Top 10 Best-Performing Super Bowl Commercials of All Time
The best-performing Super Bowl commercials of all time didn't just win awards or generate buzz. They moved product off shelves, added millions in revenue, and transformed entire brands.
Why Best-Performing Super Bowl Commercials Need Revenue Proof
Here's the uncomfortable truth about most "best Super Bowl ads" lists: they rank commercials by entertainment value, not business results. A funny ad that doesn't sell anything isn't a good ad. It's an expensive joke.
According to research from Kantar, the average ROI for a Super Bowl ad is $4.60 for every dollar spent. But that's the average. The spread between winners and losers is massive. In 2024, only 12 of 67 Super Bowl ads qualified as "top performers" by Kantar's standards.
By the Numbers
$8 million per 30-second spot (2025) | 123.7 million viewers (2024) | Only 18% of ads achieve significant brand lift
I've seen this pattern in my work with NJ businesses: the difference between a campaign that generates buzz and one that generates revenue usually comes down to strategic intent. The ads below had both. Let's look at what made them work.
Top 10 Best-Performing Super Bowl Commercials (Ranked by Revenue Impact)
1. Budweiser (Multiple Years) — $96M Additional Revenue
A Stanford Graduate School of Business study by Wesley Hartmann and Daniel Klapper provided the most rigorous analysis of Super Bowl ad ROI ever conducted. Using Nielsen data across 55 media markets and six years of Super Bowls, the researchers found that Budweiser earned an estimated $96 million in additional revenue from its Super Bowl advertising, a 172% return on investment.
The key finding? Budweiser's short-run sales revenue was 15.75% higher per household than competitors. But here's the catch: when two competing brands both advertised (like Coca-Cola and Pepsi), the gains nearly disappeared. Budweiser's exclusive beer advertising rights during the Super Bowl for 20+ years wasn't just tradition. It was a calculated financial advantage.
Revenue data: $96M additional revenue, 172% ROI, effects measurable at weeks 5, 8, 11, 14, and 16 post-game (Stanford GSB)
2. Apple "1984" (Super Bowl XVIII) — $150M in First 100 Days
Directed by Ridley Scott, Apple's dystopian masterpiece for the Macintosh didn't just launch a product. It launched a brand identity that Apple still benefits from four decades later. The ad cost somewhere between $370K and $900K to produce and only aired nationally once during the game.
The results were staggering. Apple generated $150 million in Macintosh sales within the first 100 days after the ad aired, with approximately 72,000 units sold in that period and 372,000 units by year-end. Apple's board had actually tried to cancel the ad before it ran. Steve Jobs personally championed it.
Revenue data: $150M in Macintosh sales within 100 days, 72,000 units sold in first 100 days, 372,000 units by year-end (various sources)
3. Old Spice "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" (2010) — 125% Sales Increase
Old Spice was a dying brand. Associated with grandfathers and discount drugstores, it was being destroyed by Axe, which owned the younger male demographic. Procter & Gamble and Wieden+Kennedy's response was to target the people who actually buy men's body wash: women. Research showed that 60% of men's body wash purchases were made by women.
The Isaiah Mustafa ad debuted during Super Bowl weekend 2010. By May 2010, unit sales were up 60% year-over-year according to Nielsen. By July 2010, sales had increased 125%, an all-time high for the brand. Old Spice went from an afterthought to the #1 men's body wash brand in America, a position it maintains today.
The follow-up "Response" campaign, where Mustafa recorded 180+ personalized video replies, generated 40 million YouTube views in the first week and increased Twitter followers by 2,700%.
Revenue data: +60% sales by month 3, +125% by month 6 (Nielsen), became #1 men's body wash, 2 billion earned media impressions, 76% of category online buzz (Marketing Week)
4. Snickers "You're Not You When You're Hungry" (Super Bowl XLIV, 2010) — 15.9% Global Sales Growth
The Betty White Super Bowl ad didn't just launch a tagline. It launched a global brand platform that's still running 15 years later. Before this campaign, Snickers was targeting a narrow demographic. The "You're Not You When You're Hungry" concept expanded the brand's appeal to virtually everyone.
