Watching the Super Bowl for the Ads Alone

The ads are the main attraction for many media-savvy Super Bowl viewers — especially if their favorite team didn’t make the cut this year. Brands will shell out $4 million to reach the biggest television audience of the year with a single 30-second spot. Watch for Anheuser Busch’s Clydesdales to trot out an ecofriendly message, former Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Sarah Michelle Gellar killing it with Olay skin products, and rapper Lil’ Jon pouring one out for Pepsi. Good news for the clutter-free: Other than the big car companies, few advertisers will try to tempt viewers to buy actual stuff.