List of 1990s Super Bowl commercials

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This is a list of Super Bowl commercials that played during the 1990s. This article does not list advertisements for a local region or station (e.g. promoting local news shows), pre-kickoff and post-game commercials/sponsors, or in-game advertising sponsors and television bumpers.[1]

Product type Product/title Plot/notes
Car Chrysler

"Lee Iacocca"

Lee Iacocca talks about the guaranteed rebate offered for all Chrysler vehicles.
Nissan

"Turbocharged Dream"

A Nissan 300ZX Turbo is challenged by a sportbike, racing car and a jet fighter respectively.

Directed by Ridley Scott[2][3][4]

Credit card American Express

"The Race"

Paul Newman races a top-fuel dragster on a mini-bike.
Clothing Nike

"Announcers"

Insurance New York Life

"Friends"

Thanks to being friends with a life insurance agent from New York Life, the next generation of family members are insured.
Restaurant McDonald's

"Homer Alaska"

McDonald's

"Saving the Universe"

Security Masterlock

"Lock Abuse"

People are unable to break into various locations due to each location being secured by a Masterlock lock.

Also aired during Super Bowl XXIII

Soft drink Coca-Cola

"Generations Hilltop Reunion"

Diet Pepsi

"Joe Montana Challenge"

Joe Montana offers any celebrity that has appeared in a Diet Coke commercial, to take a blind taste test and see which tastes better, Diet Pepsi or Diet Coke.
Telecommunications GTE

"Forget"

GTE Workers run through a tunnel like football players. Promotes the company providing the official telecommunications system for the Super Bowl

Cast: Dick Enberg & Bob Lilly

1991 (XXV)

1992 (XXVI)

Product type Product/title Plot/notes
Airlines USAir

"Where Are We?"

A father takes his son to a field watch a USAir airliner fly over.[5]
Beer Budweiser

"Dan Marino"

Anti-drunk driving PSA starring Dan Marino
Budweiser

"Scott Pruett"

Anti-drunk driving PSA starring Scott Pruett
Car Hyundai

"Take a Stand""

While the song "Stand by Me" by Ben E. King plays, the narrator describes the company's ValueCare maintenance plan[6]
Isuzu

"Car/Rent"

In a perfect world, everyone would have a Ferrari Testarossa or beachfront property. However, this commercial world has people putting stuff on their budgets that would leave little room for car and rent. Luckily, the Isuzu Rodeo exists for such people.
Clothing Air Jordan

"Hare and Air Jordan"

After having trouble sleeping due to a basketball game taking place above him, Bugs Bunny recruits Michael Jordan to get his revenge. Would become the inspiration for the 1996 feature film, Space Jam.
Bugle Boy

"Golf Course"

While golfing, a man's friends criticize him for "spending time" with his wife instead of golfing with them.[6]
Reebok

"Dan and Dave"

A five-part saga of two runners who hope to compete in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.
Electronics Magnavox

"Go Away"

Actor John Cleese displays a number of the company's latest electronics. As the ad progresses, Cleese appears on the screen or lens of each subsequent product, with some of the Johns becoming increasingly frustrated.[6]
Fast food McDonald's

"The Foods You Want"

The ad describes how McDonald's treats you how you want to be treated, and it ends with the slogan "What you want is what you get."
Film A Few Good Men TV promo[6]
Aladdin
Basic Instinct
Batman Returns
The Bodyguard
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Cool World
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
Honey, I Blew Up the Kid
Lethal Weapon 3
Sister Act
Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot
Wayne's World
Security Master Lock

"Opera"

Montage of more ne'er-do-wells trying and failing to break through locks made by Master Lock
Soft drink Pepsi

"Cindy Crawford"

Two boys watch Cindy Crawford drive up to a vending machine and drink a can of Pepsi.
Pepsi

"Billboard"

