Football fans will be glued to their TV screens on Sunday as the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Green Bay Packers in the 45th Super Bowl. But, as ever, the action on the field will have to compete with the most creative (and expensive) commercials Madison Avenue can muster up for the occasion. Some of Sunday's commercials (or teasers for the real thing) have already made their way online. Here's a glimpse at 5 ads that are sure to get talked about:
1. The Force is strong with Volkswagen
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
2. Audi teams up with Kenny G
In a riot-themed commercial for Audi's A8 sedan that may seem ill-timed given unfolding events in Egypt, saxophonist Kenny G stars as the warden of a "luxury prison." "I'm glad KG has a sense of humor about himself," says Patrick Jarenwattanonanon at NPR of the self-mocking spot. Here's a preview explaining exactly what goes on in the world's most sumptuous prison:
3. Hyundai's hypnotic spot
Hyundai will attempt to get car-buyers to "snap out of" preconcieved notions about compact cars in this "psychedelic" ad, one of three the automaker will broadcast during the Super Bowl. Jeff Bridges narrates, "sounding like his slacker character The Dude from The Big Lebowski," says Daniel Trotter at WTSP.com. Here's the "hypnotic" ad, in full:
4. Roseanne shills for Snickers
After helping Betty White recapture the spotlight with last year's Super Bowl ad, Snickers is hoping to do the same for comedians Roseanne Barr and Richard Lewis. "It'll be tough to beat last year's performance," says Eleftheria Parpis at AdWeek. White's popular ad "helped reinvigorate the 89-year-old legend's career." Here's a preview:
5. Doritos' running pug
Doritos asked fans to submit their own ads and has put the 10 most popular efforts to an online public vote; the winner will air during Sunday's game. The current "frontrunner," which has already garnered 1.4 million views on YouTube, is "Pug Attack," in which a man's cruel prank on his girfriend's dog backfires badly. This ad, made for $500, is the "hands-down funniest entry," says Tony Bridges at Examiner.com. Don't be surprised to see it pop up during Sunday's game.
-
Quiet vacationing: More workers are jetting off on company timeThe explainer You can be in two places at once
-
11 cool pools and lazy rivers to try this summerThe Week Recommends You'll want to dive right in
-
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac helped trigger the Great Recession. Would an IPO create new dangers?In the Spotlight It depends on the 'implicit guarantee'
