12:40 a.m.

Facebook – “Rock”

Facebook has an uphill climb with so many people, especially in the 18-34 demographic. So much of this ad was aimed at older audiences than that (note the rocking chair group), and the use of a 1980s rock anthem underscores that effort. It was a decent effort, but unlikely to generate much water cooler talk on Monday morning. Grade: A. Ad Meter Grade: 7.

Tide – “Finally Later”

After an evening of frustration, Charlie Day finally gets his shirt clean – only to have Emily Hampshire soil his sweater. Tide kept this theme running even longer, stretching into parts of “The Masked Singer.” If the goal of advertising is to be remembered, Tide will probably be the king of remembrance for Super Bowl LIV. Grade: A+. Ad Meter Grade: 8.

12:32 a.m.

Toyota – “Heroes”

Toyota puts its Highlander into several imperiled situations and shows that it has more than enough room to hold a lot of people who need rides. It’s fun and interesting, and it’s very flattering to its signature SUV. Without using star power, this ad definitely stands out a bit. Grade: A. Ad Meter Grade: 8.

Discover – “No, We Don’t Charge Annual Fees”

Discover splits its 30 seconds between two 15-second spots that employ a number of classic movies. This first one focuses on people saying “No,” including Matthew Perry from Friends. It’s OK, but it’s not terribly memorable. Grade: A-. Ad Meter Grade: 7.

Disney Plus – “Marvel Studios”

Yes, I normally hate trailers, but this one is a bit different. Disney Plus used this spot to show a number of as-yet-unseen Marvel teases, which will be a key selling point for its service. Maybe I’m just a big Disney-Marvel fan, but this ad had me looking forward to the launch of these series. Grade: A. Ad Meter Grade: 7.

Discover – “Yes, We’re Accepted”

This second spot focuses on classic “yes” lines and is slightly stronger than the “no” ad. Grade: A. Ad Meter Grade: 7.

T-Mobile – “Mama Tests 5G”

It’s amazing just how far T-Mobile has come in recent years, and that includes its big-time advertising. In this bit, Anthony Anderson and his ever-lovable Mama test the limits of T-Mobile’s 5G service, which extends from the beach to the club. Anthony is the big name, but his Mama is what ultimately sells the ad. Grade: A+. Ad Meter Grade: 10.

Budweiser – “Typical American”

In the evening’s last big sentimental ad, Budweiser adds the patriotic sell to accompany its signature sentiment. There are no animals this time – only “typical” Americans in very non-typical situations. The weakest part of the ad is when they ensure that typical Americans celebrate with the typical American beer – Budweiser. Yes, the product shows up, but it feels forced at that point. Everything else is golden. Grade: A. Ad Meter Grade: 8.

Procter & Gamble – “When We Come Together”

Procter & Gamble got inventive with its spot, allowing people at home to vote throughout the game for different directions that it’s commercial might go. Of course, the outcome was never completely a mystery, as the company was certain that it would position tons of its products using a myriad of celebrities. (By my count, at least seven products and six celebrities.) The result was a pretty memorable ad. Grade: A+. Ad Meter Grade: 10.

Microsoft – “Be the One”

On a night when female empowerment was an important theme, this was the best ad to showcase that. Microsoft uses San Francisco assistant coach Katie Sowers to showcase how women can break barriers (presumably while using Microsoft Surface tablets). The key line was when Katie said she didn’t want to be the best female coach in the NFL, but the best coach in the NFL. Bravo, Katie. Sorry about the game’s outcome. Grade: A. Ad Meter Grade: 7.

11:40 p.m.

Kia – “Tough Never Quits”

Kia’s big game ad puts Josh Jacobs of the Raiders behind the wheel, while giving some sage advice to his younger self. It’s a sweet ad, but still a bit forgettable. In the midst of some more winning ads, this one will probably get a bit lost. Grade: B. Ad Meter Grade: 5.

Turkish Airlines – “Step on Earth”

Just as with the Kia-Josh Jacobs ad, Turkish Airlines’ “Step on Earth” will probably suffer by comparison. It’s a neat concept – sending three people on their first-ever globe-trotting journeys. The problem is that it’s a bit understated and requires some close attention to understand fully. This ad will fare better on the web. Grade: B. Ad Meter Grade: 5.

