Super Bowl commercials tend to be the main attraction for some — a reliable source of entertainment that attracts even those who only watch one NFL game a year. But this year was a relatively somber one, with a plethora of sad or contemplative ads peppered into the usual goofball ones. While some said the best or at least most clever Super Bowl commercial was the glitchy five-second one by Reddit, the pick for worst — or at least weirdest — went to the one for Oatly.
How did an ad for the Swedish vegan food brand come up with the big night’s most surreal entry? It wasn’t by doing much. Indeed, all it did was plop its CEO, Toni Petersson, in a field of wheat, armed with nothing but a keyboard. There he sang a silly little song about the glories of selling foodstuffs made of oat, not dairy. “It’s like milk/But made for humans!” Petersson crooned. He continued: “Wow, wow/No cow!”
The tune is maddeningly simple and maddeningly catchy, with its stupid “wow”-“cow” rhyme no doubt becoming an earworm for those who caught it. And it sharply divided those on social media, who care more about ads than they do about the Kansas City Chiefs getting roundly trounced by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Many were against it.
That Oatly commercial was the worst thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life…
— Jack “CouRage” Dunlop (@CouRageJD) February 8, 2021
Whatever Oatly thought they were doing… no.
— Alec Sulkin (@thesulk) February 8, 2021
Idk what I disliked more…The Weeknd’s #PepsiHalftime show or the Oatly singing commercial 🤦🏽♀️ pic.twitter.com/KlACFxpE9e
— ash✨ (@aloha_ashleyj) February 8, 2021
Suddenly in the mood to slam a glass of 2% milk after that Oatly commercial
— Fanly Gridiron 🏈 (@FanlyGridiron) February 8, 2021
https://twitter.com/wowiealli/status/1358576729699270661
That Oatly commercial was so bad that I have to believe it was a false flag to bring down capitalism.
— Luis Paez-Pumar (@lppny) February 8, 2021
Still, it had its fans.
10/10 for the Oatly commercial #SuperBowl
— Jess 🪩🍸❤️🔥 (@jessicuuuuhh) February 8, 2021
Come to think of it @oatly won. For those who know they know. For those that don’t know….welcome aboard we kept the light on for you lol. Simple commercial inescapable song.
— ?st (@questlove) February 8, 2021
Loved seeing @oatly representing. Will be singing “wow no cow” for the next few minutes for sure. 🎶 #Super Bowl https://t.co/9nyMAk71Xm
— Susie Gidseg ✨ (@thesusieg) February 8, 2021
I loved the @oatly commercial. Apparently I’m in the minority 🤷🏻♀️ thought it was hilarious! After the initial what in the world. . . I laughed and am still singing it #SuperBowlLV
— Jennifer Dawn (@jenniferdawn73) February 8, 2021
Some were quick to cover their new favorite song.
my new favorite song!@oatly ❤️ pic.twitter.com/BhsdMN9eQz
— matt nathanson (@mattnathanson) February 8, 2021
Others simply made jokes.
oatly what happens is when everyone laughs at the ceo's jokes too much
— Aisha (@aishamadeit) February 8, 2021
either they forced the ceo of oatly to do that or he wanted to and neither will make me happy
— caleb hearon (@calebsaysthings) February 8, 2021
https://twitter.com/SeanClements/status/1358576885400293376
Man in the Oatly commercial was determined to get that jam off.
— Phonte (@phontigallo) February 8, 2021
https://twitter.com/froggyonair/status/1358576700066566145
It didn’t take for Oatly to find a clever way to profit off of the hate. So everybody wins!
Oatly is out here playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers. pic.twitter.com/SdvtPHZo2o
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) February 8, 2021