Here come the ads of Super Bowl 50 _ upbeat and safe

“The Apple ad set off the idea that if you would pay attention to the commercials and stop talking and stop eating and stop running to the bathroom or the kitchen, that you will be rewarded with new, funny, different, interesting, heartwarming, schmaltzy, hilarious, surprising commercials”, Elliott said.

Fitness gadget maker Fitbit goes sleek with an ad for its stylish Apple Watch Killer, the $200 Blaze. Its ad showed dachshunds dressed like hot dogs frolicking in a field to the tune of Harry Nilsson’s “Without You”. Compared to past year, the going rate has gone up almost $US600,000 per half minute. The actual victor will be shown during the Super Bowl.

But this year, advertisers at America’s most-watched sporting event are swapping out the pall for what made the spectacle so popular in the first place: Cute puppies in costumes, zany sight gags and a parade of celebrities designed not to remind viewers of the world’s problems, but to distract from them with fireworks. And they were everywhere during Sunday’s broadcast, during which a 30-second spot goes for up to $5 million. It totally is, but that’s what Doritos’ Super Bowl ads are all about!

One of the most famous brands, early on, that spent “its entire annual budget, just during the Super Bowl, each year” was Master Lock. And most damning of all, less than 1 percent want to be influenced to spend money for a product or service.

Some advertisers created mini-movies.

But a lovely, sweet ad from Audi on grandfathers, fathers and David Bowie drew nearly universal praise.

Cars of course have no monopoly on Super Bowl ads.

Willem Dafoe transforming into Marilyn Monroe, circa 1955 in “The Seven Year Itch”?

Actress Helen Mirren cautions against drunk driving for Budweiser, while comedians Seth Rogan and Amy Schumer play off the United States presidential campaign for Bud Light.

“It’s ideal for the Super Bowl”, Tom Peyton, Honda assistant vice president for marketing, told USA Today.

It doesn’t hurt that two of the NFL’s most popular pitchmen, Denver quarterback Peyton Manning and Carolina quarterback Cam Newton, are playing in Super Bowl 50. The Dog commercial is a strong one as well, but the top one is the ultrasound. Super Bowl marketing plans for the next year begin nearly immediately after the big game ends.

There are still some surprises in store on Game Day. A National Retail Federation survey past year found that 77 percent of Americans saw Super Bowl ads as entertainment, while only 10 percent said “they influence me to buy” the advertisers’ stuff.