Reese’s – “Rock”

One of this year’s funniest ads uses a host of idioms to describe people who have no clue about the Take 5 bar. (Count me with the guy who has his head up his rear, because I’m not familiar with it either.) After today, people should know more about it, but I’m betting that most people think this was a peanut butter cup ad. Grade: A+. Ad Meter Grade: 8.11:28 p.m.

Bud Light Seltzer – “Inside Post’s Brain”

Bud Light takes a page from “Inside Out” by going inside the brain of Post Malone to show the conflict he has when choosing between Bud Light and the new Bud Light seltzer. (Choose the seltzer, Post.) Funny commercial, but I really felt bad for the store clerk. Hopefully, Post, who the commercial reminds us is really rich, will spend some of that cash fixing the guy’s store. Grade: A+. Ad Meter Grade: 9.

Little Caesar’s – “Best Thing Since Sliced Bread”

Count on Little Caesar’s to deliver a funny commercial to the Super Bowl. What I hadn’t counted on was delivery service, which this service was touting. Rainn Wilson ensures that the funny bone gets tickled, and that the ad winds up on the winning side. Grade: A. Ad Meter Grade: 8.

Dorito’s – “The Cool Ranch”

Every year, Dorito’s has a contender for the best commercial of the big game. This year’s entry might not reach the top, but it’s definitely one of this year’s better ads. Nas, Sam Elliott and Billy Ray Cyrus have a little fun in a game of one-upsmanship (which Nas wins with some fancy horse footwork). When Sam’s mustache did the wave, I knew we’d be liking this one. Grade: A+. Ad Meter Grade: 10.

11:08 p.m.

Amazon – “Hunters”

Another trailer. Hooray. This series looks interesting, but I’m just not interested right now. Grade: C. Ad Meter Grade: 4.

Pepsi – “Zero Sugar Done Right”

Pepsi’s 2020 effort relies 100 percent on celebrity – just like every other ad the soda maker has run in recent years. No features – just “buy this because Missy Elliott is in this ad.” The song choice and the red-to-black theme were clever, but it kind of ends there. Pepsi is still not OK. Grade: C. Ad Meter Grade: 4.

11:02 p.m.

Sodastream – “Water on Mars”

Sodastream has been trying to be a Super Bowl player for years, and this year’s ad marks one of their better efforts. Using Bill Nye the Science Guy for a little extra credibility, Sodastream places their product on Mars and has a hapless astronaut using it to drink the rarest of water. Inventive, funny, effective. Grade: A+. Ad Meter Grade: 8.

10:55 p.m.

Verizon – “What 5G Won’t Do”

Institutional advertising is pretty common during the Super Bowl, and Verizon tried its hand at that this year. The problem is that they tried to connect too many dots, and it didn’t completely work. Let’s see – we have 5G, it helps people, but 5G won’t help people be more heroic, so you should love our service because we like heroes. Uh, no. It tugs at the heartstrings a bit, but not nearly as well as Google, New York Life and a few others. Grade: B. Ad Meter Grade: 6.

Hummer – “Quiet Revolution”

This ad suffers from a big problem inherent especially to the Super Bowl – lack of attention span. Super Bowl fans are deluged with sensory overload, from the big game to commercials to the halftime show. This commercial requires people to pay close attention in order for it to be truly successful. I like the message. I just don’t think it was crafted with this audience in mind. Grade: B+. Ad Meter Grade: 6.

10:42 p.m.

Hard Rock – “The Hype”

So this one was just confusing. At first I thought I was watching a promo for J-Lo’s halftime performance, but then she was chasing this guy around and asking a bunch of her celebrity friends to help her slow the guy down. At no point did I really grasp that this was a Hard Rock ad until the end of it all, and that’s a big deal considering that this cost them more than $23 million to run, not counting the production costs. Grade: C-. Ad Meter Grade: 4.

10:22 p.m.

Game over. Kansas City comes back to win, 31-20. Very entertaining game, and a lot of great ads. I have some more catching up to do, and I’ll post my final rankings.

