According to Nielsen, an audience measurement agency, Super Bowl 59 became the most-watched single-network television program in history. They calculated that 127.7 million viewers tuned into the game, which aired on Fox, Telemundo, Fox Deportes, and streamed for free on Tubi. The Philadelphia Eagles took a commanding victory against the Kansas City Chiefs. The current President of the United States, Donald J. Trump was in attendance, and artist Kendrick Lamar led one of the most widely anticipated Super Bowl halftime shows in history. These weren’t the only attractions to the big game, however. Companies and brands also competed to become the most viral Super Bowl ad. The question remains, which ad stood out the most?

Using USA Today’s ad meter, which had people rate the advertisements before, during, and after the game, we can gauge how well ads shown during the match were received. There were a few standout ad campaigns during the Super Bowl season. This included an advertisement in which condiment maker Heinz leaned into pop culture and collaborated with DJ Mustard. The producer was invited to make his very own flavor of mustard, with a limited number of bottles to be produced.

During the big game, engagement was close, with little more than a 0.2 difference in rating between the top ten commercials. The National Football League took sixth and fifth positions with two campaigns. The first one, ‘I am Somebody’ highlighted the NFL’s commitment to over 50,000 youth organizations across the world. The second ‘Flag 50’ commercial promoted the league’s commitment to making girls’ flag football a varsity sport in all 50 states. Snack time staple Lay’s propelled into second place, with their ‘The Little Farmer’ ad that featured a little girl cultivating a small patch of potatoes. The single potato she harvested would then become a Lay’s Potato chip, showcasing the company’s commitment to buying from local farmers.

However, it was alcohol juggernaut Anheuser-Busch that unquestionably dominated the game. It took three of the top five spots. Their brand Stella Artois clocked in at fourth place, with soccer legend David Beckham teaming up with Matt Damon in ‘David and Dave’ to be long-lost brothers. Alongside this, actor Willem Dafoe and actress Catherine O’Hara partnered up for pickleball action in Michelob Ultra’s advertisement ‘The ULTRA Hustle’ which reached third place. Last but certainly not least was Budweiser, who earned number one on the ad meter with its ‘First Delivery’ advertisement. It showcased a horse that journeyed across mountains and cities to deliver a keg of Budweiser to a bar.