In other news: the sky is blue...

If you're going for editorial accuracy, it's "Super Bowl"

Ads designed to fuel mindless buying? Noooooo. ;)

I've got to say it's probably one of the biggest triumphs of the industry that they've managed to, at least for one night, turn something reviled as an annoyance into an actual entertainment event.

Next week, The Consumerist provides definitive footage of a bear shitting in the woods.

I am a NYer and have no care for this game.

Fucking Jersey stealing all our teams, and half of elis island.

@neithernor:

Have any of you ever bought a product you had already heard of because of the ad? Something you were previously aware of, and previously had some idea how and where you could buy it, but then you see an ad and that makes you decide to buy something you were not thinking of buying before?

It bothers me a lot that only the wealthiest companies can afford to buy into Superbowl advertising. It's a waste, too, because most of those companies already have metric asstons of visibility and market share. I should take it as a cue to boycott them all and take them off our grocery lists from now on.

@timmus: Are supply and demand new topics for you?

It isn't just wealthiest companies. It is whoever is willing to plunk down the asking price. Most smaller companies either can't afford to, or don't want to.

Day #13,505 and America still doesn't have (single-payer) Universal Health Insurance.

"Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of [oneself] and [one's] family, including food, clothing, housing, and medical care."

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25

@timmus: Some companies use there whole ad budget (or a big chunk of it) for the super bowl, since they are guaranteed eyes (people dont tivo or flip) and people tend to discuss the commercials. Think about Masterlock, GoDaddy, Monster(in the past), Under Armour this year. These companies use the Super Bowl to make a statement that they are legit and people should pay attention to them. Its as much advertising a product as it is advertising the companies.

Even the big boys use the Super Bowl to roll out new products (think Pepsi Clear or Bud Ice).

@Elviswasntmyhero: And what the fuck does this have to do with the article. Go spout your political bullshit on a political site.

@Elviswasntmyhero: And now for something totally unrelated.

Thank god America doesn't have single payer insurance. Just what we need, the gov't that can't do anything right killing the healthcare industry.

And you do have a right to an adequate standard of living. But you have to earn it. You also have a right to run up credit card debt, which probably explains part of the reason many people can't earn what they consider an adequate standard of living.

Of course, it only works because we pay so much attention to the ads. Lots of companies are trying to top Apple's 1984 ad, and hope to get years of free publicity out of one spot.

I love the picture of the Sam Adams with the football helmets. Ironically the only company that can run beer ads during the game is Anheuser Busch because of their sponsorship of the game.

Im not a sports fan but I used to watch the superbowl with friends just because it was a good time...that and I liked the ads.

in recent years the ads havent been as entertaining as they used to be so i stopped watching altogether. why would this year be any different?

Maybe the headline for this article should have read:

"Major companies suckered into paying record fees for SuperBowl advertising!"

@EvilSquirrel: Im almost positive thats wrong, since I recall the Miller lite catfight girls and the coors twins both being super bowl ads.

Anything Super Bowl-related gets a big 'meh' from me.

Now, today's Ranger/Canadiens game...that's the ticket.

Damn, now I want a Sam Adams...

@timmus: Dude, asstons are Imperial. Stop mixing shit up. And ads are intended to get me to buy stuff?! You so crazy, Consumerist.

I'm shocked! Shocked, I tell you!!!

The more interesting question is how the price of a Super Bowl ad compares not with inflation, but with the price of Super Bowl broadcasting rights. In other words, is it the NFL that's making out like a bandit here, or Fox? My money is on Messrs. Tagliabue and Goodell.

@RottNDude: You just blew my mind.

@TechnoDestructo: Yes, I have. Usually I have specific brands that I prefer, or generic brands, but sometimes advertisements are useful in distinguishing one brand from another. It works best in cases where there's a wide selection of products, I don't have a clear favorite, and there's no reason not to try one over another.

