Storytellers are the big winners of Super Bowl LX 2026 — whether it was a nostalgic look back at family relationships or a humorous hijack of a beloved mascot. The MarketCast Super Bowl report reveals insights from a Brand Effect survey of 19,000 consumers and provides a clear verdict: ads that gave viewers something to feel won the night.
The Super Bowl report measures six dimensions of ad performance — Breakthrough, Brand Ad Appeal, Ad Memorability, Brand Linkage, Likeability, and Message Linkage — demonstrating which brands drove results.
Most-Liked Super Bowl LX Ads
Source: MarketCast Brand Effect (n=19,000 consumers) · Super Bowl LX norm: 54%
| Rank | Brand | Ad Title | Likeability Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lay’s | Last Harvest | 80%  +26 pts |
| 2 | Dove | The Game is Ours | 79% +25 pts |
| 3 | Budweiser | American Icons | 76% +22 pts |
| 4 | Pepsi | The Choice | 73% +19 pts |
| 5 | Toyota | Superhero Belt | 70% +16 pts |
| 6 | NFL | You Are Special | 67% +13 pts |
| 7 | Universal Orlando Resort | Lil’ Bro | 66% +12 pts |
| 8 | Pringles | Pringleleo | 65% +11 pts |
| 9 | Microsoft | Simplify Data with Copilot in Excel | 64% +10 pts |
| 10 (tie) | State Farm | Stop Livin’ on a Prayer | 63% +9 pts |
| 10 (tie) | T-Mobile | Tell Me Why | 63% +9 pts |
Lay’s Grows Consumers’ Hearts — With an Ad Likeability score of 80% (26 points above norm), Lay’s “Last Harvest” spot follows a father and daughter across generations on a potato farm, with Lay’s chips present but never the focus. The real story is their relationship — he teaches her, she relies on him, and over time, the roles reverse as he retires and hands the farm to her. This ad works because of its emotional resonance with everyone: the passage of time and the changing of roles.
Dove Cleans Up with Message of Empowerment — Dove’s “The Game is Ours” achieves an Ad Likeability score of 79% (25 points above norm) by keeping its brand promise of empowering women. An extension of the brand’s long-running body confidence platform, this spot focuses on young girls in sports. Each team claps along to a driving, percussive soundtrack — building energy and momentum throughout.
Budweiser Soars with Sentimentality and Americana — Budweiser once again brings its classic Clydesdale to the Super Bowl, joined by an eagle in its “American Icons” spot, gaining an Ad Likeability score of 76% (22 points above norm). Much like the Lay’s spot, the cinematography leans into golden light and a nostalgic, timeless feel as the Clydesdale and eagle grow up together. Budweiser does what they’ve always done well: Americana, animals, and emotion.
Pepsi Takes a Humorous Shot at the Competition — Pepsi’s “The Choice” sees an Ad Likeability score of 73% (19 points above norm) by recruiting Coca-Cola’s iconic polar bear, who discovers he’s actually a Pepsi fan. The bear takes a humorous journey of self-discovery and ultimately embraces his new identity. Pepsi succeeds by being bold, self-aware, and genuinely funny with an animal everyone loves.
Toyota Buckles Up with Emotion — Toyota’s “Superhero Belt” wins hearts and achieves an Ad Likeability score of 70% (16 points above norm). The spot follows a grandfather and grandson as they trade roles and each ensures the other is safely buckled in. Like several of this year’s top performers, it drew its power from a universal human experience: the way the roles between caregiver and cared-for shift over a lifetime.
About Ad Likeability
MarketCast Brand Effect determines Ad Likeability by asking viewers who correctly answered both the Ad Memorability and Brand Linkage questions whether they like the ad.
Score More Than Likes. Get the Complete Super Bowl LX Ad Report.
MarketCast’s Super Bowl Ad Report goes deeper, measuring six dimensions of ad performance to give brands a complete picture of how their investment landed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Super Bowl Ads and MarketCast Measurement
Lay’s “Last Harvest” ranked #1 with an Ad Likeability score of 80%, 26 points above the Super Bowl LX norm of 54%, according to MarketCast Brand Effect’s survey of 19,000 consumers.
The Super Bowl LX Ad Likeability benchmark was 54%, based on MarketCast Brand Effect’s survey of 19,000 Super Bowl viewers.
MarketCast Brand Effect determines Ad Likeability by asking viewers who correctly responded to both Ad Memorability and Brand Linkage questions whether they liked the ad. The Super Bowl LX survey included 19,000 consumers.
The top-performing Super Bowl LX ads used three primary strategies: emotional storytelling (Lay’s, Budweiser, Toyota), absurdist humor (Pepsi, Pringles), and humor paired with music (State Farm, T-Mobile).