Right Pundits

Many people watch the Super Bowl as much for the commercials as for the game. Historically, companies have pulled out all the stops to buy very expensive advertising time, knowing that as many as 100 million people across the country might be watching. Super Bowl commercials also can generate a huge amount of buzz for a company’s product in the days and weeks following the game. An entertaining Super Bowl ad often becomes a topic of conversation at work for millions of Americans. For example, in 1984, Apple’s Macintosh quickly became a household name after the now famous “Big Brother” ad.

Also, Super Bowl watchers don’t ignore the commercials. During most network broadcasts, viewers will change the channel or, in the age of DVR, simply press fast forward during the commercials. During the Super Bowl, however, the ads are part of the event.

This year, the recession is affecting the Super Bowl, just like it is affecting every other area of American life. NBC had trouble filling the available ad space during the Pittsburgh-Arizona game because most companies are too cash-poor to pay for the multi-million-dollar-per-minute fee. General Motors, FedEx, and several other companies have pulled their scheduled ads this year because they do not have the money to justify buying such expensive ad space.

Despite the economy, Doritos, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Monster.com, among others, will have advertisements during this year’s Super Bowl.

Here are some of the best ads from the 2009 Super Bowl:

Also, please enjoy some of the most memorable commercials from Super Bowls of the past.