I'm thinking specifically of a Miller High Life ad that made me think "aw, that's clever, maybe I'll try that." I was looking for a cheap, mild beer, and I didn't know much about cheap beer except that it mostly all tastes the same, so the High Life ad influenced me to try that brand first over others I might have chosen. And it wasn't bad. I mean, it wasn't good, but for drinking on a hot day during a baseball game, it was fine. And that's the basic impression the ad gave me: it's a cheap beer that's not bad.

I'm totally impervious to advertising. But I need a Sam Adams ASAP! kthxbai

Actually, much of the superbowl advertising is aimed towards financial services (ETrade) and business owners (IBM, UPS).

It's not like we see the commercial and immediately binge on UPS.

I understand the thrust of this article, but using beer for the picture is contradictory. I think beer advertisers should get a special exemption for making people buy more beer.

Sweet- I'm in. I hated that declaration of independence junk from Fox. Yeah, lets talk about our country's foundation while shitting on people's civil liberties and while were scaring up votes.

@Tracy Ham and Eggs as played by Walter Mondale: I am talking about this year. Anheuser Busch paid a bunch of money to be the only beer sponsor of the game for 2008.

If the over/under on Fox showing commercials for their own tv shows is 100, I am taking the over.

Superbowl? What's that?

Consumerist editors: there is a fine line between vigilance and buzz-kill. This article crosses that line. Relax.

Okay, so far I like the horse and dog beer commercial, because I like animals - don't drink that kind of beer (Corona Light is my choice). I liked the Audi commercial too but I'm not in the market for a $100,000 car.

I know advertising on the tee vee must works otherwise companies would do something else with their marketing budget but I don't see how these commercials really drive dollars.

*YAWN*

What else is new?

@Tracy Ham and Eggs as played by Walter Mondale:

Anheuser-Busch is the only company that can advertise beer in national spots during the Super Bowl, so their competitors buy up local spots--that's why you would see Miller ads during the game.

Actually, I heard Superbowl ads are supposed to keep us inside while we hoard our money and live off tap water and paint chips.

@Joafu: That would be Sobe Life Water and fabulous Lays Baked Potato Chips.

So far, the Planters Cashew commercial has been the only one to illicit a chuckle. Weak-sauce offerings this year. :(

@SadSam: Yes, but you're more likely to look at the lower end models if you liked the Audi brand portrayed in the commercial.

The Sobe ads reminded me of ads in the 90's. Flashy, but really just full of hot air. DO NOT WANT

the only commercials I was ever happy about seeing were Emerald Nuts and Mentos. Oh yeah, and movie commercials, if its an awesome movie.

@junkmail:
You mean the nut-shots to Justin Timberlake didn't do it for you?

Have they shown Pepsi's "Bob's House" yet?

Excuse me, but "Super Bowl" and mindless go together. Grown men running around a field chasing a whittle ball for millions of dollars. People who watch the Super Bowl are just the kind of mindless, slack-jawed idiots the advertisers want to appeal to. Ad funny! Me buy!!

The Puppy Bowl over on Animal Planet is more fun to watch that the Stupid Bowl

so a blink's worth like $20,000-$30,000 on average?

I vow to hold my eyes shut during every commercial and plug my ears. maybe go out to smoke a cigarette or accompany someone to smoke one.

nah I won't. They spend 2-3 million advertising, I may just as well spend $3-$5 on their product (if I have a need for it).

playtex and gerber just don't belong in the superbowl

Well, the game was so good - what commercials? Can't remember a one.

@SkyeBlue: "suckered" implies they wont get back what they paid. People talk about the super bowl ads for weeks after the game, there are awards dedicated to best ad's, and they will receive hundred of thousands of searches on the net. We are talking about the ad's in general right now, which in itself will cause people to go watch the ad's just to see what the big deal is.

@savdavid: Everybody's entitled to their own opinions, but that's a real classy comment of yours there.

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Personally, I don't think this year's ads were that great, but I do love the fact that the Giants won! Go New York!