Peggy Olson was just starting to tackle the Super Bowl commercial craze in the penultimate season of Mad Men. And now, over 50 years after Super Bowl II, the “big game” is still the prime programming slot for advertisers, who shell out north of $5 million to capture American eyeballs for 30 seconds, according to Reuters. It’s true that viewership has dipped in recent years. Last year, 98.2 million people tuned in, the lowest ratings in over a decade. But the brands are still cranking out the commercials, and this year’s crop of is a wild medley of moods. From a Doritos dance battle starring Lil Nas X to a Maisie Williams musical number, these ads will take you to some interesting places.
Bill Murray Does Groundhog Day Again, Again, and Again for Jeep
Bill Murray (with a little help from Stephen Tobolowsky and a furry critter) makes the case for why you should buy a Jeep Gladiator.
Avocados From Mexico: Pretty in Green
What’s more tender than an avocado-themed music box adorned with a rotating miniature bowl of guacamole? Perhaps only Molly Ringwald holding said music box as part of a QVC-inspired commercial.
Hyundai: A Wicked Smaht Pahk With Bostonian Stars
Chris Evans, John Krasinski, and Rachel Dratch channel big Boston energy to show off Hyundai’s new parking technology, featuring Red Sox legend David “Big Papi” Ortiz.
Facebook Mystery Launch With Chris Rock
The tech giant recruited Chris Rock to launch … something.
Planters: The Death of Mr. Peanut
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Mr. Peanut reaches sainthood in this Planters ad, featuring Matt Walsh and Wesley Snipes, sparking a controversial #RIPPeanut campaign.
Planters: Baby Nut
Like Jesus himself, in Planters’ subsequent commercial, Mr. Peanut rises from the dead in the form of Baby Nut, an adorable peanut baby that resurrects from the grave of his former adult self. Anyway, who’s hungry?
Kia Makes Us Cry
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Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs serves us Friday Night Lights vibes as he waxes poetic to his younger self about striving to “be someone.”
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend Try to “Zhuzh” Old-Money Folks With Genesis
Chrissy Teigen disses a crowd of stuffy rich people in an attempt to inject some young luxury realness. When the plan goes awry, she hitches a ride with her husband John Legend in a Genesis SUV, on the condition that she addresses him as “sexiest man alive.”
MC Hammer Gets Creative With Cheesy Cheetos Fingers
What happens when MC Hammer eats Cheetos in the midst of a melodic epiphany? Nothing short of musical genius.
Discover Takes Stab at Virality
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Discover Card attempts to strike internet gold with this new ad, splicing together iconic movie, TV, and vlog moments of people saying “yes” to underscore that people do indeed take Discover Card.
Discover Takes Another Stab at Virality
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We get it, Discover doesn’t charge annual fees. The credit card brand mimics the style of their previous commercial to make this very clear.
Doritos: ‘Old Town Road’ Showdown
Lil Nas X and resident cowboy actor Sam Elliott go for a little hoedown throwdown in the Old West. Stakes are high: The winner takes home a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos.
Audi Goes Electric With Maisie Williams
Maisie Williams won’t let the heat of climate change get her down. Instead, she keeps it cool, singing Frozen anthem “Let It Go” in an Audi electric Sportback. It puts La La Land’s traffic-jam musical opening to shame.
Walmart Attempts to Heal National Wound
The corporate retail behemoth highlights American communities set to the tune of Elton John’s “Rocketman.”
WeatherTech Gets Wholesome
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Scout, the “Lucky Dog” from last year’s WeatherTech Super Bowl campaign, plays on our heartstrings as he praises the University of Wisconsin’s veterinary school.
Budweiser Brings Strong Patriotic Flavor
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Budweiser wants to show us that Americans aren’t the worst.
Bud Light Featuring Post Malone
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Bud Light takes us inside of Post Malone’s brain à la Inside Out as he attempts to buy the brand’s hard seltzer.
Bud Light Featuring Post Malone, Part 2
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The Bud Light Post Malone saga continues as he tries the mango seltzer flavor. Watch out, White Claw.
Man Remembers With Google
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An elderly man recruits Google Assistant to keep the memory of his late wife Loretta alive. Grab a tissue, this one almost matches the emotional punch of the Ellie and Carl sequence in Up.
