Lay’s is making a grand return to the Super Bowl, and this time, it’s with the cinematic touch of Academy Award-winning director Taika Waititi. Known for his ability to blend humor, emotion, and quirky storytelling in projects like Jojo Rabbit, Thor: Ragnarok, and Reservation Dogs, Waititi brings his signature style to “The Little Farmer”, a one-minute ad that pays tribute to the multi-generational American farming families behind Lay’s potatoes.
Unlike many of Waititi’s well-known works, this Super Bowl spot leans on visual storytelling rather than dialogue. The ad follows a young girl who rescues a potato that falls off a passing truck. With care and determination, she plants it, tending to it through rain and sunshine until harvest season.
When the time comes, she proudly digs up her first potato, places it back on a truck, and then joins her family on the porch—sharing a bag of Lay’s chips in a moment of quiet satisfaction.
Set to Caroline Says’ cover of Barry Louis Polisar’s 1977 classic All I Want Is You, the ad delivers a nostalgic, heartfelt message about the dedication of farmers, particularly the Pavelski family, who have been growing potatoes for Lay’s for five generations. A few of these real-life farmers even make an appearance at the end of the spot. Watch below:
For Lay’s, this marks a highly anticipated return to the Super Bowl after a three-year hiatus. The brand’s last Big Game ad, Golden Memories, starred Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd, delivering a comedic take on nostalgic friendships. This year, however, Lay’s shifts gears with a more sentimental approach, tapping into the authenticity of its farming roots.
The decision to return to the Super Bowl isn’t surprising, considering Frito-Lay’s 2024 survey found that food is just as important—if not more—than the game itself for many viewers. With three in five people choosing their Super Bowl party based on the snacks being served, Lay’s is staking its claim as a game day essential.
Founded by Herman Lay, who sold chips out of his car during the Great Depression, the brand has grown from a small family business in 1944 to the top-selling potato chip brand in the U.S. Today, with over 20 flavors, Lay’s continues to be a household staple, but this commercial takes things back to its roots—celebrating the simplicity of Original Lay’s and the people who make them possible.
“The Little Farmer” airs during Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, February 9, 2025. Whether it’s farm-to-fork or farm-to-fistful, one thing’s for sure—Lay’s is ready to be the MVP of snack bowls everywhere.
ALSO READ:
Coors Light embraces the sloth life for the Big Game
