My 9 Fav Commercials of the NFL Season
People watch a lot of TV. Whether you have cable or stream, there’s a battle for attention being fought more viciously than ever before. And with live TV, especially the NFL, that battle becomes an all-out war. Especially as the season’s games start to mean more, and the holiday shopping starts.
Now, commercials aren’t always good. And when you’re watching something you’re really into, they’re the absolute worst. But not for me, I like what commercials say about not only the brands themselves but the larger cultural conversations of the moment. Every commercial break is like a grab-bag snapshot of “where things are” around us, and if you let them play in concert with each other, you start to separate the contenders from the pretenders. The more you watch, the better you’re able to judge who’s really doing a bang-up job, and who needs to do some regrouping for next year.
It’s actually sort of like football in and of itself.
And, so, since I’m criminally addicted to sports, I’ve seen many many commercials this NFL season. Here are some of the best ones:
HONDA | “Unstoppable Dreams” :30
This one is my absolute favorite of the year. I believe the first time I saw it was this summer, maybe? And it’s still on. That’s how good it is. There was unexpected suspense in this one, and once I realized where they were going with it. It's creative as hell, visually striking, and inspiring.
Why it works for football: This poem's grit, confidence, and “play ball” mentality works across ALL areas of life, especially sports.
Publix | “Christmas With Your Loved Ones” :30
Babies and animals are undefeated in commercials. Especially when they’re both in one. Mix that with family and the holidays, and you can cancel Christmas. Well, not really (lol). Publix is known for these spots around this time of year (check out what they did for Thanksgiving last month), and they never seem to miss.
Why it works for football: Because this commercial is absolutely perfect no matter how you slice it.
ULTA | “Find Joy in the Present” :30
You probably won’t find a better combination of music, tagline, and structure during any given commercial break right now. Add that into how well they displayed their variety of products, customers, and the fact that it’s just in time for the holidays and this spot just works. I thought it was charming and effective, to say the least!
Why it works for football: When the game is on, you’re looking at a sea of 20-something-year-old dudes on screen, and when you look up and see a seasoned white woman, it naturally makes you double-take. And double-takes are priceless in advertising.
Also of note, football’s viewership skews heavily male, and this is many of our cues to start shopping for gifts for the women in our lives.
Kroger | “Share Your Food, Share Your Heart” :60
Kroger struck oil with these claymation-style spots a few years ago and hasn’t looked back. Most of those were jovial, light-hearted joints (“Low”,), but this one is a tear-jerker. Similar to Publix (above), they do a great job of these “lifestyle” ads that focus more on how their brand makes you feel than the product details themselves. I could watch them all day long.
Why it works for football: Because part of the pageantry of football is that it gets good right as the holidays are approaching.
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Wing Stop | “Gathering” :15
Super product-focused, while also showcasing the intrinsic values that come with said product. This one hits directly on the variety and good times that come with togetherness. Think about it: it’s a pretty good spot when you don’t have to talk about how good the actual wings are to break through.
Why it works for football: Because when you’re watching a game, commercials are a time to use the bathroom. And hearing an unexpected banger like “Million Dollar Baby” is the only thing besides the game that will make me poke my head out of the bathroom door.
GMC Sierra EV and GMC HUMMER EV | “Crabwalk” :30
Car commercials are a dime-a-dozen during any given commercial break, on any given day of the week, no matter what you’re watching. “Crab walking” isn’t new, and it’s not the first thing you think about in a car, but this time of year, it’s particularly useful, and that’s enough to make a visually striking ad like this. It’s just cool to look at. I wish EYE could crab walk, tbh. WHich means this is a good ad.
Why it works for football: Because car commercials work for football. And this time of year, people are looking to buy cars. a tried-and-true formula that caters almost perfectly to the demographic of people watching it and the time of year they're watching it.
Capital One Quicksilver| “Holiday Night Fever” :30
Who says you can’t recycle last year’s commercial? Not me. But it’s gotta be good if you’re going to, and you’ve gotta have a good reason. Well, it IS good, because John Travolta is good, and the reason? It’s Q4, and consumer spending is as high as hell in Q4. Perfect place for a legacy credit card brand to show up and show out. This one is a keeper.
Why it works for football: It appeals to a wide age range, taps into nostalgia, and gets people excited about the holidays where (you guessed it), they’ll be using their credit card.
Uber Eats | “Football is for Food” :60
Celebrity endorsements aren’t as plug-and-play as they once were. We’re a long way from, say, OJ Simpson’s Hertz commercials, but I’ll tell you one thing: when Matthew McConaughey opens his mouth to ramble on TV, people tend to listen.
Pair that with an amazing “nugget” of an insight like this, and the ad almost writes itself.
Why it works for football: c’mon man. Even Matthew, the only non-athlete in the commercial, is tangentially related to football having patroled the University of Texas’ sidelines for years. Plus, add in the element of 49ers legends past and present, and it works well.
Amazon | “Midnight Opus” :15, :30
Amazon ain’t new to this, they’re true to this. Tugging on our heartstrings whenever it is they feel like it. And here’s the thing...we like it. Interestingly enough, we probably don’t need Amazon commercials to remind us to use the product, so the brand is in a great place already. Why do they go out of their way to make ads then? Because seeing these spots makes us each feel like we’re part of something bigger than ourselves. Simple as that.
Why it works for football: Amazon, just like football, allows people to feel like they are a part of something bigger than themselves.
For Lack of a Wetter Bird, find yourself a favorite commercial of the season and report back to me.