Once upon a time, Super Bowl commercials were the highlight of the game – mini blockbusters with humor, heart, and actual brand recognition. But those days are gone, replaced by what feels like a desperate marketing experiment run by 15-year-olds who just discovered TikTok humor and forgot they were supposed to sell something.

If you’re 50 or older, you probably spent most of the Super Bowl commercials scratching your head, wondering who these people were, what they were talking about, and what on earth they were even selling.

This year’s ads were a mix of juvenile jokes, nonsensical celebrity cameos and attempts to be relatable – but the problem is that the culture is too segregated now. Back in the olden days, most Americans were on the same page about what was happening in the country. But now with TV, streaming, podcasts, TikTok, and endless social media feeds, people get their news and entertainment from all over the place. When crafting a commercial, the message needs to be overly broad – because assuming everyone knows about some obscure viral video from last year or a cult movie that few people saw is a recipe for confusion, not connection.

Then there’s the actual point of a commercial – selling the product. But about half the time, it was nearly impossible to tell what was even being advertised or why anyone should care. In an attempt to be clever, advertisers held off until the last second to flash the logo – after subjecting viewers to a bizarre, confusing spectacle. Was that a car commercial or an ad for an energy drink? Who knows?

At this point, maybe advertisers should just accept that the Super Bowl audience is too fragmented to cater to. Or, and hear me out, they could actually try writing commercials for, you know, adults – ones with a sense of humor beyond fart jokes, random internet memes and lame celebrity appearances.

Even the Clydesdale ad that everyone looked forward to was disappointing because it was shortened. The longer version is here.

And the “When Harry Met Sally” diner scene commercial advertising Hellmann’s? Great idea, horrible writing and execution.

So did I like any of the commercials? Very few. I liked the Lay’s potato chip commercial. And the Doritos/Alien commercial wasn’t too bad. Also, the Secret Service commercial was nice to see.

And…Earth to Harrison Ford: no one wants an electric Jeep.