Sabra – “How We ‘Muss”

Sabra is face not usually seen in Super Bowl broadcasts, and they do a decent job of positioning their hummus with a host of fairly recognizable celebrities (including Erkel!). It’s a little cute, slightly funny, maybe a little memorable. I could see myself getting some hummus later this week. Grade: A+. Ad Meter Grade: 8.

10:06 p.m.

Dreamworks – “Minons: The Rise of Gru”

Meh – another trailer. Don’t get me wrong – I love the Minions, and I’ll probably end up seeing this film. But movie trailers in the big game don’t mix for me. (You probably get that by now.) Grade: B. Ad Meter Grade: 5.

9:59 p.m.

Audi – “Let It Go”

This is a classic case of advertisers not grasping what their target audience loves – and hates. “Let It Go,” from Disney’s “Frozen,” was so five years ago. I’ve polled more than 100 people about this ad (most of them students in my classes), and less than 10 percent of them even liked this ad passingly. Most of them hated it. The car might be cool, and there were some nice special effects, but even so, add this commercial to the contenders for the bottom of the Ad Meter. Grade: D. Ad Meter Grade: 3.

9:43 p.m.

Jeep – “Groundhog Day”

Just when you thought Amazon had the Ad Meter wrapped up, Jeep shows up with what I think is the night’s clear winner. Bill Murray resurrects his classic “Groundhog Day” character – on Groundhog Day – and delivers a hilarious performance that leaves us wanting more. I might just watch the movie after the game. (Or at least after “The Masked Singer”.) The ad has humor, great product placement and was incredibly well-planned. Grade: A+. Ad Meter Grade: 10.

9:35 p.m.

Planters – “Tribute”

Planters originally planned to have a much different ad running in this spot, and it probably would have made much more sense. The Kobe Bryant tragedy, however, changed the plans, so instead we got this very strange ad where a baby Mr. Peanut emerges from the grave speaking at first in dolphin-speak and then in a grown Mr. Peanut voice. Grade: B. Ad Meter Grade: 5.

MGM – “No Time to Die”

Another trailer, and though I’m a Bond fan, I’m really over the trailers. No doubt that I’m looking forward to Bond 25, but I’m not looking forward to more run-of-the-mill movie trailers (even if they promise to “change everything”). Grade: B. Ad Meter Grade: 6.

9:17 p.m.

Marvel – “Black Widow”

I love the Marvel universe, but movie trailers – especially ones I’ve seen in theatres – don’t do much for me. Based on previous Ad Meters, they don’t do much for most people. Grade: C+. Ad Meter Grade: 5.

Genesis – “Going Away Party”

You’d think that super-couple John Legend and Chrissy Teigen would have the star power that, when matched with decent humor, would result in a super ad. It’s not bad, but just as Chrissy’s big reveal in the commercial falls flat, so does the commercial at that point. Potential wasted. Grade: B+. Ad Meter Grade: 6.

9:05 p.m.

Amazon – “Before Alexa”

Amazon’s 2020 entry into the Super Bowl sweepstakes is definitely one of the one’s you’ll be talking about tomorrow. Everything is here – including Ellen Degeneres and an allusion to why Richard Nixon’s tapes never got erased. Amazon shows off its home service by displaying what you wouldn’t have if you didn’t have Alexa. Funny, smart, winning. Grade: A+. Ad Meter Grade: 10.

Michelob Ultra – “Jimmy Works Out”

Late night TV’s best host uses his celebrity to hawk Michelob Ultra with the help of a few friends, including John Cena. It’s fun and it’s sell some beer, but you feel like you should be having more fun, especially given that watching “The Tonight Show” is often more enjoyable than this high-priced ad. Grade: A. Ad Meter Grade: 7.

8:59 p.m.

Tide – “Bud Knight”

Just when we think that the Bud Knight is showing up for the Super Bowl, Tide sends in Charlie Day, who is wandering through the big game in an effort to wash his shirt. Tide’s campaign is definitely one of this year’s winners. Grade: A+. Ad Meter Grade: 9.

Tide – “Wonder Woman”

Charlie Day reappears to help us remember that his stain still needs to be washed and that the new “Wonder Woman 84” movie is in our future. Still clever … still works. Grade: A+. Ad Meter Grade: 9.

