The most talked about Super Bowl ads of 2022

Super Bowl LVI dominated Twitter’s trending topics on Sunday, as the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals and viewers enjoyed an epic halftime show. 

But the ads generated just as much buzz.

This year, Super Bowl commercials were tweeted about 428,579 times and received 2.21 million engagements, according to Sprout Social. Overall, there were 284,093 tweets about Super Bowl ads on February 13, generating 13.86 billion potential impressions, said Sprout Social.

This year, as the world slowly settles into a new normal, brands stayed away from political, purpose-driven messaging and dove into playful humor and innovation. Overall, 61% of tweets about the ads were positive, 23% were neutral and 16% were negative. 

Campaign US rounded up some of the Big Game ads that generated the biggest social media buzz. 

Coinbase

Coinbase's Super Bowl ad was easily the most buzzed about during the game. The spot featured a colorful QR code bouncing around the screen similar to a DVD or computer screen saver, which directed viewers to the cryptocurrency company’s website.

The ad became a trending Twitter topic on Sunday with over 31,000 tweets, 250,000 engagements and 207.5 million potential impressions, according to Sprout Social. The spot might have worked a little too well—the Coinbase site crashed during the game.

Coinbase spending $16,000,000 on a Superbowl ad to direct people to their website and $0 to make sure that website doesn't crash 10 seconds after the ad starts is so very internet.

— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) February 14, 2022

Hi, it's me, member of a supposedly evolved species who spent 30 seconds chasing the CoinBase QR code around the screen with his phone camera like a cat watching a goldfish swimming in a bowl. #SuperBowl

— nascarcasm (@nascarcasm) February 14, 2022

You really spent probably $3 million for a 30 second #SuperBowl ad to have a QR code bouncing around like a Microsoft screen saver? Super Bowl commercials are officially dead.

— Bato (@RealMattBarbato) February 14, 2022

Chevrolet's 'New Generation (The Sopranos)'

“The Sopranos” made a comeback on Super Bowl Sunday with the return of Tony Soprano’s daughter, Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler), in Chevrolet’s spot. 

Sigler drives an electric Silverado from New York to New Jersey with the show’s original theme song “Woke Up This Morning” by Alabama 3 playing in the background. The scene copies “The Sopranos” iconic opening credits.

At the end, Sigler meets up with her TV brother, AJ (Robert Iler), as the Silverado allows her to parallel park with ease.

Sopranos + Chevy commercial #1 right now.

— Peter Burns (@PeterBurnsESPN) February 14, 2022

oh my god sopranos commercial wins too. that hug ��

— Jessica Smetana (@jessica_smetana) February 14, 2022

FTX’s 'Don't Miss Out with Larry David'

Cryptocurrency exchange FTX recruited comedian Larry David for its Super Bowl spot, but the creative received mixed reviews. 

The spot features David appearing throughout the ages as he criticizes life-changing inventions like the wheel and the lightbulb. The ad ends in the present day, with an FTX employee describing the cryptocurrency exchange as "a safe and easy way to get into crypto.”  David replies, "Eh, I don't think so. And I'm never wrong about this stuff."

While some people loved seeing David in a Super Bowl ad, other fans were disappointed to see the comic tout cryptocurrency. 

But the campaign was a hit on Twitter thanks to a crypto giveaway fans could enter using the hashtag #FTXContest.

Larry David being in a crypto commercial is the single most devastating thing to ever happen to me please give me space to process.

— Zach Kornfeld (@korndiddy) February 14, 2022

Larry David for the win!

— Hoda Kotb (@hodakotb) February 14, 2022

Amazon’s 'Mind Reader'

Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost teamed up with Amazon to imagine a world where Alexa can read your mind. In the spot, the couple are placed in various “what if” scenarios that make life harder – as well as a bit more awkward at home. 

For instance, Alexa automatically adds mouthwash to the couple’s grocery list after Johansson wakes up too close to Jost. The virtual assistant reminds Jost to “fake his own death” so he can miss Johansson’s upcoming performance. And at a dinner party, Alexa gets too candid with guests about Jost and Johansson’s food preparation. 

According to Sprout Social, the spot received 12,894 tweets and 61,411 engagements and mentions of Johansson and Jost reached 2,581 tweets and 13,512 engagements.

I have not laughed at a commercial in a long time but this one with with @ColinJost and Scarlett Johansson had my laughing out loud over and over. https://t.co/e5LZhduQj6

— Mal Meyer (@MalWGME) February 13, 2022

Squarespace’s 'Sally's Seashells'

Website builder Squarespace put an entrepreneurial spin on the classic tongue twister “Sally Sells Seashells” for its Super Bowl spot, starring Zendaya. 

The actress portrays Sally, a seashell seller who can’t get her business off the ground. She launches a website on Squarespace and expands her seashell business to include a jewelry and fashion line, meditation sessions and even sea excursions. 

The whimsical spot, narrated by Outkast’s André 3000, drew in 8,666 tweets and 101,027 engagements for Squarespace.

Zendaya also played a role in influencing the ad’s popularity: the “Euphoria” star’s name brought in 10,431 tweets and 108,335 engagements.

thank you squarespace for blessing us with Zendaya pic.twitter.com/7Y34e8k05W

— malachi (@MCUMarvels) February 9, 2022