Sir Sam Neill snaps a dino selfie in Taika Waititi's clever Super Bowl commercial for Xfinity. Photo / YouTube, Xfinity
With a clever take on an alternative Jurassic Park storyline, a tearjerker of an ad for chips and a gig as a polar bear’s therapist, New Zealand director Taika Waititi was behind not one but three of this year’s packed Super Bowl LX advertising spots.
Every year, ads played on the stadium’s big screens and on small screens in homes around the States are almost as anticipated as the halftime entertainment - and the game itself.
At around US$10 million ($16.61m) per 30 second spot, it’s a hefty price to pay for the risk of falling flat, so many companies will use star power and big name directors to try and get the best outcome for their brand.
We’ve looked at some of the biggest ads of the 2026 Super Bowl and judged if they hit the mark or not.
Taika Waititi was busy this Super Bowl, directing and starring in Pepsi’s polar bear ad (read more about it here), and delivering the heartfelt story of an American farmer in what potato chip brand Lays called “tribute to the families, traditions, and values behind America’s favourite chip” (watch it below), but his reimagining of a 90s classic in this cinematic ad was my favourite.
Not only is it directed by Waititi, it brings back the original film’s all-star cast of Sir Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, and Laura Dern.
It also answers that question we all had after watching Jurassic Park: what if things didn’t go pear-shaped at Isla Nublar all those years ago, and the dinosaurs didn’t wreak havoc and, you know, eat people off toilets?
In this ad, thanks to Xfinity’s internet box restoring power to the island, the film’s characters are seen swanning about having the time of their lives. The fact the ad doesn’t use AI, paired with an injection of Waititi’s trademark dry humour (dinosaur selfie anyone?), makes this a masterstroke that will be up there with one of the best ads ever to play at the event.
Star power: 5/5. I mean, how can you top an original cast?!
Laughs or tears: A wry smirk and a grin are more than warranted.
Worth the purchase? The fact that I googled Xfinity to see if their router was available in New Zealand proved this ad did the job.
A quasi-sequel to the pop superstar’s hit song Manchild, Sabrina Carpenter decides to build her perfect man, Pringleleo, out of Pringles chips. When he’s tragically bowled over in a crowd rush, she decides to keep eating him.
It’s simple humour, and credit to pop star Carpenter for her great comedic chops and carrying on her thematic universe, but the ad lacks the clever wit of Waititi’s and just falls a bit flat.
Stylistically, it’s well directed and contains clever thematic references, but I was still left wanting more, even after watching the recently released extended version, which adds additional cut scenes and expands on the story.
Star power: 4/5. Minus one star because Pringleleo the Pringle man is killed off.
Laughs or tears: Maybe a groan instead, or sigh.
Worth the purchase? I like Pringles anyway, and this didn’t make me want to go out and grab some for lunch.
At 94-years-old, Star Trek legend William Shatner continues to delight Trekkies across the universe with cameos and spot appearances galore. This clever Sci-Fi parody is no different, seeing “Will Shat” (clever) become a “bran ambassador” on an intergalactic gut health mission.
Clever wordplay, a nostalgic link and a great health message mean this ad ticks a variety of boxes. It also takes a notoriously boring product and elevates it without overpromoting or selling its features, which is one of the golden rules of advertising in the age of short attention spans.
No doubt this will be social media fodder for years to come.
Star power: 5/5. Shatner’s star is never fading, even at 94.
Laughs or tears: Both, nostalgia, heart and humour combine to make this a clever parody.
Worth the purchase? I hate raisins, but this is almost enough to convince me to give it a go.
A fail on all fronts, this lacklustre AI-generated ad sees robots partying together as alcoholic beverages seep through their mechanisms. It’s boring, unfunny, kitschy, and unoriginal.
Yes, the robot mascot is in line with the vodka company’s branding, but there is no originality or fun to the proceedings (“shake your bots off”, I mean really?).
The rise in AI is a continually fickle debate in the world of advertising, but I think this ad proves why nothing beats good old-fashioned originality and the power of the human creative mind.
Star power: 0/10.
Laughs or tears: Tears of boredom, or disgust...
Worth the purchase? Absolutely not. Who in their right mind thought this was the right way to advertise vodka?
It’s a damn sight better than Cher’s cringeworthy Uber Eats ad currently playing on Kiwi screens, but it’s not anything to write home about either.
The concept of the ad (which has multiple versions with multiple cameos) plays on whether football is just one big ploy to sell food. While the self-aware comedy and star-studded appearances (leading men Bradley Cooper and Matthew McConaughey lay on the charm) somewhat make things fun, it’s still just a glossy star vehicle.
There are so many other roads the company could go down, but I guess with driver strikes and bad PR, it’s a company that needs to get its image away from the media headlines and into the lap of Hollywood.
Star power: 5/5, Some heavy hitters here like McConaughey, Cooper, Parker Posey and Addison Rae make this one of the most packed.
Laughs or tears: Rae’s cameo made me chuckle, but overall, not a gutbuster.
Worth the purchase? Debatable. Uber Eats seems to be stuck in star mode, and that can only sell so many orders.
I previously talked about how I think AI is ruining ads. This series of ads takes a cheeky dig at why ads are ruining AI, while also using AI sentiments as a powerful creative vehicle.
It’s sinister, quirky, and plays like something straight out of a twisted Spike Jonez movie.
Claude, an AI assistant created by Anthropic, has seemingly gone to war with the AI community and made a bold stand on being ad-free, showing droll, human-speaking chatbots interjecting ads in the middle of serious conversations.
It’s a powerful statement that makes you think and sets the tone for what Super Bowl ads can bring to society.
Star power: 1/5. But the stars of the show are the companies themselves.
Laughs or tears: More like a gut punch to the soul and a lightning bolt to the consciousness.
Worth the purchase: Absolutely, don’t delay in checking these things out.
Mitchell Hageman joined the Herald’s entertainment and lifestyle team in 2024. He previously worked as a multimedia journalist for Hawke’s Bay Today.