At initiate-it, the Monday after the Big Game is essentially an office holiday. We swap the game-day wings for extra-strong coffee and dive straight into the real competition: the commercials.
It’s an annual tradition for us to gather the team and dissect every high-budget frame, every “why did they do that?” celebrity cameo, and every bold creative strategy that graced our screens. As a creative agency, we can’t help but look at these spots through a professional lens, but we’re also just fans who want to be entertained, moved, or at least not totally confused.
The 2026 lineup definitely kept us talking. We saw legacy brands flipping the script on their competitors, tech giants trying (and sometimes failing) to find their soul, and a few bold rule-breakers.
We polled the office to get the unfiltered, opinionated, and very personable take on this year’s ads. From the spots that had us reaching for the fridge, to the ones that left us scratching our heads, here is what the team at initiate-it really thought of Super Bowl LXI.
Michelob Ultra “The Ultra Instructor”
“As a skier, I was immediately locked in, but as the one person in my group who is always the last one down the slopes, this hit home on a personal level. But let’s talk about real-world impact: Before the ad even finished, my partner said, ‘Wow, an Ultra sounds great right now,’ walked out of the room, and returned with a round for everyone. If the goal of an ad isn’t immediate product consumption, I don’t know what is! I know some critics are lukewarm on this one, but when a commercial creates an actual buzz in the room and leads to a direct sale with a focus group of four, I call that a massive success.”
Amazon Alexa+ “Scary Good”
“The Amazon Alexa+ Super Bowl commercial stood out for its creative, over-the-top concept. While it portrayed a completely unrealistic way that Alexa+ would be used, it was funny and engaging. From garage-door guillotines to bears at the door, Alexa+ seemed like it was out to get Chris Hemsworth, before revealing it simply wants to be helpful. By leaning into humor but also fears around AI, the ad was entertaining and memorable.”
OpenAI “You Can Just Build Things”
“Oh boy. Where to even begin with this one. On the surface, the concept ‘you can just build things’ sounds inspiring. But if you think about it for more than a second, the whole thing starts to fall apart. The ad shows real people in the real world creating real things, only to awkwardly shoehorn AI in at the very end. It also shows quick glimpses of iconic people such as Albert Einstein, who achieved great things without the use of AI. There’s a real disconnect that is hard to ignore, especially given the broader controversies surrounding AI. All of this makes the ad feel hollow and confusing.”
TurboTax “The Expert”
“The TurboTax Super Bowl commercial series was clever, flipping the script on tax-season stress by casting a dramatic actor in a role where even he can’t make taxes seem tragic. Playing himself, prepping to be a TurboTax expert, Adrien Brody’s over-the-top performance highlights the brand’s message that filing with TurboTax is actually easy and drama-free.”
State Farm “Halfway There Insurance”
“Holy celebrity endorsement. While this seems to be the default setting for Super Bowl advertisers lately, audiences are hitting a wall… at least I know I am. Using Bon Jovi’s Livin’ on a Prayer as the punchline and the foundation for the concept had potential, but the sheer noise and onslaught of famous faces felt more irritating than impactful.
Despite a heavy buildup of teasers, the actual aired delivery fell flat for me. It’s a classic case of just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Sometimes less is more, and in this case, a bit of restraint would have been far more memorable.”
Pepsi “The Choice”
“This was a fun spot that takes a jab at Pepsi’s biggest competitor without feeling mean-spirited. The polar bear is so closely associated with Coca-Cola that seeing Pepsi flip it was surprising. It’s also coming on the heels of Coke’s controversial AI-generated holiday ads that featured some wonky-looking polar bears, while Pepsi stuck to the more classic look that people love and remember.”
Coinbase “Everybody”
“We can’t not talk about Coinbase – they certainly know how to do that. In a sea of ads following the same tired equation, major star power + big music + shocking humor, it was incredibly refreshing to see someone break the mold. This spot actually made the whole room pause and ask, ‘Wait, is this karaoke?’
This isn’t their first out-of-the-box moment (we’ll never forget the floating QR code), but it does make me question the long-term effectiveness. It breaks every rule in the book and tells us almost nothing about the product’s benefits. Still, I have to give them props: in a crowded space of expensive noise, they manage to stand out.”
Liquid I.V. “Take A Look”
“The Liquid I.V. Super Bowl commercial definitely got people talking — but not necessarily in a good way. Rather than a clear or clever message about hydration, the spot leaned hard into weird bathroom-themed visuals and humor, like singing toilets and urinals set to a cover of Against All Odds. I found this ad more confusing than compelling, initially wondering ‘what is this ad for?’ I felt like this approach was more of an attempt to shock audiences than to meaningfully connect the brand’s message to its product. Let’s just say I don’t want to see an image of talking toilets when thinking about hydration, but sometimes shock advertising can be effective.”
MANSCAPED® “Hair Ballad”
“While a bit crass and out-there, you can’t deny that this spot is an attention grabber. What I appreciated most was how straightforward it was. It didn’t get lost in Super Bowl gimmicks or forced celebrity cameos. The concept was simple but didn’t play it safe, and that’s a win in my book.”