The Super Bowl 2026 Commercials Did Not Disappoint

It’s no secret that many of the 130 million Super Bowl viewers only tune in for the commercials, and with the cost of a 30-second Super Bowl ad selling for $10 million, the pressure is on brands to bring their A-game and deliver something memorable.

In an effort to maximize the return on an astronomical investment, some brands dropped their spots days or — if you're Budweiser's "American Icons" ad, which features a Clydesdale horse making friends with an American Bald Eagle — weeks ahead of the game. Other brands preferred the element of surprise, keeping their commercials under wraps until the live broadcast.

Early drops included Bradley Cooper, Matthew McConaughey, and Parker Posey for Uber Eats, Sabrina Carpenter for Pringles, Peyton Manning, Post Malone, and Shane Gillis for Bud Light, Backstreet Boys for T-Mobile, and 50 Cent for DoorDash.

One of the best early drops, though, had to be the Coca-Cola polar bear mascot representing Pepsi. The commercial shows the polar bear participating in a blind taste test between the two sodas, ultimately choosing Pepsi as the winner, and actually falling in love with its historical nemesis.

In a brilliant move by Pepsi's marketing team, the Coca-Cola Pepsi polar bear even made its way to Super Bowl Radio Row decked out in Pepsi gear.

When game day finally arrived, so did the big-time spots. What we want to know is how much Dunkin Donuts shelled out for their one-minute sitcom-style ad featuring a whopping NINE celebrity cameos including huge names like Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, and Tom Brady. And can we talk about the two-minute spot by State Farm Insurance featuring Jon Bon Jovi AND KATSEYE?!

Like we said, the Super Bowl 2026 commercials did not disappoint. With fantastic creativity, massive celebrity cameos, and unparalleled hilarity, this year's big game ads will be hard to beat.