There's An Oscar-Winning Director Behind Lay's Tear-Jerker Super Bowl Ad

With the Super Bowl looming on February 8, 2026, some big brands have released their ads early. That includes chip and snack food company Lay's, who has pre-released one of its two Super Bowl ads (and teased the other), titled "Last Harvest," which, according to an email shared with Food Republic, was directed by none other than Oscar-winner Taika Waititi, known for films "Jojo Rabbit" and "Thor: Love and Thunder."

The one-minute spot is a tear-jerker, which tells the pull-on-your-heartstrings story of a potato farmer who shares his love of farming — and then the farm itself — with his daughter. The commercial was "inspired by a real farming family that Lay's has worked with for decades," the email read, and it's set to a stripped-down, acoustic version of "Somewhere Only We Know."

It's an emotional ad, designed to remind customers that the source of the potato chips they know and love (which started off as a delicacy in restaurants) is from real farms, that have been passed down for generations in some cases. It's also part of the brand's huge refresh efforts, which also includes packaging redesign.

Lay's is really going all-in during the Super Bowl, because not only is it airing the one-minute, Taika Waititi-directed "Last Harvest" ad during the first half of the big game, it also bought ad space during the second half for a 30-second commercial (check out this teaser), according to an email shared with Food Republic. And that second commercial will be one to watch, because not only is it sure to entertain, it will also feature a scannable QR code on the screen to kick off "The Lay's Challenge."

And what will happen when you scan that QR code? The first 100,000 chip enthusiasts will receive a bag of Lay's potato chips, delivered to their home, with the idea that the crisps went from farm to doorstep in as few as 72 hours. Should Lay's fail to make good on that promise, scanners will then receive a whopping 24 bags of chips (or two per month, for the next year). That is a lot of chips, some of which you could surely give an extra roast in the oven or use as part of your fried chicken coating.