The kick-off for Super Bowl LIV isn’t for a few more hours, yet several of this year’s biggest commercials are already live. Super Bowl commercials are the most coveted ad spots of the year, and these days they extend well beyond the broadcast itself. In the days leading up to the game, many have already been released, or “leaked,” according to some.
By now, fans are probably used to seeing ads for the ads they are going to see on Super Bowl Sunday. It is just part of this ecosystem now, with teaser clips on social media preceding longer TV spots that serve as preview for the final ad during the game.
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By Sunday, many of the ads are familiar to viewers, with the extended cuts showing an extra punchline or answering an extraneous question. Some even bypass all of those steps and drop the whole ad ahead of time.
Whatever the case, ther are plenty of pre-released and leaked Super Bowl commercials to watch early if you do not want to wait for halftime on Sunday night. Here are the biggest ads we have seen ahead of Super Bowl 2020.
Pepsi
Pepsi is reintroducing its Zero Sugar cola, and some of the biggest names in hip hop music are helping them do it on Sunday. Their ad features Missy Elliott and H.E.R. singing a remix of “Paint It, Black” by the Rolling Stones, referring to the new flat black cans Pepsi Zero Sugar is in.
Mountain Dew
PepsiCo-owned Mountain Dew is going sugar free this year as well, and the ad is no less ambitious than Pepsi’s. It features Bryan Cranston mimicking Jack Torrence and and Tracee Ellis Ross playing Wendy from the Stanley Kubrick adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining. Coming hot on the heels of last year’s sequel Doctor Sleep, this ad is sure to make King fans thirsty.
Audi
In a crossover for the ages, Audi secured actress Maisie Williams and the rights to “Let it Go” from Disney’s Frozen for its Super Bowl ad. The Game of Thrones actress sings a riveting version of the children’s classic as she shuts out the stress of traffic in her sports car.
Amazon
Amazon pulled out all the stops for Super Bowl 2020, with an a CGI-filled ad starring Ellen DeGeneres, Portia de Rossi and a speculative journey through pre-Alexa history. If this is any hint of what Amazon’s upcoming fantasy epics like Lord of the Rings and Wheel of Time will be like, fans are in for a treat.
Genesis
Not only did car brand Genesis score social media’s favorite celebrity couple for its commercial, it put them to good use. The ad features Chrissy Teigen and John Legend being their usual quippy selves, and representing the age of “young luxury” over old wealth.
Cheetos
Cheetos is turning its greatest detriment into a strength in an ad for the new Cheetos Popcorn. Where the dreaded “Cheeto dust fingers” used to be a bad thing, this year’s commercial shows how it can be an asset for the lazy, with the help of MC Hammer.
Michelob Light
Michelob Ultra picked a surprising theme for its Super Bowl 2020 commercial: exercise. The ad is all about John Cena training Jimmy Fallon, with frequent breaks for a refreshing beer. Tonight Show fans will be pleased to see that Questlove and The Roots followed him, even here.
Hyundai
Chris Evans spent the last decade building his reputation as Brooklyn’s homegrown Avenger Captain America, but in this year’s Super Bowl commercial for Hyundai he reminds fans that he has other accents locked down as well. Evans and SNL star Rachel Dratch marvel at the Sonata’s new “smart park” technology, all without ever uttering an “R” sound. John Krasinski and David “Big Papi” Ortiz are on hand to help as well.
Bud Light
It’s no surprise to see rapper Post Malone teaming up with his beloved Bud Light for another ad campaign, but it may be a surprise to see what the inside of his brain looks like. Posty tears up most of a convenience store in the process of purchasing the new Bud Light Seltzer.
Planters
Those of us on social media already saw a glimpse of Planters’ “Road Trip” ad campaign, where the brand’s long-time mascot Mr. Peanut dies in a tragic car crash. The commercial has been teased for over a week now, and even earned a mention on SNL. On Sunday night, we will finally see the resolution to this ghoulish cartoon funeral.
With everyone else cracking jokes and showing off irreverent CGI displays, Google took things a little more serious this year with an ad about a widower mourning his wife. The heartbreaking commercial shows how Google’s voice assistant technology can help categorize and sort through memories.
Doritos
Finally, Doritos has been teasing its country western ad for this year, featuring Sam Elliott doing a dramatic reading of Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road.” If there was any doubt left about the song’s impact, this take from one of the most iconic cowboy voices of all time should set the record straight.
Super Bowl LIV begins at 6:30 p.m. ET on Fox. Depending on how the game goes, halftime and the Super Bowl commercials should come sometime around 8 p.m. ET.
