10 best Super Bowl commercials of all time
The Super Bowl is one of the biggest events in the sports world, but it's also one of the biggest investments a company can make for their brand. Last year, advertisers spent an average of $4 million for 30 seconds worth of airtime - or $133,000 per second - during the Super Bowl XLVIII broadcast.
There have been plenty of memorable Super Bowl commercials over the years, so we dug into the archives and pulled out the 10 best.
10. Monster.com: 'When I Grow Up' (1999)
Monster's 1999 ad features kids talking about what they want to be when they grow up. But instead of listing professions like firefighter, astronaut and athlete, they say they aspire to "climb my way up to middle management" and "be paid less for doing the same job." Depressing, but effective.
9. Reebok: 'Terry Tate - Office Linebacker' (2003)
Imagine yourself getting up from your desk, only to be blindsided by a 250-pound linebacker. Not fun, but funny to watch.
8. Budweiser: 'Respect' (2002)
Sometimes, it's all about timing. Budweiser's "Respect" ad aired just once, but remains one of the most memorable commercials in recent history.
7. E*Trade: 'Monkey' (2000)
E*Trade blew $2 million to have a monkey dance on a bucket for 30 seconds, but they weren't afraid to poke fun at themselves for it either. "Well, we just wasted $2 million bucks," the ad says. "What are you doing with your money?"
6. Volkswagen: 'The Force' (2011)
A young Darth Vader struggles to corral The Force... until he gets a little help from his dad.
5. Pepsi: Cindy Crawford (1992)
Cindy Crawford. Denim cutoffs. Need we say more?
4. Budweiser: 'Frogs' (1995)
Bud, Weis and Er were such a hit that a 1996 study found that children were more familiar with the animated frogs than Smokey the Bear, Tony the Tiger or Saban's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
3. McDonald's: 'The Showdown' (1993)
NBA legends Michael Jordan and Larry Bird play a game of H-O-R-S-E for a Big Mac. Fun fact: Jordan's hideous outfit was from the clothing line he was designing at the time. He was ridiculed continuously for it, but refused to change.
2. Coca-Cola: 'Hey Kid, catch' (1979)
Boy walks into a locker room and hands "Mean" Joe Greene a bottle of Coca-Cola. Suddenly, the meanest man in football turns into a big ol' sweetheart.
1. Apple: '1984' (1984)
Directed by Ridley Scott and inspired by the George Orwell novel of the same name, Apple's "1984" is regarded as one of the greatest commercials of all time.