This four-part ad describes the fictional narrative of how Pepsi created its new slogan, "Gotta' Have It." In the first 30-second advertisement, a farmer drives his truck off the road and into a Pepsi billboard. The accident conveniently leaves the phrase, "Choice of a New Generation" cut-out as if by hand. In the second advertisement, townspeople are interviewed to describe their feelings about the new Pepsi movement. People gather by the hundreds in an event mimicking the iconic Woodstock festival. In the third advertisement, celebrities including Regis Philbin, Yogi Berra, and Jimmy Connors comment on the popularity of Pepsi, and by the commercial's end, a new slogan is discovered: "Gotta' Have It." The fourth advertisement is in the style of a news report, and it notes the sightings of Pepsi billboards across the country.

1993 (XXVII)

Product type Product/title Plot/notes
Car Honda Prelude

"Slingshot"

The ad was produced by RPA. A 190-horsepower Prelude VTEC goes in reverse and speeds forward like a slingshot.
Lincoln

"Highlight Film"

Promoting the Lincoln Mark VIII. Rather than being an advertisement for the car, the narrator tells the viewer to think of the 30-second spot as a highlight film. Several football broadcast techniques like Instant Replay and Slow Motion are used in the ad.[7]
Oldsmobile

"100,000 Mile Drive"

Consumers give there testimonials on the advantages that came from driving their Oldsmobile Achieva for 100,000 miles.[8]
Subaru Impreza

"Teaser"

The ad was produced by Wieden+Kennedy. six different commercials are used to describe the new Impreza:

1. The Honda Civic has a 3-Channel ABS but the Impreza has a 4-Channel ABS. 2. The Impreza has less trouble starting in cold weather conditions than the Honda Civic by not having a distributor. 3. With a new EJ18 horizontally opposed engine the Impreza does well cornering and has a better weight distribution than the Honda Civic. 4. The Impreza Suspension gives a smoother ride than a Honda Civic which has a double wishbone suspension.

5. The Impreza TCU is linked with the ECU to provide seamless shifting. 6. The Subaru passenger car has 93 percent of registrations for the last decade which are still on the road, according to the 1991 R.L. Polk & Company Passenger Car Registration Report.

Narrated by Kirstie Alley

Clothing Lee

"Inhale"

A man tries to suck in his stomach to button up his jeans and accidentally inhales his pet canary.
Lee

"The Date"

A young woman in her bedroom upstairs wearing a white cap sleeved leotard or bodysuit as a top sees her date (Alan Cumming) pulling up. She struggles to get into jeans rolling her hips and jumping up and down while trying to pull on her jeans.

Her date sees the silhouette of her through her window and gets excited. As she continues to struggle to get into her jeans she gets one foot tangled in cord of floor lamp then the other and falls into a mannequin. The mannequin lands on top of her and the lights goi out. The guy seeing this thinks she is fooling around with another guy.

Footwear Nike

"Hare Jordan"

Marvin the Martian takes all the Air Jordans on earth and challenges Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny to a game of basketball with the fate of the earth at stake. The commercial was the inspiration for the movie Space Jam.
Electronics Magnavox
Restaurant McDonald's

"Showdown"

Michael Jordan and Larry Bird play an outrageous game of Horse. The prize: A Big Mac.[9]
Retail ServiStar

"Neighbor"

Promotes the hardware store as being a good neighbor with good advice, complete with a jingle
Tire Goodyear

"Indy"

An IndyCar tests in the rain, at the Michigan International Speedway, using Goodyear Eagle Performance street tires.[10]
Goodyear

"Water Skiing"

Thanks to the car being supplied by Goodyear Aquatred Tires, a duo waterskies on less than an inch of water while being towed by the car with the tires on it.[11]

1994 (XXVIII)

1995 (XXIX)

Product type Product/title Plot/notes
Airlines Continental Airlines

"Bake Sale"

USAir

"Earth"

Analgesic Dimetapp

"Tingles"

