Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez star in Dunkin’s for this year’s Super Bowl, with Affleck breaking into a choreographed song – much to his wife’s dismay.
The spot opens on J.Lo recording a track in her studio, when Affleck suddenly busts in with his entourage in tow.
‘Here comes the Boston massacre!’ he shouts. Accompanying him are Tom Brady on keyboard and Matt Damon on vocals.
The group, aptly named ‘The DunKings,’ pulls out all the stops in a desperate bid to make it on J.Lo’s album, but she is not impressed. As the men trudge off, she calls out to Brady, letting him know he can stay.
‘Chill. They’re naming a drink after us,’ Affleck tells Damon as the duo walk away, feeling the sting of rejection.
As millions tune in for the Super Bowl each year, brands are also vying for attention. Companies have forked out close to $7 million a piece for a 30-second spot in the hope of capitalizing on the buzz.
Other notable figures making an appearance include Beyoncé, who blasts off to outer space in a Verizon ad; and Arnold Schwarzenegger, who struggles to pronounce State Farm’s tagline before Danny DeVito jumps in to save the day.
Here is a roundup of this year’s standouts.
Dunkin’
Affleck performs as part of a musical ensemble aptly named ‘The DunKings’
In the donut chain’s star-studded Super Bowl spot, Ben Affleck, Tom Brady and Matt Damon crash Jennifer Lopez’s recording session.
‘What up, Bronx?’ Affleck shouts as he enters the studio, clad in a blinged-out jacket.
He performs awkward choreography as his wife looks on, stunned. At the end, she whispers: ‘We talked about this,’ and Affleck looks dismayed.
As he and Damon head out, Lopez tells Brady – who’s manning the keyboard – that he can stay.
Affleck has aligned closely with the brand and was even spotted handing out food at two locations in Massachusetts as part of a separate ad campaign.
Verizon
Upon receiving news that she ‘broke the Internet again’ with her newest musical number, Beyoncé is challenged to break the speed of Verizon’s 5G Internet.
‘Beyoncé broke the Internet, but can she break Verizon?’ the ad asks.
Bey opens a lemonade stand – a nod to her 2016 studio album of the same name – and while it sends people flocking, the pop sensation is told that she is ‘not even close.’
After several other attempts, the advert ends with her blasting off in a spaceship, seeking to become the first woman to perform in space – only to fall short once again.
State Farm
Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger reunite in a State Farm ad styled after an action movie. The duo previously co-starred in the 1988 blockbuster ‘Twins’ and 1994 comedy ‘Junior.’
The running gag comes as Schwarzenegger struggles to pronounce the insurance company’s tagline.
‘I’m hearing ‘neighba?’ It’s ‘neighbor,” a producer tells the former California governor.
‘That’s what I said. Neighba,’ Schwarzenegger deadpans.
He tries again and again, with DeVito ultimately showing up to cut him off and save the day.
STōK Cold Brew Coffee
Wrexham A.F.C. features in an ad for STōK Cold Brew Coffee, also starring Welsh actor Sir Anthony Hopkins.
After gearing himself up with a pep talk, Hopkins dons a Wrex the Dragon costume, the football club’s mascot.
‘Now hear me roar!’ Hopkins shouts before popping on a giant red dragon head and running along the field as the crowd erupts in cheers.
Languishing in the locker room after his performance, Hopkins says: ‘Ironically it is the cold brew that births the fire-breathing dragon,’ before taking a refreshing sip of the beverage.
It is revealed that the drink is the team’s official sponsor.
Squarespace
Squarespace called on Martin Scorsese and his daughter Francesca for their Super Bowl spot.
The ad plays heavily on their 57-year age gap, with the famed director telling his daughter he’s trying to make a ‘really, really short film. Like 30 seconds’ about a website.
This prompts Francesca to teach her father how websites work, starting with domains, before pulling up the website-building platform.
The filmmaker criticizes Francesca’s choice of fonts before they settle on one that earns his approval.
‘This website slaps, kid, doesn’t it?’ Scorsese wisecracks, much to the embarrassment of his daughter.
‘I really regret ever teaching you that,’ she says.
NYX Cosmetics
Cardi B stars in a two-part ad for NYX Cosmetics to tease the company’s Duck Plump lip-gloss, which promises to make lips bigger with the help of ginger extract.
