Our picks for the 10 greatest Super Bowl commercials of all time

In today's world of Tivo and DVR, it's hard to imagine a room full of people eagerly gathering 'round the television for a commercial break. On Super Bowl Sunday however, it's become an underlying tradition.

In honor of Super Bowl XLV, we take a look back at what we think were some of the best commercials ever aired during the Super Bowl. How will this year's lineup stack up against our list? Grab your nachos and salsa, and enjoy these classic clips of premium Super Bowl air time.

#10: "Desert Island" by FedEx (2003). Perhaps inspired by the film "Castaway" a few years earlier, this ad shows how truly dedicated FedEx's employees are, even when they don't know what's inside the box.

 

#9: Pepsi's 1992 ad featuring Cindy Crawford. This commercial makes the cut because of it's sheer star power and wit. It's also scores points in the "visually pleasing" category.

#8: Doritos "Check Out Girl" ad (2007) This ad borders on disturbing, but makes the cut because it remains one of the most memorable; and you can't deny the creative humor involved. This commercial was the submitted winner of the Crash the Super Bowl competition. Doritos does it again.

 

#7: Wendy's "Where's the Beef?" (1984) Even those born years later know the cultural phenomenon that was "Where's the Beef?" Tragically, the beef has yet to be located.

 

#6: Budweiser's "Ref Tune Out" (2009) Budweiser has had enough great commercials to warrant a list of their own, but this one happened to make the cut. The list does not discriminate against new ads. If it's funny, it's in, and this is funny.

 

#5: Michelob Ultra's "Touch Football" ad (2006) a light-hearted take on a friendly outdoor game. Touch football gets a little too touchy. Sidenote: the tackle at the end of the clip may have drawn a launching flag in today's NFL.

 

#4: Bud Light's "Skydiving" ad (2005) if this list was purely based on humor and creativity, this would be the hands-down winner; however, our scientific process takes history into account.

 

#3: Pepsi's "Apartment 10G" ad (1985) A short clip featuring one of the biggest acting names of the 1980's. This scored plenty of points in the "fond memories" category. The commercial was such a hit, the name Danielle skyrocketed in popularity shortly after.

 

#2: Coca Cola's "Mean Joe Green" (1979) Thought this would be number one? It was close. They just don't make commercials like this anymore. This clip has so much nostalgia, it's been parodied several times in today's culture. Enjoy.

 

#1: McDonald's "Nothing but Net" (1993) Here it is, the best of the best. This commercial scores in all categories, much like Jordan and Bird in the height of their careers. Plenty of star power, humor, and nostalgia landed this gem at the top of the list.

 

 

Well, there you have it. More than 30 years of pop culture reside on this list.

You don't have to agree with the rankings. In fact, add your nominations by clicking on the comment button below. Still, we hope you enjoyed taking a look back at what we think were some of the best Super Bowl commercials ever. Now, clean up those nacho crumbs.