In a Super Bowl defined by sincerity—brands reaching for purpose, emotion and meaning—Dunkin’ chose chaos instead.
“Good Will Dunkin,’” the brand’s 60-second Big Game spot, plays less like an ad than a hallucinated relic: A never-aired ’90s sitcom pilot, complete with canned laughter, sitcom pacing and a deep bench of TV icons who feel ripped straight from a Blockbuster shelf. Anchored by Ben Affleck and styled like a dusty 1995 VHS, the spot collapses multiple layers of nostalgia at once: Good Will Hunting, classic sitcoms and even the cultural memory of these celebrities at their peak.
It’s loud, self-aware, and aggressively indulgent. It’s an ad that dares you to either roll your eyes or enjoy the ride. Whether that maximalist swing pays off is up for debate.
ADWEEK asked four creative leaders to weigh in on the ad.
These reactions have been edited and condensed for clarity.
Dan Greener, creative director, FIG
If there was any doubt the ’90s are back, the Dunkin’ ad settled it—a greatest-hits medley of nostalgia. I caught Cheers, Fresh Prince, Seinfeld, A Different World, and Family Matters. At this point, why stop at commercials? Let us smoke on airplanes again.
Bob Winter, CCO, Supergood
It was bonkers! So celebrity packed. What celebrity wasn’t in it? I can’t believe I didn’t get asked. The sitcom format was fun. The idea was a little complicated for the Super Bowl though—the whole idea that there was another unreleased version of the movie, etc. And I was longing for a bigger punchline moment. It’s not gonna be a classic, but it was really fun to watch.
Brandon Curl, creative director, GSD&M:
As a fan of the original movie, I loved the premise right away. Good Will Hunting meets Dunkin’ is a strong enough parody on its own. Where they lost me was the inexplicable decision to also layer in a sitcom parody. I don’t think viewers will punish them for it. It’s the Super Bowl, after all. But less really would’ve been so much more. (It’s not your fault, Ben Affleck! It’s not your fault!) Concept is still king, and the right IP can absolutely take you over the top. They just should’ve told the rest of the sitcom stars they had to go see about a rewrite.
