Amazon Alexa’s ‘Mind Reader’ Still Tops the List of Most Expensive Super Bowl Ads — For Now

Super Bowl commercials are some of the most valuable advertising slots in the world. Brands pay millions of dollars for just a few seconds of airtime, and they even have to avoid saying the phrase “Super Bowl” unless they have official permission from the NFL.

So far, the most expensive Super Bowl commercial ever aired is Amazon Alexa’s “Mind Reader,” starring Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost.

The 90-second ad aired during the 2022 Super Bowl and reportedly cost around $26 million just to run during the game. With ad prices continuing to rise, that record could be broken as early as 2026 — but for now, “Mind Reader” remains at the top.

A high-cost ad with a tech twist

In the commercial, Johansson and Jost play a married couple living with an upgraded Amazon Alexa that can literally read their minds. What starts as a helpful feature quickly turns awkward when Alexa reveals thoughts the couple would rather keep private, creating tension in their relationship.

The ad mixes humor with a subtle warning about how invasive technology could become, which helped it stand out despite its massive price tag.

Not Johansson’s most controversial Super Bowl moment

Interestingly, “Mind Reader” is not the most controversial Super Bowl ad Johansson has appeared in. That title belongs to her 2014 commercial for SodaStream, which drew criticism and sparked debate at the time.

Other ads aren’t far behind in cost

While “Mind Reader” holds the record, several other Super Bowl commercials have also cost brands well over $20 million to air.

• General Motors’ “No More Norway”

• Cadillac’s “ScissorHandsFree”

Both of these ads reportedly cost $22 million each to run during their respective Super Bowls.

Other commercials in the top 10 most expensive list, as of February 2025, were cheaper by comparison but still extremely costly. The lowest two on the list — Kia’s “Give It Everything” and Amazon’s “Not Everything Makes the Cut” — each cost about $15.6 million. Several others fell between $16 million and $17 million, including Amazon’s “Before Alexa” and Google’s “Loretta,” both at around $16.8 million.

Will 2026 bring a new record?

With Super Bowl ad prices continuing to climb, it may only be a matter of time before another brand surpasses Amazon’s “Mind Reader.” Whether that happens in 2026 or later, one thing is clear: companies are willing to pay blockbuster prices for just a minute or two of attention during the biggest game of the year.