The Super Bowl has always been more than a football game. It is a cultural institution where advertising reaches its highest form—a stage where brands compete not just for attention but for a place in collective memory. And if the 1980s invented the modern Super Bowl commercial, the 2000s perfected it.
This was the decade when humor became the dominant language, when celebrity power reached new heights, and when advertising started to feel less like interruption and more like entertainment. From Budweiser's universal catchphrase to Pepsi's gladiator spectacle, the 2000s produced campaigns that are still referenced, shared, and celebrated today.
This article explores why Super Bowl ads matter, analyzes the most memorable campaigns of the 2000s, and reveals how this golden era shaped the future of advertising.
Why Super Bowl Ads Matter
H2: Cultural Impact
With over 90 million viewers annually, the Super Bowl is one of the few remaining mass cultural events. A successful ad during the game doesn't just sell products; it enters the cultural conversation, generating watercooler discussions, media coverage, and social media buzz for weeks afterward.
H2: Celebrity Power
The 2000s saw an explosion of celebrity-driven campaigns. Stars like Britney Spears, Beyoncé, and John Madden brought instant recognition and cultural cachet. Their presence elevated commercials into events worth watching regardless of the product being sold.
H2: Humor and Virality
Comedy became the dominant strategy of the decade. Ads like Budweiser's "Whassup?" and Reebok's "Terry Tate" proved that humor drives memorability. These campaigns were shared, quoted, and imitated—creating viral moments before social media existed.
H2: Innovation
The 2000s pushed creative boundaries. User-generated ads (Doritos), cinematic storytelling (Coca-Cola), and absurdist humor (E*Trade) showed new directions for the medium. Brands experimented with formats, tones, and strategies, creating a diverse landscape of creative approaches.
Notable Campaigns of the 2000s
2000 – Budweiser "Whassup?"
Concept: A group of friends sitting around, watching football, and greeting each other with an increasingly enthusiastic "Whassup?" The ad was simple, authentic, and impossibly quotable.
Impact: Became a global phenomenon, entering everyday language across multiple cultures. The phrase was parodied, referenced, and adopted worldwide. Proved that the simplest concepts can have the biggest impact.
🎥 Watch "Whassup?" here:
2001 – EDS "Running with the Squirrels"
Concept: A clever parody of Pamplona's Running of the Bulls, replaced with squirrels to symbolize nimble business competitors. The ad was funny, memorable, and perfectly suited to its business audience.
Impact: Demonstrated that B2B companies could create Super Bowl-worthy advertising. Proved that business metaphors could be both clever and entertaining.
🎥 Watch "Running with the Squirrels" here:
2002 – Pepsi "Now & Then" with Britney Spears
Concept: Britney Spears traveled through decades of Pepsi advertising, reenacting classic spots with modern production values. The ad was nostalgic, colorful, and musically engaging.
Impact: Reinforced Pepsi's pop culture dominance. Spears's star power connected the brand with younger audiences while honoring its history.
🎥 Watch "Now & Then" here:
2003 – Reebok "Terry Tate: Office Linebacker"
Concept: A linebacker enforced office discipline—tackling employees who wasted time, broke copiers, or failed to recycle. The ad was absurd, hilarious, and perfectly executed.
Impact: Became one of the most shared ads of the decade, proving that workplace satire could resonate far beyond its target audience. Terry Tate became a cultural character, not just a commercial.
🎥 Watch "Terry Tate" here:
2004 – Pepsi "Gladiator" with Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Pink & Enrique Iglesias
Concept: A star-studded musical performance in a gladiator arena, featuring Pepsi's biggest celebrity endorsers performing a cover of Queen's "We Will Rock You."
Impact: One of the most expensive and talked-about ads of the decade. It cemented Pepsi's strategy of aligning with pop music's biggest names and created a spectacle that transcended traditional advertising.
🎥 Watch "Gladiator" here:
2007 – Coca-Cola "Video Game"
Concept: Inspired by Grand Theft Auto, the ad showed a video game thug spreading kindness instead of violence. The cinematic quality and unexpected message resonated with younger audiences.
Impact: Reinforced Coca-Cola's message of positivity while connecting with gaming culture. Proved that cinematic storytelling could work in Super Bowl advertising.
🎥 Watch "Video Game" here:
2008 – E*Trade "Talking Baby"
Concept: A baby talked about stock trading with adult wisdom and deadpan delivery. The absurdity was the point.
