Note: To access the new 2023 version of this blog post, please click here.

As we come to the end of 2022, it’s time to look back at the best commercials of the year. These were the highlights, the ones that made us laugh, cry, or just stop and think. Whether they were for a new product or an old one, these commercials left their mark on us.

We’ll go into more detail below, but here are our eight picks for the most engaging commercials of 2022 (in no particular order):

• Frito Lay, “Flamin’ Hot”
• Apple, “911”
• Virgin Media, “We’re better, connected – Skatergirl”
• NFL, “Bring Down the House”
• Nike, “Nike 50th Anniversary – Seen It All”
• Rocket Mortgage, “Dream House”
• Airbnb, “Bonnie & Clyde”
• Samsung, “Rear Window”

Best Commercials of 2022

1. Frito Lay, “Flamin’ Hot”

Let’s start off with one of the favorites from this year’s Super Bowl. This hilarious spot features musical superstars Megan Thee Stallion and Charlie Puth, but not in the fashion you’d expect. Instead, Megan is voicing a red songbird and Puth, a beatboxing fox, as they’re backed by several other animals who get their paws on some Flamin’ Hot chips and begin a hilarious rendition of Salt-N-Pepa’s 80’s classic, “Push It.”

While using notable celebrities in big commercial spots is nothing new, what Frito Lay did here by masking their voices behind the faces of animals is a ruse worthwhile. It also keeps the attention on the actual creative and product as opposed to the pop star turned salesperson.

2. Apple, “911”

This tear-jerking spot highlights the Apple Watch’s life-saving potential in the face of an emergency. As a drone camera dramatically flys across different terrains, we hear various 911 calls with emergency responders—a woman whose car has flipped; a man who drifts out to sea while paddle boarding against strong winds—none of which would have been possible if not for their Apple Watches.

The commercial is effective not just because it tugs at heartstrings, but it positions the product as something more essential than some shiny new gadget; it’s something that can make the difference between life and death in just a matter of seconds.

3. Virgin Media, “We’re better, connected – Skatergirl”

This commercial centers a young woman who is drawn to skateboarding after watching numerous videos online. We then see her take to a skate park to put her interest into practice only to fall off her board while peers record her embarrassment.

When she returns online, there is the feeling that things are about to take a turn for the worse, but she is instead showered with encouragement, ultimately showing the power of human connection made possibly through technology.

The under-represented minorities featured in the spot, specifically “skatergirl” Aamira herself, beautifully reflect the endless possibilities we have at our fingertips no mater where we grow up in the world. It’s an inspiring commercial that every young adult should take a second to watch.

4. NFL, “Bring Down the House”

Football is often thought of as a violent sport, and this Super Bowl commercial puts an endearing, comedic spin on that perspective as it features animated star NFL players, coaches, and refs from over the years completely ravaging a family’s home.

The animation is especially spectacular. It’s comprised by blending real world puppetry and human physicality with proprietary compositing technology. This leans in perfectly with the NFL’s influence on American culture, positioning itself parallel with the technological advances of both current and incoming generations. Basically, the NFL is here to stay, given it’s willing to remain malleable in attracting younger and older generations alike.

5. Nike, “Nike 50th Anniversary – Seen It All”

Ahh, nostalgia. We all love to ruminate about the things that made us feel most alive from the good ol’ days, but if Nike’s 50th Anniversary commercial teaches us anything, it’s to celebrate the past while focusing on the future.

Directed by and starring Academy Award winner Spike Lee as he reprises his “Mars Blackmon” role from the legendary Air Jordan commercials of the 1980’s, this spot turns the pages of Nike’s acclaimed history from past to present. The energy is kinetic, with Blackmon engaging in a give-and-go, rhyme-fest of a debate with a young lady about whose generation has witnessed the “craziest” sports moments.

It’s truly enough to leave you out of breath, which is exactly the point when you think about the marathon-like legacy of Nike’s history and the imprint it will undoubtedly have on generations to come.

6. Rocket Mortgage, “Dream House”

Another Super Bowl favorite, this spot features Anna Kendrick popping up in a little girl’s play room to help her Barbie doll find her new dream using using Rocket Homes. However, when House-Flipper Skipper, Better-Offer Betty and Cash-Offer Carl arrive on the scene (all represented by other dolls), what unravels is an adorable mess of negotiations to convince Barbie to take their offer over the others.

Sure, kids are not the target audience for mortgage companies, but utilizing this type of creative really simplifies the mortgaging process for adults, making it more digestible for those who are perhaps looking to buy their first home.

7. Airbnb, “Bonnie & Clyde”

The joy of traveling with a loved one need not dissipate once we reach a certain age, and that’s the warming sentiment of this Airbnb commercial. Using just still photos of an elderly couple on a “baecation” set to the backdrop of Jay Z and Beyonce’s “03 Bonnie and Clyde,” the spot captures a type of romance usually thought to be reserved for youth.

Airbnb does a great job of showing how a change of scenery can keep us young and vibrant, all made easy thanks to being able to book a nice stay anywhere in the world with just a few clicks on an app.

8. Samsung, “Rear Window”

How about an unusual love story to send us off. The star of this well-received Samsung commercial is not a familiar face as with some of the other picks on this list, but instead is a hairy spider. The spider catches sight of an advertising poster for Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra from its terrarium window and grows enamored with it, presumably because its eyes closely resemble the multiple camera lenses on the phone.

The concept is genius, and the commercial’s ability to paint affection between an animal and an inanimate object calls into question our own relationship with our phones and other technological devices. Most of us can’t go 5 minutes without using our phones in some capacity.

So, who are we really to judge our little fury friend?