The Ad Meter Touchdown: 38 Years of Judging Super Bowl Ads

NEW YORK, NY – February 04, 2026 – As brands prepare to spend millions on 30-second spots during the world's biggest advertising showcase, USA TODAY has launched its 38th annual Ad Meter competition. The venerable program, presented this year by State Farm®, stands as the industry's longest-running and most recognized tool for gauging public sentiment on Super Bowl commercials. Since its 1989 debut, Ad Meter has chronicled the evolution of advertising, crowning fan favorites and providing invaluable, unfiltered feedback in an increasingly complex media landscape.

Registered participants can now rate this year’s commercials on a 1-to-5 scale through midnight EST on February 9, with the winner announced the morning after the game. The competition continues to be a central part of the post-game conversation, reflecting which creative concepts truly connected with the massive viewing audience.

A Legacy of Pop Culture and Public Opinion

For nearly four decades, the USA TODAY Ad Meter has served as the definitive public report card for Super Bowl advertisers. What began as a small focus group has transformed into a robust digital platform, but its core mission remains unchanged: to capture the immediate, authentic reaction of the American public. This legacy is built on a history of memorable winners that have become part of the cultural lexicon.

Brands like Anheuser-Busch and PepsiCo have historically dominated the rankings, leveraging humor, heart, and celebrity power to win over viewers. Anheuser-Busch has claimed the top spot a record 15 times, most recently in 2025, while PepsiCo’s brands have won 10 times. Pepsi's 1995 "Inner Tube" ad still holds the record for the highest Ad Meter score. These victories are more than just bragging rights; they signify a successful connection with the audience, a crucial goal when the cost of a 30-second commercial can soar upwards of $10 million.

The Ad Meter's influence grew alongside the Super Bowl's transformation into a can't-miss advertising event, a trend sparked by Apple's iconic "1984" commercial. As the stakes and budgets climbed, the need for a reliable barometer of public opinion became paramount. The Ad Meter filled that role, offering a clear, democratic verdict on which multi-million-dollar bets paid off, at least in the court of public opinion.

The High-Stakes Business of Fan Approval

The immense cost of Super Bowl airtime necessitates a return on investment that extends beyond simple brand awareness. Sponsoring the Ad Meter itself has become a strategic play for brands looking to maximize their association with the "Big Game." For presenting sponsor State Farm, the partnership is a chance to be part of the national conversation.

“The Big Game is one of the few moments where the commercials are just as anticipated as the game itself,” said Kristyn Cook, Chief Agency, Sales & Officer at State Farm. “It’s a massive fan experience and USA TODAY Ad Meter is a unique opportunity to facilitate the national debate on what resonates the most.” The sponsorship allows the insurance giant to celebrate marketing excellence while deepening its relationship with millions of viewers. Uber Eats joins as an associate sponsor, similarly leveraging the platform to stay visible during a peak time for food delivery services.

Research indicates that Super Bowl ads are, on average, 20 times more effective than a typical television ad in influencing brand perception, with a potential ROI of $4 for every dollar spent. However, this success is heavily dependent on creative quality. The Ad Meter provides a direct measure of that creative resonance, or "likability," which studies have shown can correlate with increased online search activity and consumer interest immediately following the game. While it doesn't measure sales directly, a high Ad Meter score is a powerful indicator that an ad has successfully captured the public's attention and affection.

From the Creative Brief to the Classroom

The anticipation of the Ad Meter rankings significantly influences the creative process at advertising agencies. For many, a top-ten finish is a key objective, driving the development of ads that prioritize emotional storytelling, surprising humor, and memorable characters—often featuring animals or beloved celebrities. Some agency executives view the Ad Meter as the "only list that really matters" because it reflects the unfiltered judgment of a broad consumer audience, not just industry insiders.

This focus on public sentiment is also being cultivated in the next generation of marketers through the Ad Meter School Spotlight program. This year, students from 16 universities—including Syracuse University, Michigan State University, and the University of Florida—will use the Ad Meter platform to rate commercials and analyze their effectiveness. The initiative provides an invaluable real-world learning experience, allowing students to apply classroom theories to the industry's most high-profile campaign event. Their findings, which will be published by USA TODAY, contribute a unique youth perspective to the national analysis and help bridge the gap between academic study and professional practice.

Further cementing its role as an industry hub, the 5th annual USA TODAY Ad Meter Summit will convene in San Francisco. The event will feature panels with leaders from top brands like Anheuser-Busch, Toyota, and PepsiCo, who will share insights into their Super Bowl strategies, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the thinking behind the ads viewers will be rating.

More Than a Popularity Contest?

In an era of advanced data analytics, the Ad Meter's simple likability scale faces competition from a host of other measurement tools. Industry publications like Adweek and Ad Age compile their own rankings, often incorporating a wider range of metrics. These can include social media listening data from firms like Hootsuite, which tracks online buzz and sentiment, or search-lift analytics from companies like EDO, which measure how an ad drives consumers to search for a brand online.

Other platforms, such as YouGov, conduct post-game surveys to measure shifts in brand awareness and purchase consideration. Some research firms even use AI-powered tools to predict an ad's creative effectiveness and potential to drive long-term profit before it even airs. These alternative methodologies provide a more holistic view of a campaign's performance, tying creative execution to more direct business outcomes.

Critics have occasionally pointed out that a high Ad Meter score, which heavily favors entertainment value, may not always correlate with a spike in sales or social media dominance. However, the platform's enduring power lies in its simplicity, its history, and its direct connection to the viewing public. For 38 years, it has provided a clear and immediate answer to a simple but crucial question: which ads did people actually like? In the crowded, noisy environment of Super Bowl Sunday, that public verdict remains a highly coveted prize.