Impact: Became an instant viral hit, spawning a recurring campaign that lasted for years. Proved that humor and absurdity could sell financial services.
🎥 Watch "Talking Baby" here:
2009 – Doritos "Crystal Ball"
Concept: A user-generated ad where a crystal ball predicts free Doritos. The ad was created by fans, not professionals, as part of Doritos's "Crash the Super Bowl" contest.
Impact: Highlighted Doritos' strategy of crowdsourcing creativity. Proved that fan-made ads could rival professional campaigns in quality and impact.
🎥 Watch "Crystal Ball" here:
📊 Table: Key Campaigns of the 2000s
| 2000 | Budweiser | Whassup? | Humor, catchphrase culture, global phenomenon |
| 2001 | EDS | Running with the Squirrels | Business metaphor, comedy, B2B innovation |
| 2002 | Pepsi | Now & Then (Britney Spears) | Nostalgia, pop culture, star power |
| 2003 | Reebok | Terry Tate: Office Linebacker | Sports humor, workplace satire, viral character |
| 2004 | Pepsi | Gladiator (Beyoncé, Britney, Pink) | Celebrity music spectacle, expensive production |
| 2007 | Coca-Cola | Video Game | Kindness, cinematic storytelling, gaming culture |
| 2008 | E*Trade | Talking Baby | Viral humor, absurdity, financial services |
| 2009 | Doritos | Crystal Ball | User-generated creativity, crowdsourced success |
Expert Analysis: Why These Campaigns Worked
Humor Ruled the Decade: Ads like "Whassup?" and "Terry Tate" proved that comedy drives memorability. Humor created instant cultural relevance, making viewers want to share the experience with others.
Celebrity Power: Britney Spears, Beyoncé, and Enrique Iglesias brought star appeal that elevated Pepsi's campaigns into global events. Their presence ensured that the ads would be watched, discussed, and remembered.
Innovation in Storytelling: Coca-Cola's "Video Game" ad showed how cinematic storytelling could resonate with younger audiences. Doritos' crowdsourced ads proved that creativity could come from anywhere.
Cultural Resonance: These ads became part of everyday conversations. "Whassup?" entered the language. "Terry Tate" became a character people quoted. They transcended their commercial origins to become cultural artifacts.
Broader Cultural Significance
Catchphrases: "Whassup?" entered everyday language across multiple cultures. It demonstrated that advertising could create linguistic moments, not just commercial ones.
Music Integration: Pepsi's campaigns tied pop stars to brand identity, creating associations that lasted beyond individual ads. The "Gladiator" commercial was as much a music video as an advertisement.
Digital Virality: E*Trade's baby and Doritos' fan ads spread online before "viral" was a marketing buzzword. They proved that great content would find an audience regardless of distribution.
Legacy: Many of these ads are still referenced today, proving their lasting impact. They are studied in marketing courses, shared in advertising retrospectives, and remembered by audiences who watched them live.
Conclusion / The Legacy of 2000s Super Bowl Advertising
The 2000s were a golden era for Super Bowl advertising. Brands used humor, celebrity power, and innovation to create campaigns that transcended marketing. These ads became cultural milestones, shaping how audiences remember the decade.
Budweiser gave us a universal catchphrase. Pepsi created pop spectacles. Reebok introduced a character we still quote. Doritos proved that fans could be creators. Coca-Cola showed that video games could teach kindness.
Together, these campaigns defined what Super Bowl advertising could be—not just commercials, but shared cultural experiences. They remind us that the best advertising doesn't interrupt what we care about; it becomes part of it.
🎥 Iconic Super Bowl Ads of the 2000s on YouTube (Raw Links)
Budweiser "Whassup?" (2000):
Watch YouTube videoEDS "Running with the Squirrels" (2001):
Watch YouTube videoPepsi "Now & Then" with Britney Spears (2002):
Watch YouTube videoReebok "Terry Tate: Office Linebacker" (2003):
Watch YouTube videoPepsi "Gladiator" with Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Pink & Enrique Iglesias (2004):
Watch YouTube videoCoca-Cola "Video Game" (2007):
Watch YouTube videoE*Trade "Talking Baby" (2008):
Watch YouTube videoDoritos "Crystal Ball" (2009):
Watch YouTube video
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