On Sunday 3 February, legions of American football fans will settle themselves down on sofas and bar stools around the world to watch the New England Patriots take on the Los Angeles Rams in Atlanta, Georgia for the 2019 Super Bowl.
For us Brits, the sporting occasion can be a pretty confusing time resulting in endless hours trying to understand the point of the game's yellow flags, Googling the definition of ‘tailgating’, and learning the differences between rugby and American football.
What unites us with our neighbours across the pond this night, however, is a mutual love (or loathing) of the chance to sit back and indulge in yes, you guessed it, the Super Bowl adverts.
Since its first 30 second advert in 1967, the Super Bowl has become the most talked-about advertising moment in the world, selling everything from beer and cars, to fizzy drinks and sweets.
In 2018, consultancy group Kantar Media estimated the cost of a 30-second advert during the game climbed above £3.7m ($5.05m), with spending on the night soaring 87 per cent over the last decade.
From Cindy Crawford and Tiffany Haddish, to Cardi B and Betty White, some of Hollywood’s most in-demand celebrities have starred in the most famous Super Bowl adverts over the years.
The world has watched the likes of Michael Jordan team up with Bugs Bunny for a game of hoops, pop singer Michael Jackson proclaim Pepsi as the “choice of a new generation”, and actor Rebel Wilson offer up her vocal skills as Amazon’s new personal assistant.
Several of the adverts have have even become talking-points in their own right, from Snickers homophobic ‘Kissing’ commercial to PETA’s sexist "Sexy Vegetables" ad.
In the lead up to the 2019 Super Bowl, here's our round-up of the best adverts this year so far:
Steve Carell, Cardi B and Lil Jon in Pepsi's 'More than OK' advert
Pepsi has released it's long-awaited Super Bowl LIII commercial, starring Cardi B, Steve Carell and Lil Jon.
The advert begins in a 1950s-themed diner, with a woman asking a waiter for a Coke.
“Is Pepsi OK?” the waiter replies, to which a shocked Carell turns around, stands up and asks: “Is Pepsi OK? Is Pepsi OK?”
“Are puppies OK? Is a shooting star OK? Is the laughter of a small child OK?” Carell continues asking the waiter.
Before Carell receives a response, he clicks his fingers to role play with the diner employee, before teaching his fellow diners how to says “OK” with conviction.
“OH-KAY!” Lil Jon exclaims from behind the counter, before Cardi B repeats the word wearing a silver dress.
Michael Bublé stars in PepsiCo’s Buble advert
Weeks after Michael Bublé popped out of the freezer in time for Christmas, the singer has returned to star in PepsiCo’s debut Super Bowl advert.
In the clip, the Grammy-award winning singer can be seen sitting on the floor of a supermarket and changing the name of Pepsi Co’s sparkling water brand Bubly to Bublé in black marker pen.
“Michael, don’t do that,” an employee at the supermarket tells the Canadian singer.
The advert promotes the brand’s four new flavours - blackberrybubly, cranberrybubly, raspberrybubly and peachbubly – and marks Bublé’s first time starring in an American football commercial.
Stella Artois' advert featuring Jeff Bridges and Sarah Jessica Parker
Days after teasing their iconic characters, Carrie Bradshaw and The Dude, were respectively making a "comback" to the small screen, actors Sarah Jessica Parker and Jeff Bridges have teamed star to Stella Artois’ Super Bowl advert.
The advert comes as part of the #PourItForward campaign from Stella Artois, which sees the pilsner company team up with the charity Water.org to provide clean water for those without. The company says £2.37 ($3.13) from every Chalice sold will go to providing clean water from someone.
Bradshaw introduces the advert when she walks into a bar and orders a Stella Artois — rather than her beloved Cosmopolitan cocktail —, much to the surprise of a waiter who drops their tray. Bridges then enters the room and orders the same beer, startling fellow diners.
"Well, changing can do a little good,” says Bridges as he sits down at an adjacent table to Bradshaw.
To find out more information about the 2019 Super Bowl, from what time is kick-off to who is playing the half-time show, click here.