8:38 p.m.

Heinz – “Find the Goodness”

Sometimes, there’s nothing really wrong with an ad. There’s just nothing really right with it, either. Take this year’s Heinz ad, which shows that ketchup can cross cultures and even galaxies. OK, ketchup is good and Heinz is probably the best. But last year’s ad featuring dogs was so much better and to the point. Having us focus on four different scenes at one is too much to ask, especially during the Super Bowl. Grade: C+. Ad Meter Grade: 5.

8:30 p.m.

Michael Bloomberg – “Gun Violence”

What I said about Trump earlier goes exactly the same for Bloomberg. Keep the politics out of the Super Bowl. Grade: D-. Ad Meter Grade: 2.

8:25 p.m.

Hulu Live – “Tom Brady”

This is a pretty basic ad with Tom Brady telling us he’s reading a script that says what Hulu will offer. The game’s biggest star is a nice draw, but we probably won’t remember it tomorrow. Grade: B. Ad Meter Grade: 6.

8:19 p.m.

NFL – “The Next 100”

The game’s lead-in was cute and featured a boy running the ball all the way to the Super Bowl and into the stadium. Along the way, he encounters a pantheon of the game’s greats. Once again, the NFL makes a memorable ad showcasing the league.  Grade: A+. Ad Meter Grade: 9.

8:13 p.m.

The ads moved so quickly (and FOX fell so far behind in running its scheduled ads) that I’m struggling to keep up. Here is my first catch-up:

State Farm – “Back in the Office”

The first official commercial in the Super Bowl was such a retread that it was easy to miss. It’s almost an exact duplicate as the original, which makes it fairly forgettable.  Grade: D-. Ad Meter Grade: 2.

Disney – “Mulan”

Movie trailers are rarely inspiring, especially when they happen before the game gets started. I’m definitely looking forward to Mulan, but a trailer in the big game isn’t watch any of us are looking to see.  Grade: C-. Ad Meter Grade: 3.

7:59 p.m.

Pop-Tarts – “Fixed the Pretzel”

Our first contender for the Ad Meter loser has so much going wrong with it. First of all, were people really clamoring for a Pop-Tart with a pretzel crust? This seems like a solution without a problem. Next, everything about this ad feels over the top. It’s kind of in-your-face, saying “You’re going to love this product just because we say so.” Nothing feels right about this, and I definitely won’t be buying this pastry. Grade: F. Ad Meter Grade: 2.

7:58 p.m.

WeatherTech – “Lucky Dog”

This year’s ads will ramp up the sentiment, and this ad is a classic case of that. Without a famous spokesperson or even a good idea of what WeatherTech actually does, this commercial will connect directly with your heart. I mean, c’mon, can you actually watch this ad about a cancer surviving dog and feel snarky or callous? (For the record, WeatherTech makes high-end floor mats. If you donate to their cause, you’ll probably learn more about that.) Grade: A. Ad Meter Grade: 7. (But I gave this one a 9/10 because it made me feel warm and fuzzy inside.)

7:56 p.m.

Google – “Loretta”

This ad will not win the Ad Meter, but it won my heart from the first time I watched it. Simply put, with no action and no celebrity spokesman, Google did everything it needed to do to move us to tears while showing us exactly what their product will do. This commercial is off-the-charts great, and while it’s not going to be No. 1 on the meter, it will be No. 1 in our hearts. Grade: A+. Ad Meter Grade: 10.

7:52 p.m.

Porsche – “The Heist”

OK, so this commercial isn’t much different from the “Fast and Furious,” which says a lot about the F9 trailer. This is actually a little fun, but it’s also a little forgettable. Most of us will never dream of buying a Porsche, so this commercial is as close as we’ll come. Grade: B+. Ad Meter Grade: 6.

7:50 p.m.

Coca-Cola – “Show Up”

We’re used to seeing Pepsi own this space, so it’s nice to finally see Coca-Cola “show up.” Even so, this soda feels a little flatter than it should. Sure, we get our fill of Jonah Hill and Martin Scorcese, and I’ve already tried the Coke Zero Sugar Energy, and it’s not bad. But while commercial puts the product in a decent light, it still isn’t likely to make me race out and buy some. Grade: A-. Ad Meter Grade: 7.

