Mountain Dew Seal Commercial Super Bowl 2025: What Everyone Got Wrong

If you were watching Super Bowl LIX on February 9, 2025, you probably had a moment where you put down your chicken wing and squinted at the TV. It happened during the second quarter. One minute you're watching the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles go at it in New Orleans, and the next, there’s a legendary soul singer with flippers.

Honestly, the seal commercial super bowl 2025 was a fever dream.

We have to talk about Mountain Dew Baja Blast. They’ve been trying to make "Baja" a year-round personality for a while now, but this year they went full surrealist. They hired Taika Waititi—the guy behind Jojo Rabbit and Thor: Ragnarok—to direct it. You can tell. It has that specific, awkward, "why is this happening" energy that Waititi loves.

The "Kiss From a Lime" Breakdown

The premise is pretty simple, but the execution is what tripped everyone out. It starts with the "Mountain Dude," that weird mascot from last year, hanging out in a kitchen with Becky G. She takes a sip of Baja Blast and suddenly they’re transported to a tropical beach.

Then it happens.

A group of actual seals is chilling on the rocks. They start chanting "Baja, baja, baja" to the rhythm of "Kiss from a Rose." Then, the camera zooms in on the lead seal. It has the actual face of the singer Seal.

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He starts belting out a parody called "Kiss From a Lime."

The lyrics are genuinely ridiculous. He sings, "Baby, I compare it to a kiss from a lime on the bay," and follow it up with a self-aware line about how "it's strange I'm a seal, yeah." At one point, he tries to hold a bottle of Mountain Dew, but it just slips through his flippers. He actually sings, "My flippers can't hold Mountain Dew, what a shame."

It’s hilarious. It’s also deeply unsettling.

Why This Ad Actually Worked

People on social media were divided. Some Blue Sky and X users compared it to Tusk, that creepy Kevin Smith movie where a guy gets turned into a walrus. Others called it the "weirdest thing" they'd ever seen—which, funnily enough, is exactly what Becky G says at the end of the spot.

But from a marketing perspective? It was genius.

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Mountain Dew wanted to hit two birds with one stone. They used Seal for the nostalgia factor—the original "Kiss from a Rose" came out in 1994—to grab the Gen X and Millennial crowd. Then they added Becky G and a "human-pinniped hybrid" to make sure Gen Z would meme the living hell out of it.

Mark Kirkham, a big exec at PepsiCo, basically admitted they just wanted to be "memorable for something." In a sea of $7 million ads that all look the same, having a 15-time Grammy nominee play a literal animal is one way to ensure people don't forget you.

The Aftermath: Did it Help Seal?

You might think a 61-year-old legend might be "above" turning into a sea mammal for soda money.

Nope.

Seal told Today that his kids actually made fun of him for it, but he didn't care. He said it made him "cooler" in their eyes, even if they were razzing him. More importantly, the seal commercial super bowl 2025 gave his catalog a massive boost. Since the game was so close to Valentine's Day, "Kiss from a Rose" was already trending, but the "Kiss From a Lime" version pushed it over the edge.

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He even used the momentum to announce new music. We're talking about his first new project in a decade, including a "Seal's Version" of his classic hits and a new track called "All I Know Is Now" with Trevor Horn.

What You Should Take Away

The Super Bowl isn't about "selling" anymore. Not really. It’s about cultural stickiness. Mountain Dew knew that just telling people "Baja Blast tastes like lime" is boring. Showing a man-seal hybrid singing about his inability to grip a bottle is weird enough to stick in the brain.

If you’re looking for the "Kiss From a Lime" track, it’s officially part of the Baja Blast campaign now.

Actionable Insights for the Future:

• Watch the Extended Cut: There is a 1-minute, 20-second version online that has even more weird lyrics than the 30-second TV spot.
• Check the Credits: Look for Taika Waititi’s signature style in the background gags; the volcano erupting in the back is a classic touch.
• Follow the Music: Keep an eye out for Seal’s new 2025 releases, as the "Super Bowl bump" is real and usually leads to a tour announcement.