Sneak Preview: Super Bowl Ads

Super Bowl XLIII is just days away and while the Cardinals and Steelers are getting ready for the biggest game in many of their lives, so are a whole lot of advertisers.

In fact for them, a win during the big game means even more this year with so many suffering. Tough economic times mean some of the traditional sponsors like FedEx and the U.S. automakers have opted out of Super Bowl advertising this year.

But for those that are still shelling out big bucks for the game expect them to try to make the most of their 30 seconds and make us feel a little better in the process. In a year when the economy has left many feeling like they are just hanging on advertisers hope Super Bowl Sunday might provide a break from the worlds woes.

Expect the big game's spots to go for big laughs. "They want to be sensitive to the people who have lost their jobs and lost their houses and most of them have decided that people want respite and they want to be entertained," said Adweek ad critic Barbara Lippert.



Careerbuilder.com hopes to bring a smile in a grim job market. While other brands are going for that feel good nostalgia. Coke is giving the old mean Joe Greene classic a new twist. While Budweiser will once again offer up it's perennial favorite clydesdales.

On the racier side, godaddy.com will once again skirt the edge, while Doritos is spicing things up with a contest. One lucky amateur video makers' spots will be chosen to air during the big game and could win a million bucks

Make no mistake the ads are still big business 3 million dollars per thirty seconds- the most ever. "There is no platform like it for advertisers... If you want to reach a mass audience," said Lippert.

And making it memorable is still the name of the game. Dreamworks' Monsters versus Aliens will take it to a new level with a 3D ad. But advertisers hope a spot in the big game will mean monster gains. You'll need to pick up 3D glasses to get the full effect of the Monsters versus Aliens spot. You can get a pair at many supermarkets. They'll also work for Monday's 3D episode of Chuck on NBC.

Last year 148 million viewers watched the Super Bowl here in the U.S.