Super Bowl commercials: Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny, Budweiser, Old Spice and David Beckham half naked… best ads from over the years

WITH over 100 million viewers in America, the Super Bowl is one of the biggest dates in the US calendar.

And where there’s such a huge audience, there’s an opportunity for advertisers to grow brands and appeal to the masses.

Minnesota Vikings

Budweiser

But a commercial during the Super Bowl doesn’t come cheap and executives try their utmost to make them catchy, memorable and creative.

The first AFL-NFL Championship Game 51 years ago cost $42,000 for a 30-second advert.

In recent years, the price has risen to a whopping $5million and this year’s broadcasters NBC are expected to start at the same amount.

You can watch the NFL playoffs on Now TV with prices starting at £6.99 for a Sports Pass. Or you can catch all the action on NFL Gamepass.

And it usually means paying a lot more in production costs and A-list talent to make the most of their 30 seconds in the spotlight.

The Space Jam movie, guess what, four years before that was released, Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny initially teamed up in a Super Bowl advert.

M&M

Nike

Carls Jr

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Anyone remember the “Whassup?” advert while “watching the game, having a Bud”, that too started out as a Super Bowl commercial.

Here are some of the best from over the years…

Nike and Air Jordan with Bugs Bunny (1992 and 1993)

Budweiser ‘Whassup?’ (2000)

Old Spice’s steamy commercial (2010)

Budweiser’s founder on his journey to America (2017)

Doritos, a flying pig and a jetpack (2015)

Victoria’s Secret Angels playing American football (2015)

David Beckham for H&M (2014)

Kate Upton for Carl’s Jr (2012)