‘That’s suspicious,’ the rapper remarks, a callback to her viral meme. ‘That’s weird.’
In the ‘Big Game Version’ of the ad, Bardi applies the product and dances seductively, calling on viewers to ‘feel the plumping power.’
She is flanked by dancers wearing duck costumes.
Paramount+
Patrick Stewart climbs a ‘mountain of entertainment’ with other Paramount characters
Paramount Plus recruited English acting legend Sir Patrick Stewart for its Super Bowl spot, where he stars alongside a hodgepodge of characters from the network’s franchises.
Stewart joins Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Drew Barrymore as the trio embark on a trip up ‘Paramount Mountain,’ with the star athlete quipping: ‘If it were a football, I’d be able to reach the top.’
‘How about a football-shaped head?’ Stewart asks before turning to the titular character from the animated series ‘Hey Arnold!’
A debate about the morality of throwing a child ensues before Stewart reveals he is wearing a football uniform. He lobs Arnold through the air – only for the animated character to faceplant into the side of the mountain.
The network promises ‘a mountain of entertainment’ through its streaming platform.
BMW
Christopher Walken stars in the BMW ‘Talkin like Walken’ ad, playing himself as he meets a series of celebrities who all try to imitate him.
The Queens native grows increasingly frustrated as barbers, waiters and drive-thru workers attempt to nail his distinctive New York accent.
A notable face is Usher, this year’s halftime performer.
‘Don’t you got somewhere to be?’ Walken asks – a nod to his big night.
The ad closes with the tagline: ‘There’s only one Christopher Walken. And only one ultimate driving machine.’
Booking.com
Tina Fey stars in this Booking.com ad as she hires a series of body doubles to try out as many different destinations on the site as she can.
Jane Krakowski and Glenn Close step in to ride horses on her behalf and shop for her on Rodeo Drive.
The final line punches the message home: ‘With so many choices, you can book whoever you want to be.’
Bud Light
Bud Light’s advert stars a ‘Bud Light Genie’ who can make your dreams of being ‘filthy rich’ or having an ‘epic night out with your favorite celebs’ come true.
NFL legend Peyton Manning and rapper Post Malone feature in the party scenes.
The lighthearted advert is the beermaker’s attempt to recoup favor and sales after a disastrous campaign last year with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
Bud Light was accused of alienating its traditional customer base by partnering with Mulvaney, which prompted many conservatives to boycott the brand.
Budweiser
Anheuser-Busch also splashed out an estimated $14 million on a 60-second slot to advertise Budweiser this year in an attempt to recoup sales after last year’s disaster.
The ad opens with a galloping herd and bold white text reading: ‘The Clydesdales are back.’
The beloved horses feature prominently in the ad, which chronicles a snowstorm threatening to derail a delivery to a small town bar.
A Labrador Retriever guides the horses to save the day and help Budweiser make the delivery, much to the delight of the townsfolk.
Doritos
Two grandmothers engage in a car chase with ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ actor Danny Ramirez, who has swiped the last pack of Doritos from a store shelf.
They pursue him on their mobility scooters before ziplining to kick him to the floor and take back the chips.
Just when they think the chips them all to themselves, Wednesday star Jenny Ortega reappears to politely take the bag from their hands.
Dove
Dove has put out one of the adverts targeting the expected surge in young women watching the Super Bowl linked to Taylor Swift.
The ad begins with the song ‘It’s the Hard Knock Life’ accompanying clips of girls having mishaps while playing sports.
Then a young girl is seen examining herself in the mirror to push home the message: poor body image leads to girls quitting sports, not the slip-ups.
Dove’s long-running body positivity campaign launched in 2004, aiming to build confidence among women and young children.
DoorDash
DoorDash has taken an unusual approach with its Super Bowl ad by running a sweepstakes.
It is offering one viewer the chance to win everything advertised by other companies during the game, including the BMW, Doritos and even Mayonnaise.
It encourages viewers to ‘Visit doordash-all-the-ads.com for a chance to win it all from football’s biggest event’ and use the promo code on the day for a chance to win.
Etsy
Americans use the new Etsy ‘gift mode’ to decide what to give the French
Online marketplace Etsy is advertising its new ‘gift mode,’ which helps shoppers find gifts for friends and loved ones.
In the ad, Americans try to work out what to give France to thank them for the Statue of Liberty.
