Be it fashion trends or Top 40 hits, America usually takes 20-30 years to rediscover icons of its past and return them to vogue.
The 1980s went crazy for the diners and leather jackets of the 1950s. Bellbottom jeans of the ’60s got trendy again in the ’90s. So it was inevitable that the 1990s themselves would come back to us—and they did in a big way in Super Bowl 60’s advertising.
Nostalgia wasn’t present solely for its own sake. The adolescents of the ’90s are today’s younger Gen Xers and older millennials, a demographic that’s at—or coming into—its peak spending power. Last night, advertisers aimed for their hearts and credit cards alike.
Below, a sampling of the ’90s throwbacks on offer during the 2026 Super Bowl.
Pepsi | “The Choice”
The angst-ridden beast trying to come to terms with his closeted love for Pepsi is a not-so-subtle jab at Coca-Cola’s own famous polar bears, who made their debut in 1993 in a spot titled “Always Coca-Cola.” The ads ran throughout the 1990s, making the polar bears instantly recognizable avatars for the soft drink. Who knew they would’ve preferred sipping Pepsi all that time?
T-Mobile | “Tell Me Why”
The Backstreet Boys—crown princes of the 1990s boy band phenomenon—had six Top 10 hits, but none approached the earthshaking impact of “I Want It That Way.” Released in April 1999, the song roared to the top of the charts in 25 countries. The “boys” are in their 40s and 50s now, but still cut handsome figures in those signature white suits. The fan with the tear-stained face may be a nod to the group’s legendary performance on MTV’s Total Request Live on May 18, 1999, which crumpled fans where they stood.
Coinbase | “Everybody Coinbase”
It’s Backstreet Redux in this minute-long spot from crypto exchange Coinbase featuring the 1997 hit “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back).” Was this ad a case of double dipping? Sure. But viewers saw only text in this spot, not the boy band themselves. They didn’t really hear the band itself, either, since a distant chorus was doing the singing, and pretty boy Nick Carter’s signature line “Am I sexual?” became “Am I so secure?” Fans may have cried foul, but a claim like that was to be expected from a crypto exchange in the post-FTX world.