7:42 p.m.

Pringles – “Rick and Morty”

Sometimes ads are meant to appeal to a target audience, and this is a prime example. People over the age of 30 probably will be lost by a Rick and Morty ad, but those probably aren’t the people most likely to scarf a can of Pringles anyway. Pringles nails its target audience squarely on the head while staying true to nature of its cartoon spokepeople. Grade: A+. Ad Meter Grade: 9.

7:38 p.m.

Michelob Ultra Pure Gold – “6-For-6 Pack”

Once again, a product tries to sell us by convincing us to buy it in order to be socially aware. Drink the beer, save the planet. Maybe that will work, but most beer drinkers aren’t trying to save the planet. It’s OK, but I’m not buying a watered-down beer because it’s organic. Sorry – no sale. Grade: C. Ad Meter Grade: 4.

7:28 p.m.

Rocket Mortgage – “Comfortable”

I really should like this ad more. It’s memorable, but maybe for all of the wrong reasons. Watching Jason Momoa turn from Aquaman into a 99-pound weakling is a bit disconcerting. Sure, he’s comfortable, but I’m a bit creeped out by the process. It gets a grudging A, but I need to decompress for a while. Grade: A. Ad Meter Grade: 7.

7:23 p.m.

Cheetos – “Can’t Touch This”

Forget Chester Cheetah. Bring on MC Hammer and a raging case of the cheesy fingers. How many times have any of us eaten a cheesy chip and then found that we had unusable fingers? Cheetos plays on that scenario with this very funny, very winning ad that scores on just about every level. Hammer time! Grade: A+. Ad Meter Grade: 9.

Olay – “Make Room for Women”

A year ago, Olay made one of the best commercials in the big game broadcast. But that ad had something to do with their product. This one has a noble premise – making sure that women get everything that they’re due and ensuring that our girls grow up with bright educational and career prospects. I’m all behind that, but just making an ad that says that doesn’t make that ad interesting. This one definitely isn’t. Grade: D-. Ad Meter Grade: 2.

7:22 p.m.

Hyundai – “Smaht Pahk”

Hyundai is starting to make a name for cranking out winning Super Bowl commercials. Last year, it was Jason Bateman and the elevator. This year, they quadruple the celebrities as they display the Sonata’s self-parking – er, “pahking” – ability. Who knows how well the car drives, but it sure can navigate a tight space. (And Hyundai continues to make us smile.) Grade: A+. Ad Meter Grade: 10.

7:20 p.m.

Snickers – “#SnickersFixtheWorld”

Gone are the days when Betty White and Abe Vigoda made us laugh and crave a Snickers. Now, the candy bar has moved on to bigger prospects – fixing the entire world. The set up is nice, but there just seems to be a little bit lacking in the execution, and a lot lacking in terms of humor. It’s probably effective in positioning the product, and that’s what Snickers wants for its $5.6 million. This ad just won’t come close to the top of the meter. Grade: A. Ad Meter Grade: 7.

7:19 p.m.

Mountain Dew – “As Good as the Original”

Movie remake commercials will be one theme tonight, and Mountain Dew cashes in on that with its homage to “The Shining.” Instead of Jack Nicholson and Shelly Duvall, we get Bryan Cranston, who hacks his way inside of a door in order to hand Tracee Ellis-Ross a Mountain Dew Zero. Yeah, it’s a bit creepy, but it does get us remembering the soda. Grade: A+. Ad Meter Grade: 8.

Squarespace – “Winona in Winona”

This one has a cute premise – Winona Ryder lying near the sign that welcomes people to Winona, Minn., while designing her new website. It borrows a vibe from the movie “Fargo,” and it’s, again, cute. But it never goes beyond that and it’s even a little hard to remember that this was for Squarespace and not some other website designer. Grade: B. Ad Meter Grade: 5.

New York Life – “Love Takes Action”

New York Life hits the heartstrings with this ad, which gives us a little lesson in the Greek definitions of love. This ad’s core meaning will be very familiar to many Christians, who have been taught about the meanings for decades. Equating agape love with the purchase of life insurance was pretty inspired. If you truly love your family, you’ll take action and name them as beneficiaries. (Heads up – make sure you have tissues handy for the rest of the Super Bowl. More tears await in future commercials.) Grade: A+. Ad Meter Grade: 10.