Imodium A-D

"The Long Commute"

Tylenol

"Family Relief"

Beer Bud Light

"Chimp"

Bud Light

"Dog Show"

Budweiser

"Bud Bowl VII"

Budweiser

"Drag Racer"

Budweiser

"Frogs"

Three frogs are sitting in a swamp sounding out different syllables until they finally croak the name "Budweiser"[9]
Budweiser

"It Has Always Been True"

Budweiser

"Wild Horses"

Candy Snickers

"Rich Espinoza"

Snickers

"Tab Ramos"

Car Dodge

"We Looked"

Ford

"The Big Game"

Ford

"Truck Football"

Honda

"Grow Up"

The ad advertises the Honda Odyssey mini-van and features the artwork of Keith Haring. Narrator Jack Lemmon tells the viewer that despite growing up, getting a job, getting married, and having kids doesn't mean that the viewer has to settle for a regular mini-van. It was the first of three ads which Honda aired back-to-back-to-back in the 4th quarter.[12]
Honda

"Joys of a Mini-Van"

Jack Lemmon talks about some the "joys" of the mini-van, including the big sliding door, the heavy removable third row seat, and the rear windows that don't roll down. He then talks about the features that Honda Odyssey has which other mini-vans do not; such as having four doors and a fold away rear seat. As with the "Grow Up" spot, Keith Haring's artwork is featured. It was the last of the three ads which Honda aired back-to-back-to-back in the 4th quarter.[13]
Honda

"Spy Chase"

The ad parodies the James Bond movies; a couple in a Honda del Sol is being chased by a helicopter. Right as the helicopter catches up to the del Sol, the villain in the ad jumps on top of the roof and begins attacking the car. The tuxedo-clad driver reacts to this, by releasing the detachable roof of the car with the villain on top of it. It was the second of three ads which Honda aired back-to-back-to-back in the 4th quarter.[14]
Isuzu

"Paris-Dakar"

An Isuzu Trooper drives through a village in Morocco, in nod to the Paris-Dakar Rally[15][16]
Jeep

"Driveaway"

Jeep

"Snow Covered"

The ad was produced by Bozell. The commercial features something tunneling beneath the snow, crossing a vast and desolate mountain range, bathed in the multicolored glow of the setting sun. The tunneling object is never exposed and actually remains undefined until the last seconds of the ad, when we see twin taillights light up at a partially submerged stop sign and then turn left. The car is only identified as a Jeep on the final title card that flashes across the screen

The commercial first aired during the opening ceremonies of the 1994 Winter Olympics. Although the ad was recognized for its remarkable special effects, many of which eschewed CGI in favor of practical setups, it has been most credited for its approach to the Jeep brand as a whole. While most ads only receive major airplay for a few months, "Snow Covered" was shown for most of a decade after its release. The Snow Covered ad was awarded with the prestigious Grand Prix award in the section Film Lions at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival in 1994, becoming the first auto ad to ever do so. It beat Cup Noodles sequels "Hungry?", Quetzalcoatlus, and Uintatherium which were produced by Hakuhodo. Before that, the ad aired during Super Bowl XXIX.[17]

Toyota

"Clouds"

Car rental Thrifty

"Prehistoric Times"

Credit card American Express

"Lost At Sea"

Clothing Lee

"Mannequin"

Lee

"Support Group"

Lee

"Vibrating Store"

Nike

"Stanley's Speech"

Stanley Craver (Dennis Hopper) gives a speech about his love for football, parodying the opening of the 1970 film, Patton[18]
No Fear

"Rodeo"

The commercial features nine-time world champion rodeo cowboy Ty Murray (It aired later during the 1995 Indianapolis 500).[19]
Exercise equipment Soloflex

"Men"

Soloflex

"Women"

Food Doritos

"Mario Cuomo and Ann Richards"

Doritos

"Player Poet"

Lays

"Scouts"

