by Don Simkovich

Created on: February 01, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

In 2007, the Super Bowl drew 93 million viewers. It was the highest rated television show in the United States, according to Nielsen. Ad executives from large agencies, who represent globally recognized brands, can use the Super Bowl to get in front of a national audience and see immediate results if their ad strikes the funny bone with the audience or gives them a sense of nostalgia.

This one sporting event is a unique chance to create a showcase production that will draw viewers to web sites, buy products and talk about their favorite commercial for several days after the final whistle.

Ad agencies "win" when they can get consumers talking about the brand their agency represents. Super Bowl ads can launch a marketing message into a profitable commercial orbit.

The Super Bowl isn't just about the game anymore. The ads themselves draw an audience of people who aren't necessarily loyal football fans. And because it's one game versus a best-of-seven series, the excitement and hype is compact and squeezed into a few profitable hours.

In 1997, when the Louie the Lizard and the Budweiser frogs were on the air, the cost of a spot was $1.2 million. But as advertisers competed for space and the chance to win bragging rights over the funniest or most sentimental spots, the price tag rose accordingly. This year, the cost of a 30-second Super Bowl ad is $2.7 million.

The Super Bowl ads then become a big deal for the audience but also for the cast of characters behind the scenes you won't see such as the advertising executives, writers, directors and the actors. Someone who scripts the most-talked about ad gives their portfolio a major boost even inside their own agency.

So the Super Bowl ads have grown along with the popularity of the game creating a wonderfully entertaining televised spectacle.

But could the battle to produce the most talked about ads become their own worst enemy? Yahoo! Has started previewing the ads a few days before the Super Bowl kicked off. If there's too much hype surrounding the ads will viewers grow tired and not enjoy the anticipation?

The ads lend to the ambiance of a nationally accepted party atmosphere creating a slice of modern day American culture.

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