According to MI Media, global sales increased 15.9% in the first year, and market share grew in 56 of the 58 markets where the campaign ran. That's not just an ad that worked in America. That's a Super Bowl launch that powered global growth. The tagline has since been adapted with celebrities including Elton John, Robin Williams, and Willem Dafoe.
Revenue data: 15.9% global sales increase in year one, market share growth in 56/58 markets (MI Media), topped USA Today Ad Meter
5. Doritos "Crash the Super Bowl" (2006–2016) — 12% First-Year Sales Lift
Doritos didn't just make great Super Bowl ads. They turned their audience into the ad agency. The "Crash the Super Bowl" contest invited consumers to create their own Doritos commercials, with the winner airing during the game. It was user-generated content before that was even a marketing buzzword.
The first campaign in 2007 produced a 12% sales increase in January alone. Over 10 years, the campaign received 36,000+ submissions, and consumer-created ads consistently ranked in USA Today's Ad Meter top 5, topping the list four times. In 2024, Doritos revived the contest with a $1 million prize, and Doritos Dinamita became one of the top-performing brands in that year's Super Bowl advertising.
Revenue data: 12% sales increase (January 2007), topped Ad Meter 4 times over 10 years, 36,000+ submissions over 8 editions
6. Volkswagen "The Force" (Super Bowl XLV, 2011) — Passat Sales Doubled
VW hadn't aired a Super Bowl ad in over a decade. Their agency Deutsch created a 60-second spot featuring a child dressed as Darth Vader trying to use the Force around his house. The team made a controversial decision: release the ad on YouTube four days before the game. By kickoff, it had 17 million views.
The results redefined how Super Bowl advertising works. The ad became the most-shared Super Bowl commercial of all time. More importantly, the 2012 Passat saw sales more than double compared to the previous year, with nearly 23,000 units sold in 2011 alone (the car only went on sale mid-year). VW's U.S. CEO credited the Super Bowl ad with changing the trajectory of the brand in America.
Revenue data: Passat sales more than doubled YoY, 61M+ YouTube views, most-shared Super Bowl ad of all time (The Brand Hopper, TIME)
7. Always #LikeAGirl (Super Bowl XLIX, 2015) — 50%+ Purchase Intent Increase
Always took a completely different approach. Instead of humor or celebrity, the brand tackled a societal issue: the way "like a girl" is used as an insult. The ad showed the stark contrast between how adults and young girls interpret the phrase, creating one of the most emotionally powerful Super Bowl moments in history.
The business results matched the cultural impact. According to Campaign magazine, purchase intent grew by more than 50% after the ad's debut. The spot earned 4.4 billion media impressions and over 1,100 earned-media placements in the first three months. Nearly 70% of women and 60% of men said the video changed their perception of the phrase.
Revenue data: 50%+ increase in purchase intent, 4.4B media impressions, 1,100+ earned-media placements in 3 months (Campaign)
8. GoDaddy (Super Bowl XXXIX, 2005) — 2.5M New Domain Registrations
GoDaddy's controversial first Super Bowl ad was rejected by FOX after one airing, which turned out to be the best thing that could have happened to the brand. The controversy generated massive free publicity, and the results were immediate and measurable.
GoDaddy added 2.5 million domain name registrations in 2005, a direct and trackable metric tied to the campaign. The ad cost $2.4 million (approximately $3.6 million adjusted for inflation). GoDaddy went from a relative unknown to a household name and became one of the most consistent Super Bowl advertisers, returning year after year to build on that initial investment.
Revenue data: 2.5M new domain registrations in 2005, brand awareness jumped from negligible to household-name status
9. E*Trade "Talking Baby" (Super Bowl XLII, 2008) — Six Consecutive Super Bowl Appearances
E*Trade's talking baby ad was deceptively simple: if investing is so easy, even a baby can do it. The campaign resonated so strongly that it spawned six consecutive Super Bowl appearances, a rare achievement that speaks directly to the ROI the brand was seeing.
In the world of online brokerage, where brands live and die by new account openings, the campaign made E*Trade the most recognizable name in retail investing for an entire generation. The baby became a cultural icon, and E*Trade saw significant increases in new accounts and trading activity following each ad. Companies don't keep spending $3–7 million per spot for six straight years unless the numbers justify it.