Pork

"The Most Popular Meat in the World"

Rold Gold

"Sparky"

Financial services The Principal Financial Group

"Reason"

The Principal Financial Group

"Topic"

Luxury vehicles BMW

"Boring"

Lexus

"Chase This"

Lincoln

"Perfect Balance"

Mail FedEx

"Just Warming"

Multivitamin Centrum

"More"

Motor oil Quaker State

"4x4"

Personal care Gillette

"Microfins"

Petroleum Exxon

"People Stopping By"

Sunoco

"The Blue Button-Down Shirt"

Restaurant Burger King

"Car Salesman"

A used car salesman gives a hard sell pitch to the viewer for the Whopper

Soundtrack: Spanish Flea by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass[20]

Taco Bell

"Border Lights"

Satellite television PrimeStar

"At Last"

A satellite in space projects a beam, formed by various TV and movie clips, into a satellite dish next to a house on earth[21]
Security Master Lock

"Security"

Shampoo Denorex

"Tingles"

Soft drink Pepsi

"Bill Changer"

Pepsi

"Diner"

On a snowy, winter night, a Pepsi and Coke truck driver stop at a roadside diner. The two truck drivers begin bonding over things like family photos and stories. That leads the two to share their colas with each other; only for the Coke driver refusing to give his Pepsi back. The ad ends with a fight starting between the two truck drivers.

Soundtrack: Get Together by The Youngbloods[22]

Pepsi

"Field of Dreams"

The ad is a spoof of the 1989 film Field of Dreams, an adult male is reunited with his deceased father, who was a baseball player. When the father asks for a Pepsi, the son responds by giving him a cheap, fictional, off-brand cola, named Fred's Choice. Despite saving nine cents on the cola he purchased, this disappoints the father and ends with him walking back into the cornfield he came out of.[23]
Pepsi

"Innertube"

A kid sucks himself into a Pepsi bottle[24]
Sports Equipment Wilson Sporting Goods

"David & Goliath"

A cinematic-styled spot, based on the Bible, David & Goliath; David knocks out Goliath with his slingshot

The ammunition in the slingshot happens to be a rock with the Wilson "W" emblem on it[25]

Television network HBO

"Directing for HBO"

At a party, a man pretends to claim that he directed movies for HBO. The man is then asked questions about the various stars he has worked with. Each time he is asked about an actor he supposedly worked with; he tries to downplay it. That is until he crosses path with Dennis Hopper, asking if he knows who the man is and ends up blowing his cover.[26]
Tire Goodyear

"Ski Jump"

Tolnaftate Tinactin

"Control Room"

Tinactin

"Looker Room"

1996 (XXX)

Product type Product/title Plot/notes
Beer Budweiser

"Winter"

The Budweiser Frogs' tongues are stuck to a can of Budweiser because of very cold weather[27]
Budweiser

"World Party"

The Bud One Airship flies around the world before arriving in Atlanta, in preparation for the upcoming Summer Olympics[28]
Candy Snickers

"Marv Levy"

After losing four consecutive Super Bowls, coach Marv Levy of the Buffalo Bills tells his players that no one can leave the locker room they are in until they have a plan to finally win the Super Bowl. Worried about the length of the meeting and their hunger, the players all begin eating Snickers bars.[29]
Car Toyota

"Wolves"

Film Independence Day TV promo
Food Wheaties

"Time Out"

Appearing on Jumbotrons on each end of a football field, Deion Sanders and Steve Young banter a little over which brand of Wheaties is better. Michael Jordan also appears[30]
Mail Mail Boxes Etc.

