Brands look to score perfect touchdown with Super Bowl ads

It’s known as one of the top global advertising opportunities of the year, and as over a hundred million viewers across the world gear up to watch the Seattle Seahawks vs. the Denver Broncos on Sunday, we take a look at some of the ads set to feature during the Super Bowl 2014.

With 30-second ads going for a staggering $4 million (which equates to $133,333 a second), up from $3.million in 2013, it’s safe to say only the biggest and baddest brands around can enter the competition. But why do brands choose to advertise during the event, when a recent study by research firm Communicus discovered that 80% of the ads don’t actually lead to sales?

Well, for one, the ads offers leading advertisers an impressive challenge: the chance to be extravagantly creative within 30 or 60 seconds, something only the very best of the best will be able to pull of successfully. And secondly, when you get an ad in the Super Bowl, you’ve basically just publicly made it. As the IBTimes.com says, “An appearance at the Super Bowl is a way of telling audiences – and the competition – that they are ready to play in the big leagues.”

So let’s see what these guys have got. Below are three of our favourite already released ads set to make an appearance. Which is your favourite?

1) Budweiser – ‘Puppy Love’

It seems animal-focused ads are the winning theme these days, with Budweiser’s #BestBuds addition to the sports event reading like America’s answer to John Lewis’ the Hare and the Bear. Ah, the love between a puppy and a horse, was there ever anything more classic?

http://youtu.be/uQB7QRyF4p4

2) Jaguar – British Villains ‘Rendezvous’

Why? ‘Cause us suave Brits make damn fine villains and like driving ridiculously nice cars, that’s why. Directed by Tom Hooper, the creative genius behind The Kings Speech and Les Miserables, Jaguar’s first ever Super Bowl ad features leading British actors Mark Strong, Ben Kingsley and Tom Hiddleston. Promoting the all-new F-Type Coupe, it’s due to air during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game, hope to build up hype with its catchy #GoodToBeBad, theme.

http://youtu.be/2Bls1KKDwmo

3) H&M – #Covered or #Uncovered?

Though brands like Pepsi and Soda Stream might be using attractive girls to sell their products, H&M have stuck with the oh so beautiful choice that is David Beckham, who’s running around London again in his very own personally designed H&M undies for our viewing pleasure.

http://youtu.be/AEaUbUQRY4U