Super Bowl Shocker: Forget the Final Score, Adweek's Top Picks Will Make You Rethink Everything (Seahawks & Bad Bunny Excluded!)

The Curtain Closes: A Look Beyond the Game's Outcome

The confetti has settled, the on-field celebrations have faded, and Super Bowl LIX is officially etched into the annals of football history. While the final score determined one set of champions, for a significant portion of the global audience, the real competition concluded minutes before—and after—the final whistle: the battle for cultural dominance fought in 60-second increments. As the television lights dimmed on the stadium, the true verdict of the evening was being tabulated not by referees, but by advertising critics and cultural analysts who viewed the spectacle through a different lens.

This pivot from pigskin to pixels is customary, yet this year felt particularly sharp. @Adweek, sharing their crucial analysis on Feb 11, 2026 · 6:47 PM UTC, made it clear: the game’s outcome was secondary. The focus immediately shifted to the multi-million dollar gambles that graced the broadcast. Our interest lies in deciphering which brands successfully navigated the high-stakes pressure cooker, crafting messages that resonated long after the commercials broke for the next quarter.

The Adweek Panel: Our Official Jury for Commercial Excellence

To separate the fleeting from the truly foundational, @Adweek assembled a quartet of seasoned advertising minds. This wasn't a popularity contest decided by instant social media trends; it was a deliberate dissection of craft. The panel tasked with awarding the unofficial advertising MVP crown consisted of Zoe Ruderman, Alison Weissbrot, Ryan Joe, and Rebecca Stewart.

Their criteria were rigorous, designed to reward substance over mere shock value. They prioritized creativity that felt fresh in a sea of familiar tropes, impact that registered beyond the initial viewing, and most importantly, cultural resonance—the ability of the message to embed itself into the mainstream conversation organically. These critics understood that a Super Bowl spot isn't just an ad; it's a thesis statement for a brand’s relevance in the coming year.

The collective goal of this jury was to identify true advertising MVPs, separating the signal from the noise. They sought the spots that demonstrated strategic brilliance, proving that even amidst the largest collective viewing event of the year, careful consideration and artistic execution still trumped sheer budgetary might. Who managed to capture lightning in a bottle?

Ruderman's Revelation: The Unexpected Winner

Zoe Ruderman’s top pick was a genuine curveball, something few analysts had penciled in as a frontrunner during pre-game predictions. Her selection pointed toward a brand that successfully subverted expectations, opting for quiet confidence over booming spectacle.

The success of this specific ad, Ruderman argued, lay in its emotional precision. While competitors relied on A-list cameos or escalating absurdity, this spot delivered a deeply relatable human moment, brilliantly executed. It succeeded where others faltered because it treated the Super Bowl audience not as a captive market to be yelled at, but as discerning viewers capable of appreciating subtlety. It was a masterclass in restraint.

Weissbrot's Verdict: Craftsmanship Over Clicks

Alison Weissbrot championed an advertisement that prioritized sheer technical merit and narrative structure. Her MVP choice was less about the meme potential and more about the enduring quality of the filmmaking itself.

This spot demonstrated exceptional craftsmanship, utilizing cinematography, sound design, or pacing to build tension or deliver payoff with near-flawless execution. Weissbrot’s focus underscores a critical point for marketers: while digital virality matters, the foundation of great advertising remains the art of storytelling, built upon solid technical foundations. It was an homage to classic filmmaking embedded within a modern context.

Joe’s Jolt: The Ad That Redefined the Night

Ryan Joe identified the ad that generated the most immediate, palpable jolt across the digital sphere—the one that forced immediate conversation and set the tone for post-game debates. This wasn't necessarily the best written ad, but certainly the most disruptive.

Its impact stemmed from an aggressive, perhaps risky, cultural maneuver. Whether through a controversial pairing, an unexpected social commentary, or a radical product reveal, Joe’s selection redefined the night by forcing people to stop scrolling and start discussing its implications. It tapped directly into the zeitgeist, for better or worse.

Stewart’s Standout: Precision Marketing Triumphs

Rebecca Stewart’s favorite advertisement was a testament to disciplined, high-level brand strategy. Her standout spot wasn't necessarily the loudest or the most shocking, but the one that felt perfectly calibrated to its specific audience demographic.

The examination of Stewart's preferred spot reveals a deep dive into brand strategy. This commercial understood precisely who it was talking to and spoke directly to their evolving needs, utilizing a narrative that validated the consumer's existing relationship with the product while signaling future innovation. It was an example of marketing that felt less like interruption and more like affirmation.

The "Sneaky Good": Honorable Mentions and Near Misses

While the four panelists singled out their champions, the landscape was littered with highly effective work that deserved recognition beyond the MVP trophy. Many brands executed flawlessly on established Super Bowl formulas, showcasing strong performances across the board.

A few common themes emerged across these near-misses. We saw a renewed, yet perhaps more sophisticated, deployment of celebrity usage, moving beyond simple cameos toward integrated character roles. Furthermore, nostalgia plays remained a powerful tool, though those that felt forced or derivative quickly fell flat compared to the subtle, emotionally driven callbacks chosen by the main panel.

It is instructive to note what this elite panel consciously excluded from their highest accolades. Contextually, discussions outside the Adweek review often centered on specific narratives—perhaps involving the mentioned Seattle Seahawks or a viral cultural moment tied to Bad Bunny—but the critics deliberately filtered out performance-based hype or external, non-advertising cultural noise to focus solely on the merits of the paid creative.

Rethinking the Playbook: What These Ads Say About 2026 Marketing

Synthesizing the lessons from Ruderman, Weissbrot, Joe, and Stewart reveals a clear direction for high-stakes advertising moving forward. The era of relying solely on spectacle seems to be waning. The champions of Super Bowl LIX demonstrated that authenticity, even when wrapped in high production value, is paramount.

The overall takeaway for marketers looking toward the next fiscal year is a renewed focus on intent. The winning ads weren't just viewed; they were processed. They commanded attention through relevance, craftsmanship, and strategic daring. The future of the Super Bowl commercial, according to this expert panel, belongs to those who can master both the art of filmmaking and the science of cultural connection.

Source: Adweek's post on X: https://x.com/Adweek/status/2021657394032316858