Revenue data: 6 consecutive Super Bowl appearances (indicating sustained positive ROI), category-defining brand awareness for online trading
10. Coca-Cola "Mean Joe Greene" (Super Bowl XIV, 1979) — The Blueprint for Emotional Selling
Before "1984," before the Budweiser Clydesdales, there was Mean Joe Greene accepting a Coke from a kid in a stadium tunnel. This ad essentially invented the playbook for emotional Super Bowl advertising that every brand on this list borrowed from.
While precise revenue data from 1979 is harder to pin down, the ad's business impact was undeniable. Coca-Cola ran the spot for years after the Super Bowl, it won a Clio Award, and it became the template for how brands use emotional storytelling to create lasting consumer relationships. It's the most frequently referenced and parodied Super Bowl commercial in history. The long-term brand value it created for Coca-Cola is measured in billions, not millions.
Revenue data: Ran for years post-Super Bowl, Clio Award winner, established the emotional advertising framework used by every top-performing Super Bowl ad since
What Revenue-Driving Super Bowl Commercials Have in Common
After analyzing the data, a few clear patterns emerge. The best-performing Super Bowl commercials share specific characteristics that separate them from the expensive entertainment that fills most commercial breaks.
| Factor | Revenue Winners | Expensive Entertainment |
|---|---|---|
| Strategic Intent | Clear business objective tied to product launch or repositioning | Entertainment-first, brand second |
| Audience Insight | Data-driven targeting (Old Spice targeting women buyers) | Broad appeal with no conversion strategy |
| Post-Game Strategy | Multi-channel follow-up and sustained campaign | One-and-done, no follow-through |
| Category Exclusivity | Sole advertiser in category (Budweiser's exclusive beer rights) | Competing directly with category rivals in same broadcast |
I've seen this principle play out in paid advertising campaigns at every budget level: the ads that drive revenue are the ones built on audience research, clear business objectives, and multi-touchpoint follow-up. A $7 million Super Bowl spot and a $700 Google Ads campaign follow the same principles.
Best-Performing Super Bowl Commercials: Lessons for Your Business
You don't need an $8 million ad budget to apply the principles that made these commercials successful. Every one of these revenue-driving campaigns shares lessons that scale down to any budget.
Target the buyer, not the user. Old Spice's decision to target women, who made 60% of purchases, is the single most important strategic insight on this list. In my work with NJ businesses, I've watched audience analytics reveal similar surprises: the person researching HVAC services often isn't the homeowner who pays the bill.
Own your category. The Stanford research on Budweiser is definitive: when you're the only brand in your category reaching that audience, ROI skyrockets. When competitors show up, gains evaporate. This applies to local SEO as well. Dominating your local search results when competitors aren't investing creates the same asymmetric advantage.
Build a platform, not a moment. The Snickers campaign wasn't one ad. It was a global platform that generated 15.9% sales growth across 56 markets. The best advertising builds brand infrastructure that compounds over time, which is why consistent content marketing strategies outperform sporadic campaigns every time.
Measure what matters. Only 13.4% of Super Bowl viewers say ads actually converted them to customers, according to Prosper Insights. The brands on this list succeeded because they measured real revenue impact, not just impressions or buzz. If you can't tie your marketing spend to revenue, you can't optimize it.
The Bottom Line
The best-performing Super Bowl commercials of all time share one trait: they were built to sell, not just entertain. Apple's "1984" moved $150 million in Macs. Old Spice turned a dying brand into the category leader. Budweiser earned 172% ROI, year after year. These weren't lucky breaks. They were strategic decisions backed by audience research, creative bravery, and multi-channel follow-through.
The lesson for any business? Great advertising isn't about the biggest budget. It's about understanding your buyer, owning your message, and measuring what actually drives revenue.
TrueFuture Media: Marketing That Delivers. We help growing businesses build advertising strategies backed by data, not guesswork.
Want Advertising That Actually Drives Revenue?
Let's build a paid media strategy backed by data, audience research, and measurable results. No vanity metrics.
Let's Talk Strategy →Frequently Asked Questions
Last Updated: February 6, 2026