YouTube

The worst Super Bowl commercials of all time

As we know, there's almost as much anticipation for Super Bowl commercials as the game itself. Over the years, there have been countless memorable ads, for better or worse, and some that we're still talking about. And, not necessarily for the right reasons.

Here's a look at 15 of the worst Super Bowl commercials of all time.

Doritos, "Jay Gets Big Bucks" (1990)

Former funny man Jay Leno was an edgy comedian back in the 1990s, and was often seen hocking this spicy snack chip. None of his Doritos' ads really seemed funny.

There was one that was particularly annoying. More than this hair, aired when he joked about much money he was making for that particular ad. Then again, this was the 1990s, when using celebrities to sell junk food was the norm. No matter how irritating.

Miller Lite, "Evil Beaver" (1998)

Not sure who thought the idea of a human adult in a beaver costume would be a good idea for a Super Bowl commercial. Or a commercial at any time. Sure, a lot of people want to get their hands on the brew that tastes great and is less filling, but not this time.

The dirt bike and human wood eating element only added to the absurdity of this spot, and never seemed funny in the least.

Just for Feet, "Kenyan Runner" (1999)

An ad that pushed the boundary of insensitivity, and was partly responsible for the company folding some not so many years later. A Kenyan male running barefoot and chased by a group of white operative, perhaps, and then apparently drugged.

He awakes to find new, snazzy running shoes on his feet and we are to believe that was a good thing. How are we supposed to feel that way?

LifeMinders.com, "The Worst Commercial" (2000)

This was a text-based ad about how the folks at LifeMinders.com are information "geeks" and "don't know diddly about making ads." That's a fine concept, but also an easy cop-out.

It's not the worst commercial in Super Bowl history, but smart people can be a little more creative when it comes to poking fun at themselves.

Outpost.com, "Gerbils" (2000)

Shooting gerbils - or any pet - out of a cannon. Not cool. The again, Output was going for the "shock and awe" route in order for people to remember the name.

That worked, but for all the wrong reasons. At least the company was prepared for the negative feedback with its "send complaints to" tag.

Ameriquest, "Flight Accident" (2006)

For many, the Super Bowl is about coming together with family - of all ages. This was a brief ad, where a woman on a plane accidentally lands in a compromising solution on the lap of a male passenger.

The tagline: "Don't Judge Too Quickly ... We won't," is a safe out in that Three's Company kind of way, but it probably required some parents to explain the true meaning to their young children.

GM, "Robot" (2007)

So, it appears an assembly-line robot was having a nightmare about being fired for making a mistake. Thus, it could not go on and opted to jump off a bridge, leading most to believe it was an act of suicide.

Dream or not, how is that trying to make any positive point? If anything, maybe it's a sign we take our jobs too seriously sometime. GM eventually changed the ad after The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention criticized it.

SalesGenie.com, "Pandas (2008)

Straight up, it's hard not to find this commercial offensive. Pandas with Chinese accents speaking broken English. Right off the bat, that's a major red flag.

The stereotypical nature of the panda displayed doesn't help the cause. Especially, when one can read into the fact that the ads makes pandas seem lazy.

Cash4Gold, "MC Hammer and Ed McMahon" (2009)

There are plenty of critics and viewers who actually like this commercial of Hammer and Johnny Carson's famed sidekick mocking themselves and their financial issues. Sure, the idea is worth a chuckle.

And, Hammer holds his own (we like the gold pants reference). However, an aging McMahon does not look good, with his speech seeming slightly slurred and his dialogue seems forced and straight forward. It's kind of uncomfortable to watch.

Groupon, "Tibet - Save the Money" (2011)

Timothy Hutton is a fine actor. He can balance comedy and drama nicely, but the concept of this ad does not seem to work.

The open leads us to be believe we need to do something to "save" Tibet, from a humanitarian standpoint. Instead, it's just letting us know we can save money, like Hutton and his friends did on Himalayan food.

Sony Android, "Thumbs up" (2011)

Who thought having the identifiable green Android mascot be fitted with a human thumb would be a good idea? The folks at Sony, that's who.

All it seemed to do was make most viewers likely scratch their heads and ask why something that looked so gross could somehow be appealing to football and television fans.

GoDaddy, "Smart Meets Sexy" (2013)

GoDaddy's smart-meets-sexy campaign makes sense in theory, but not the way it was displayed. Model Bar Refaeli represents the sexy and nerdy actor Justin Heiman the smart. With Danica Patrick again there as spokesperson.

There was plenty of opportunity to be creative here, instead that awkward, almost inappropriate kiss, was made more uncomfortable by a close-up camera shot that was plain gross.

Nationwide, "Dead Kid" (2015)

Nationwide took the emotional route during Super Bowl XLIX, and delivered an emotional punch to the gut. The company's "Make Safe Happen" campaign was intended to prevent childhood accidents around the house or the like.

That's fine, but did the young boy who starred in the spot actually have to tell us he was going to die? Not exactly family viewing. And, an ad Nationwide had to explain shortly after airing.

FIAT, "Blue Pill" (2015)

Some might have thought it was clever that FIAT tried to sell a car by feeling the need to use sex to enhance the message. Having a Viagra-like pill, adventurously make it's way from the bathroom of a house into the gas tank of the 500-X Crossover just seemed creepy.

The visual of the car bulging at the sides only added to the creepiness.

T-Mobile, "Hotline Bling" (2016)
No crime in casting Drake in a Super Bowl ad, but the whole take on using his smash "Hotline Bling" to show how other cell phone service providers are shafting their customers seems forced.

Drake, himself, is actually kind of funny, but the commercial might one of the most disappointing use of a celebrity that could have been done in a much funnier way.

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST
Bruins take series opener over Panthers in 5-1 rout
Bengals exec declines Patriots interview for de facto GM job
Snoop Dogg to be title sponsor of college football bowl game
Phillies remain MLB's hottest team with dominant Zack Wheeler performance
Spurs' Victor Wembanyama unanimously wins NBA Rookie of the Year award
A's place struggling starter on injured list
Longtime Saints OL, three-time Pro Bowler agrees to deal with AFC West team
Report: 10-time All-Star 'wants to re-sign' with Clippers
Kendrick Perkins 'wishes' LeBron James would make drastic career decision
Heat president Pat Riley calls out Jimmy Butler twice following playoff exit
Snoop Dogg makes big college football announcement
Pat Riley calls out Jimmy Butler over recent comments
How Tom Brady's investment in English soccer team cratered
Insider speculates Titans 'planning to move on' from former first-round WR
Panthers add former first-round pick to crowded RB room
Jets coach Rick Bowness announces retirement after long career
Mavericks sign Jason Kidd to multi-year extension
Reporter provides clarity on controversial NASCAR finish at Kansas
Stunning stat highlights NBA's youth movement
Report: Rival teams expect Sixers to attempt reunion with star

Want more NFL news?

Join the hundreds of thousands of fans who start their day with Yardbarker's Morning Bark, the best newsletter in sports.