Jimmy Fallon Fuels Workout With Michelob Ultra
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After downing a bottle of Michelob Ultra, Jimmy Fallon runs with a pep in his step, accompanied by motivational music courtesy of the Roots.
Michelob Ultra Pure Gold Goes Organic
Michelob Ultra Pure Gold has an interesting proposition: If you buy a six-pack, the company will convert some farmland to organic standards. Their impact!
Missy Elliot and H.E.R. Remix the Rolling Stones for Pepsi
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“Paint It, Black” gets an update with this Pepsi Zero Sugar ad featuring Missy Elliot and H.E.R.
Microsoft Featuring Katie Sowers
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Katie Sowers, the first female football coach to reach the Super Bowl, clutches a Microsoft Surface Pro 7 as she makes some stuff happen on the field.
Pop-Tarts Gets Sweet and Salty With Jonathan Van Ness
Your favorite Queer Eye star takes snacking from “ho-hum to so yum.”
Reese’s Take 5 and the Power of Office Humor
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Reese’s takes its jokes very literally.
Bryan Cranston and Tracee Ellis Ross Re-create The Shining for Mountain Dew
There are few things more thrilling than watching Bryan Cranston smash through a door while touting sugarless soda. Tracee Ellis Ross has a killer scream, too.
Porsche Is Fast & Furious
Porsche gives us action-packed heist vibes. All it needs is a Teriyaki Boyz soundtrack.
A Snickers Utopia
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Snickers laments the state of things in 2020. No more nondairy milk and corrupt politicians, Snickers is here!
The Rick and Morty Ensemble Is Stuck Stacking Pringle Flavors
Help! The characters of Rick and Morty are trapped in a Pringles commercial. How many flavors will it take?!
Heinz: A Condiment of Comfort
Whether you’re entering extraterrestrial territory or unloading U-Haul boxes into a haunted house, Heinz is that reliable friend, a companion to french fries and frightened families alike.
Olay: Stars Take Us to Outer Space
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Taraji P. Henson, Busy Phillips, and Lilly Singh launch a mission into the stratosphere with some help from NASA astronaut Nicole Scott. Really a dream space squad.
Ellen and Portia Ponder Life Before Amazon Alexa
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After Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi marvel at the convenience of modern technology, this ad plunges into period-piece mode, giving us some amusing, historicized iterations of Alexa.
TurboTax Is Ready for TikTok
Get ready to learn about tax deductions and mobile form uploads to the tune of a catchy, New Orleans bounce–inspired track. Also, everyone does the butterfly dance.
Lots of Love With New York Life
New York Life Insurance gets poetic, defining all the ways to love, according to the Ancient Greeks.
SodaStream Affirms Life on Mars
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In a heroic sequence featuring Bill Nye the Science Guy, we witness the discovery of water on Mars. It’s a marvel, a gem. Too bad a guy named Mark turns it into seltzer.
Little Caesars Featuring Rainn Wilson
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Rainn Wilson takes us inside the headquarters of Sliced Bread, which tries to put up a fight against a more compelling carb.
Dashlane Saves Us From Password Purgatory
For anyone who needs an excuse to power up their cyber security in 2020, the password management platform Dashlane is pretty convincing in this spooky commercial.
Squarespace: Winona in Winona
Winona Ryder returns to her birthplace (and namesake) in this very pure Squarespace commercial. She explains to a curious cop that she is creating a website about the Minnesota city “with pictures on it.” You can even check out the impressive fruits of her labor.
Rocket Mortgage: Jason Momoa Gets Comfortable
When Jason Momoa gets home, he finally gets to take off his muscle suit, peel off his gorgeous wig and kick off his huge heels. Only in a man’s house can he finally be free. As an added bonus, Lisa Bonet is there to spot him on his benchpress.
Tide Pods: Charlie Day Asks, ‘When Is Later?’
In Tide’s multi-commercial runner, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s Charlie Day panics when confronted with the question: when is the right time to treat a stain? After facing the initial quandary, Day encounters the Bud Knight in 1436, Wonder Woman in 1984, you get the picture. One thing’s for sure: no matter what era he’s visiting, those Tide Pods sure look delicious. Wait, no, we mean, look really effective! Forget we said anything!
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.
The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.
Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.
There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.
Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.
But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.
The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”
The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.
Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.
Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.
Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.
Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.
“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”
“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.
Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.
Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.
The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.
Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.
Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.
Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.
Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.
Canada Roster
Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).
Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).
Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).
Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