"Top Dog"

The driver of the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, Chad Gretzema, talks about using Mail Boxes Etc.[31][32]
Restaurant McDonald's

"Baby Swing"

In the ad, a little girl swings in her baby swing to "Rock-a-Bye Baby/" Swinging forward, she puts on a happy smile. Swinging backwards, her face crumples in distress. While swinging forward, her eyes light up again, swinging back, tears form in her eyes,

A reverse cut shows that the swing is facing a window. When the swing goes forward the baby is able to see McDonald's golden arches. When it swings back she can not see them. The Baby Swing ad won the Grand Prix in the section Film Lions at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival with the Rolo ad "Elephant" also winning in the same year. The commercial was produced by Leo Burnett Worldwide.

Soft drink Pepsi

"Buddy Burger"

A man has difficulties trying to get his order through at a fast-food restaurant's muffled drive through intercom
Pepsi

"Coyote and Roadrunner"

Wile E. Coyote meets Deion Sanders
Pepsi

"Security Camera"

In the advertisement, a security camera catches a Coca-Cola truck driver attempting to grab a Pepsi out of a cooler; only to have all the cans spill out of the cooler and in front of the Coke driver. Hank Williams 1952 song, Your Cheatin' Heart, provides the soundtrack.

1997 (XXXI)

Product type Product/title Plot/notes
Car Cadillac

"Wizard"

In the ad, a princess (portrayed by Cindy Crawford) walks into a dark castle and approaches a cartoon duck named Ziggy. The two then drive off in a Cadillac Catera.[33][34]
Nissan

"Pigeons"

In an homage to Top Gun, pigeons attempt to poop on a Nissan, but the car is too fast for them
Credit card Visa

"Bob Dole"

In the ad, Bob Dole returns to his hometown of Russell, Kansas west of Topeka, and uses a check to pay for an order at diner. Despite the notoriety, Dole is asked for some form of identification when paying with the check for his meal. It promotes the Visa Check Card.[35]
Film Dante's Peak Movie promos
Liar Liar
Men in Black
The Devil's Own
The Fifth Element
The Lost World: Jurassic Park
The Saint
Volcano
Food Eggo

"Grandma"

An Eggo waffle is shown popping out of a toaster. A family rushes over to grab it, but it disappears. In an instant replay, it is revealed their grandmother somersaulted through the air and finished eating it before they got to the toaster.
Lays

"Nuzzle and Nibble"

In the ad, Miss Piggy falls in love with a charming man at a fancy restaurant. But when the man wants to eat her Baked Lays potato chips, she karate chops him through the wall.
Lays

"Party"

People are shown celebrating the new flavors of Baked Lays. When Miss Piggy has the door closed on her, she disrupts the party by kicking down the door.

Cast: Richard Lewis

Footwear Fila

"Stackhouse"

Jerry Stackhouse dunks a basketball on top of an unfinished skyscraper[36][37]
Home care Dirt Devil

"Broom"

In a scene edited from the 1951 movie, Royal Wedding, Fred Astaire dances with a Dirt Devil Broom vac, all while sweeping up a pile of dirt on the ground.
Dirt Devil

"Ceiling"

In another ad featuring a dance scene from Royal Wedding, Astaire uses the Dirt Devil Ultra hand vac, to clean the walls and ceilings of a room.
Dirt Devil

"Stairs"

Taken from the 1948 movie, Easter Parade; Astaire cleans a set of stairs using the Dirt Devil Ultra MVP Vacuum
Hotel Quality

"Brett Favre"

Brett Favre pops out of a suitcase to answer some questions from a group of reporters
Soft drink Pepsi

"Darth Vader"

While watching Star Wars, a little kid is sucking on the straw of his Pepsi too loud, so Darth Vader uses the force to crush his Pepsi. An usher stands up for the kid, and soon has a giant lightsaber battle with Vader.
Telecommunications MCI

"Emoticons"

The meanings for several emoticons are explained in this advertisement[38]
MCI

"Space Kids"

In the ad, children in a classroom communicate with an astronaut in space, via email and video from MCI. During the conversation, the inside of the classroom becomes weightless and the kids begin to float around like they are in space.[39]

1998 (XXXII)

1999 (XXXIII)

References

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