Which Super Bowl Ads Flopped in 2025?
In 2025, the ads that seemed to flop prioritized shock value and celebrity appearances over clear, concise, and effective messaging. These ads along with a few others failed to capitalize on the massive Super Bowl LIX audience to communicate their products’ benefits or unique selling points, instead opting for confusing or off-putting content that ultimately distracted from their brands.
Coffee Mate, “Let’s Go Tongues”
The Coffee Mate ad, for example, drew widespread criticism for its bizarre and unsettling imagery. It featured a man’s tongue leaping out of his mouth and dancing to music after using Coffee Mate’s cold foam. Many viewers found this visual disturbing, describing it as “freaky” and “weird.” The bizarre imagery detracted from the intended message of the ad, leaving the product’s benefits unclear. Instead of showcasing the product in a relatable way, the commercial focused too much on shock value, resulting in a confused and frustrated audience. Speaking for myself, tongues are disgusting and think there are a lot of other ways brands can consider visuals of “dancing tastebuds” if that is what this marketing team was going for.
Mountain Dew, "Kiss from a Lime"
The Mountain Dew ad features singer Seal, with his face on a seal's body, singing a parody of his hit "Kiss from a Rose" about Mountain Dew Baja Blast. Becky G drinks the Dew and is transported to a surreal "Baja Beach" filled with singing seals. Directed by Taika Waititi, the ad aims to be memorable through its bizarre and meme-worthy content, targeting both nostalgic viewers and Gen Z. While memorable, the ad was described as alarming by some viewers including me.
Tubi, “Cowboy Head”
Similarly, Tubi’s commercial failed to resonate with viewers due to its strange and unsettling visuals. The ad depicted people with fleshy, hat-like appendages and a character born with a cowboy-shaped head. The bizarre nature of the commercial led some critics to label it as “good old-fashioned nightmare fuel.” Like the Coffee Mate ad, Tubi’s spot prioritized shocking imagery over a clear message about the streaming service, leaving viewers uncertain about what the ad was actually promoting.
ChatGPT, “The Intelligence Age”
The ChatGPT ad, despite its hefty $14 million price tag, also failed to make an impression. The commercial featured a history of human technological advancements through black-and-white pixelated images but didn’t provide any meaningful information about ChatGPT itself. The ad lacked both substance and creativity, offering little more than a vague sense of the service’s importance. Some viewers even found the attempt to place ChatGPT alongside major historical innovations like the wheel and electricity to be presumptuous, further distancing the brand from potential users.
Zeam, “Jingle”
The Zeam ad, which featured John Stamos, was criticized for its lack of clarity. The commercial failed to explain what Zeam actually is or how it works, leaving viewers confused about the product. Stamos spent the majority of the 30-second spot attempting to create a jingle, wasting precious time that could have been used to provide more context about the service. As a result, the ad fell short of its goal, failing to connect with the audience or clearly convey what was being advertised.
