Super Bowl Ads 2021: Hits + Misses

OK, so the game itself wasn’t exactly one for the ages. But Super Bowl LV, which took place over the weekend in Tampa, still delivered in the most important way: the commercials. Brands pulled out all the stops this year, bringing onboard big-name celebs and burning through big-time budgets. Some of this year’s Super Bowl ads were hits. Others were misses. Some were just plain weird. 

Squarespace: 5 to 9

On the surface, Squarespace's Dolly Parton-starring “5 to 9” commercial (remaking Dolly’s classic “9 to 5”) seemed like an ode to the extra hours of scrappy entrepreneurs. But it rang a bit inauthentic at first listen. The spot felt like it fell a few years too late on pandemic-exhausted ears. In 2021, the luxury of time, self-care, and the call to enjoy hobbies rather than monetize them have gained momentum. – Kiara

Oatly: Wow No Cow

“Wow No Cow” is still stuck in my head. No celeb cameo. No huge production. Just Oatly's CEO singing. The unabashed quirkiness of this spot was the best call to action and undoubtedly prompted a lot of Googling of Who; What and Why? – Mel

Reddit: The Five-Second Spot

Reddit’s five second spot ("the shortest Super Bowl commercial in history") really intrigued me. It was obviously too short to read the whole post as it aired, which was likely intentional. But it sparked a lot of conversation online — maybe even more than a “normal” Super Bowl commercial. I was super impressed that they pulled it off just a week and a half removed from the GameStop drama. – Connor

UberEats: The Return of Wayne and Garth

The blast from the past no one wanted? OK, maybe there’s a little 1990s nostalgia for Wayne’s World, the SNL sketch (and short-lived film franchise) starring Mike Myers and Dana Carvey. But this one from UberEats, also featuring Card B., fell flat for me. Instead of joyous and funny, it was just kind of depressing, like a band getting back together that should’ve just left it alone. – Tyler