For those who tune in to the Super Bowl just for the ads, they’re more than entertainment—they’re a snapshot of culture, society, and consumer sentiment. But have they changed? Do today’s ads feel different? And the big question—were they better before?
To find out, we analyzed hundreds of Super Bowl ads from 2012 to 2024 using MarketCast Brand Effect, our industry-leading solution for measuring Ad Breakthrough and Resonance. We focused on one core Brand Effect metric: Likeability—a measure of how much audiences truly enjoyed or disliked an ad.
Super Bowl Ads That Stuck: The Years That Scored Big on Likeability
The Super Bowl ads with the highest likeability mostly aired before 2016. In fact, nine of the top ten ads from the past 12 years debuted between 2012 and 2015, with 2019 as the only outlier.
- 2013 topped the charts for ad likeability, averaging 54%, followed by 2012 at 53%.
- 2014 and 2015 tied at 49% likeability.
- 2017 had the lowest average likeability, at just 38%.
- 2019 stood out as a recent exception, hitting 48% likeability.
The most-loved ads took creative risks—like a cheeky Viagra reference in the 2015 Fiat ad or the Red M&M getting eaten by his girlfriend (yes, really). Leading the pack? Hyundai’s “Team,” a quirky underdog story with The Sandlot vibes.
At the same time, emotionally driven storytelling remained a stronghold. Brands like McDonald’s, Dove, and Microsoft struck a chord with audiences, delivering heartwarming narratives that left a lasting impact.
What Changed, the Audience or the Creative?
Probably both. As political and social climates shifted, brands seemed to play it safer, steering clear of controversy and cultural missteps. Meanwhile, rising Super Bowl ad costs and the influence of social media pushed creative toward feel-good humor, emotional storytelling, and star-studded spectacles.
Today, humor, inspiration, and thought-provoking themes dominate the most-liked ads year after year:
- In 2024, 50% of the most-liked ads were funny/humorous (Dunkin’, M&M’s), 30% were thought-provoking (Dove), and 20% were heartwarming/inspirational (Google).
- Only two of the most likeable ads from 2012-2015 featured celebrities. By 2016, that number had jumped to three out of five—and the trend hasn’t slowed down.
Don’t Worry—There’s Still Plenty of Love for New Super Bowl Ads
Even as average likeability declined over 12 years, recent ads have still won over audiences.
Fans couldn’t get enough of flamin’-hot Cheeto-munching forest animals in 2022, the M&M’s poking fun at “almost champions” in 2024, or how Ben Affleck and the DunKings became a cultural phenomenon (who didn’t want that signature orange tracksuit?). And, of course, who could forget the ads that made us ugly cry, like Google’s “Loretta” in 2020 or The Farmer’s Dog tugging at our heartstrings in 2023?
• From 2020-2024 – the top 5 most liked ads all achieved 60-70% likeability (impressive).
The GOATs of Super Bowl Ad Likeability
These brands have landed in the top 10 most-liked Super Bowl ads multiple times over the years:
The Methodology
MarketCast Brand Effect is a daily survey of more than 19,000 people and has been running continuously for over 20 years. It uses a “natural exposure” methodology, meaning Super Bowl audiences are surveyed the day after the game to recall the ads they saw—whether they watched at home, in a bar, or elsewhere.
Brand Effect measures whether audiences remember the ads, like them, correctly associate them with the right brand, and consider making a purchase as a result.
Maximize Your Super Bowl Advertising Impact
Stay tuned for our post-game roundup of ads that top breakthrough and social conversation. But for a deeper dive, check out MarketCast’s Super Bowl LIX Advertising Performance Report—a comprehensive breakdown of how this year’s ads resonated with audiences.
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