7:16 p.m.

Donald Trump – “Criminal Justice Reform”

No way do I tell you what my political bent is, but I’ll say this – I don’t like to mix politics and sports. There’s no way we can fact-check these ads live, and they’ll alienate just as many people as they attract. It’s a big audience, so I get trying to appeal to a large crowd. But let’s keep the politics and the big game separate.  Grade: D-. Ad Meter Grade: 2.

7:10 p.m.

Tide – “Super Bowl Now, #LaundryLater”

Once again, Tide catches us off-guard. Once the sauce got smeared on Charlie Day’s shirt, I suspected this was a Tide ad. But then we got Bud Light, and then the Pepsi halftime show. Finally, Emily Hampshire points us to the penultimate point of the ad – Tide Pods. And then Charlie shows up in the Masked Singer ad! Brilliant! Tide scores once again! Grade: A+. Ad Meter Grade: 10.

7:02 p.m.

Quibi – “Bank Heist”

If you’re going to launch a new product with a Super Bowl ad, you should really make sure that ad is memorable. The bank heist idea is interesting, and we’re supposed to think that this app is completely engaging because the driver would rather watch his episode than pick up his friends. Honestly, if you’ve seen “Baby Driver,” can you imagine Jamie Foxx on the other end of this heist? Cross off one driver, and try again Quibi. Grade: D+. Ad Meter Grade: 3.

7:01 p.m.

Universal – “F9: The Fast Saga”

So the first ad in the Super Bowl is a trailer. And not just any trailer, but a trailer for the ninth movie in a series. Honestly, you could swamp any Fast and Furious trailer for another and I wouldn’t notice. Grade: D. Ad Meter Grade: 2.

6:36 p.m.

Game on. Yolanda Adams did nicely with “God Bless America,” Demi Lovato nailed the national anthem. San Francisco wins the toss, and Kansas City will get the ball first. Let’s roll!

5:27 p.m.

I just went to Procter & Gamble’s pre-Super Bowl site where they’re allowing people at home to design their 4th quarter commercial. I don’t know if it will top the Ad Meter, but it’s kind of genius because it incorporates close to a dozen P&G products, along with cameos from Sofia Vergara, Rob Riggle and Busy Phillips. If you want to help design the ad, go to https://www.whenwecometogether.com/.

4:27 p.m.

It’s almost game time! Super Bowl LIV starts in just more than two hours, and we’ll be here the entire time, live blogging every commercial during the big game. If you know me, everything comes down to a formula, and I have one for these commercials that relies heavily on an evalution the three modes of persuasion – pathos, ethos and logos. (Thanks to Aristotle for those.)

Good commercials make us feel something – humor, sadness, joy, anger. That goes more than double for Super Bowl ads, which will cost an estimated $5.6 million for a 30-second spot. If these advertisers want us to remember them in a field crowded with close to 60 contenders, they will need to connect with viewers in ways that have us talking after the game.

I’ve already watched and rated 37 of the ads, but I’ll save my final judgment for during the game when they actually air. Please note that I’ll be giving each of the ads a letter grade and a USA Today Ad Meter grade. Just because a commercial gets an Ad Meter 4 doesn’t mean it’s horrible – it’s just that much below the ads that get an 8, 9 or 10. My letter grades will tend to be high because I grade them like a teacher – because that’s exactly what I am.

Just as another heads up – this year’s ads are actually rating fairly well. So far, my average grade is a low A, but that’s well ahead of last year, when so many commercials were head-scratchers. Of course, there are still 21 ads I haven’t seen, so there’s always room for things to get worse. (Given that I’m hearing that we’ll see ads from both President Trump and Michael Bloomberg, I’m quite certain that these rating could get much lower. Regardless of which candidate you like – if you like either – it’s a fair bet that you don’t want politics thrown into the middle of your Super Bowl enjoyment.)

Come back frequently, because the updates will take place as often as the ads air. I’ll see you then – enjoy the game (and the ads)!