reasons.
The clip showed how the company’s popular doorbell camera smart device can be used to find missing dogs. Ring users can create a search party for the missing pet using every Ring doorbell in the area.
Unsurprisingly, people’s thoughts quickly turned to how this technology could be used for mass surveillance of more than dogs.
“Good will Dunkin’”.
A star studded ensemble appeared in Dunkin’ Donuts take on Good Will Hunting, mixed with a dash of a 90s sitcom.
Jason Alexander, Ted Danson, Matt LeBlanc, Jennifer Aniston and Jaleel White, Jasmine Guy and Alfonso Ribeiro all appeared in the 60 second clip.
BREAKING: The Epstein survivors are releasing this ad on this Super Bowl Sunday to send the message that they will not “move on” from the largest sex trafficking scandal in the world. #standwithsurvivors pic.twitter.com/JehYZa1hGw
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) February 8, 2026
Although not actually a Super Bowl ad, the women who survived deceased paedophile Jeffrey Epstein released this powerful campaign on Super Bowl Sunday appealing for the US authorities to release more Epstein files.
“Stand with us. Tell Attorney General Pam Bondi it’s time for the truth”.
OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, took a relatively straightforward point in its Super Bowl ad for its AI coding system codex.
Using nostalgic clips of technology from a bygone era, the ad showed how scientific progress led to the creation of AI.
This ad for shaving company Manscaped features a chorus of emo hairballs singing a ballad about the times before hair removal.
“Once I danced upon your chest, covered your pecs, I did my best. I was your scruff, your loyal friend, sworn to protect your dimpled chin. But you stabbed me in the back”.
Emotional stuff.
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