The ad plays that paid off on Super Bowl Sunday 2026

Super Bowl ads are designed to entertain. But for marketers, the real question is whether they move the metrics that matter.

To identify this year’s Super Bowl ad winners, we ranked advertisers using YouGov’s Advertiser Impact Score (AIS), a composite measure based on movement in three core BrandIndex metrics.

All changes cited in this analysis compare average scores from Feb 9–15 (post-game) against Feb 2–8 (pre-game). The uplifts represent the difference between those two weekly averages.

The AIS formula is calculated as:

Change in Ad Awareness + Change in Buzz + (Change in Consideration x2)

Ad Awareness measures the percentage of consumers who say they have seen an ad for a brand in the past two weeks. Buzz captures whether consumers have heard anything positive or negative about the brand (net positive minus negative). Consideration reflects the percentage who would consider the brand the next time they are in the market for purchase.

By weighting Consideration twice, the score prioritizes movement in future purchase intent – not just visibility or conversation.

Budweiser tops Super Bowl ad rankings among the general public

Budweiser takes the top spot overall with an AIS of 34.4, driven by strong gains across all three measures: Ad Awareness (+6.4), Buzz (+7.5) and a standout uplift in Consideration (+10.2). The brand’s Super Bowl creative leaned into its classic 'American Icons' positioning, featuring a Clydesdale and a soaring bald eagle.

Lay’s ranks second with an AIS of 27.0, posting gains in Ad Awareness (+6.5), Buzz (+3.6) and Consideration (+8.4). Its Super Bowl spot centered on the journey of a single potato from farm to chip bag.

Bud Light comes in third with an AIS of 20, buoyed by the largest Ad Awareness jump in the entire list (+8.9). The brand’s ad leaned into party chaos and familiar beer-ad humor, featuring over-the-top social moments built around bringing Bud Light to the gathering.

Cadillac (14.2) and Instacart (13.8) round out the top five. Cadillac’s Super Bowl creative served as the launch platform for its Formula 1 debut, unveiling the team’s 2026 livery with a cinematic sequence. Instacart’s Euro-retro styled commercial featuring Ben Stiller and Benson Boone lifted Ad Awareness (+5.2) and Buzz (+4.3). Stiller was also among the most prominently recalled celebrities from this year’s Super Bowl ads: 31% of Americans who watched the game said they remembered seeing him in a broadcast commercial on the day.

Hellmann’s Mayonnaise (12.8) made solid gains in Ad Awareness (6.0) and Buzz (4.8), even though Consideration rose more modestly (+1.0) after the Andy Samberg-led over-the-top commercial.

Pepsi Zero Sugar (12.4) generated strong Buzz (+7.6), even as Consideration dipped slightly (-0.5). Bosch (12.3) stands out for a different reason – while Buzz dipped (-1.4), Consideration surged (+6.7).

Dove (12.1) saw the largest Buzz increase in the general population ranking (+8.9). It is the only brand in the top 10 which saw Ad Awareness actually dip slightly (-1.2) but gains in Buzz and Consideration (+2.2) gave it a leg up in the composite score.

YouTube TV (11.0) rounds out the list, with balanced but moderate lifts across all three metrics.

Lay’s leads among men, while Budweiser and Dove win among women in the battle of the Superbowl ads

Among men, Lay’s takes the top spot with an AIS of 37.5, driven by a sharp increase in Ad Awareness (+12.6), alongside solid lifts in Buzz (+7.9) and Consideration (+8.5). The farm-to-chip creative clearly cut through with male viewers, generating the largest Ad Awareness jump in this segment.

Budweiser follows with an AIS of 32.5, powered largely by a double-digit Consideration gain (+10.7). While its Ad Awareness increase was more modest, the brand’s post-game momentum among men was rooted in stronger purchase intent.

e.l.f. Cosmetics ranks third (29.1), almost entirely on the back of a substantial Consideration surge (+13.8), despite a slight dip in Buzz (-1.7). The brand’s Super Bowl spot took the form of a dramatic, over-the-top telenovela parody, complete with exaggerated plot twists and close-up beauty shots woven into the storyline. The ad featured Melissa McCarthy, actor Nicholas Gonzalez, and iconic telenovela villain Itatí Cantoral.

Among women, Budweiser reclaims the top spot – and by a wide margin – with an AIS of 43.9. The brand recorded substantial gains across all three metrics: Ad Awareness (+9.3), Buzz (+8.7) and Consideration (+12.9).

Dove ranks second (40.6), fueled by an extraordinary Buzz increase (+22.1), as well as a sizeable lift in Consideration (+8.8). The commercial “The Game Is Ours” focused on body positivity and inclusivity in women’s sport. While the ad seemed to coincide sharply with Buzz and Consideration, the impact on Ad Awareness itself was muted (+0.8).

Bud Light places third (35.4), with robust gains across Awareness (+7.9), Buzz (+11.3) and Consideration (+8.1). Raisin Bran (28.0) and Ritz (21.7) round out the top five.