They consult Etsy and in the end settle on a giant cheese board, which is received with delight.
Google aimed to pull on viewers’ heartstrings with its ad following a blind man as he uses the new ‘Guided Frame’.
Guided Frame is a new accessibility feature which uses sounds, animations and vibrations to help them take photos and capture moments in their life.
The advert shows blind director Adam Morse get help capturing photos of his dog and dinner and take selfies.
‘Capture life, no matter how you experience it,’ it reads, aiming to capture the experiences of differently-abled people.
Hellmann’s
In the Hellmann’s ad, Kate McKinnon discovers her cat can talk.
But it can only say one word, ‘May-ow’.
The ‘may-ow’ cat rockets her to fame and causes a mayo-buying frenzy, with the Saturday Night Live star proceeding to date and then dump Pete Davison.
The ad is far from McKinnon’s first time working with felines.
She starred in an SNL skit alongside Billie Eilish in December, with the duo playing two elderly women putting cats up for adoption.
Michelob Ultra
Lionel Messi has appeared in a Super Bowl advert for the first time ever to show off his soccer skills and tout his loyalty to Michelob Ultra.
In the ad, Messi walks into a beach bar and then plays football on the sand.
He gets an assist from NFL star Dan Marino and even a nod from actor-comedian Jason Sudeikis.
Mountain Dew
Aubrey Plaza puts the drink brand’s tagline ‘having a blast’ to the test in this advert.
In her well-known deadpan delivery, Plaza shares how drinking a Mountain Dew can liven up any situation.
She goes to a pool party, busts a move at a disco and even flies on a dragon with her ‘Parks and Recreation’ co-star Nick Offerman.
M&M’s
M&Ms indulged in a star-studded advert where the chocolate company shows off its new ring, promising to gift to the runners-up of the Super Bowl.
With help from ‘almost champions’ Dan Marino, Terrell Owens and Bruce Smith, the chocolatiers say they have transformed peanut butter M&Ms into diamonds.
Scarlett Johansson even makes a guest appearance.
Oreo
Oreo’s ad imagines people through history using an Oreo to make difficult decisions.
They twist the Oreo and then if the frosting is on the right side, they make one choice, and if it is on the left they make another, like flipping a coin.
Kris Jenner uses the technique in the early 2000s to decide if her family should appear in a new reality show.
Popeyes
Comedian Ken Jeong wakes up from a cryogenic freeze to try the world’s best chicken wing
Fast food chain Popeyes splashed out on a 60-second spot featuring actor and comedian Ken Jeong.
In the ad, Jeong has been cryogenically frozen for 52 years to live until the invention of the best chicken wing.
When he awakes he discovers the Popeyes chicken wing as well as driverless cars, drones and massage chairs.
Pringles
A gas station clerk points out that Chris Pratt with a moustache looks like the Pringles man.
She shares a photo of him online and he goes viral.
‘What happens when Chris Pratt grows a stache and suddenly looks like Mr. P?’ the ad asks. ‘Well, the world can’t unsee it.’
Starry
Pepsi-Co’s new-ish drink Starry makes its Super Bowl debut with this ad featuring Ice Spice grappling with a break-up.
Rap’s newest darling grabs drinks with animated lemon and lime characters at a bar.
‘This Starry is mad good!’ she says before both of them kiss her on the cheek.
Suddenly the rapper is approached by her ex, who can’t handle the rejection and erupts in a fountain of carbonated fizz.
The tagline: ‘It’s time to see other sodas.’
T-Mobile
Jason Momoa is welcomed to the neighborhood by Zach Braff and Donald Faison
Jason Momoa showed off his singing skills in a T-Mobile advert, teaming up with ‘Scrubs’ costars Zach Braff and Donald Faison.
Braff and Faison welcome the actor to their neighborhood with a song and dance.
The ‘Aquaman’ star sings, does a flip, gets doused with water and crosses paths with ‘Flashdance’ movie actress Jennifer Beals, who makes a surprise cameo.
Uber Eats
In one of the most celebrity-packed Super Bowl ads of the year, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer and David and Victoria Beckham play themselves for Uber Eats.
The advert plays out the premise that to remember what Uber Eats delivers you have to forget something else and ‘make a little room in your brain.’
Jennifer Aniston forgets who David Schwimmer is while Victoria Beckham forgets the name of the Spice Girls.