One of the only redeeming things about February, once Football ends, is Daytona week/weekend. Well the NFL owners have been discussing a lot of things as of late, but the most intriguing ones is the potential to add two NFL games. That move would subsequently cause the Super Bowl to be pushed back....straight to the same spot as the Daytona 500.

The Daytona 500 starts earlier in the day than the Super Bowl, but the big hit would come in the form of advertising dollars. The number of companies using both venues would certainly decrease, especially if you consider the start of the Super Bowl would come right at the end of the race, and this has NASCAR officials reeling. Via Scene Daily....

NASCAR and Fox Sports officials are in a wait-and-see mode before commenting on what NASCAR would do, but it seems likely that the date for the Daytona 500 would have to change.

“I don’t think I can make a definitive answer to [changing the date], but I would have a hard time today seeing how that would work for everybody – working for the media partners, working for the sponsors that we share and quite frankly, working for the fan and the consumer base,” said Roger VanDerSnick, senior vice president for marketing and business operations for DIS parent company International Speedway Corp.

“I understand the NASCAR base pretty well, and there’s a fair amount of overlap. So why make that an issue when I think we’ve got several options so that it wouldn’t be?”

As mentioned above, it would only makes sense to move the Daytona 500 back, but that would certainly throw a wrench in the plans of few hundred thousand who attend the race and the millions who enjoy both events. It'll be interesting to see what NASCAR decides....and how quickly.

Daytona 500 date change likely if NFL moves Super Bowl to traditional 500 weekend (Scene Daily)

I still have no idea why companies release their ads before you get to see them on Super Bowl Sunday, but whatever. In Sobe's latest lame/trippy/lizard inspired ad, Ray Lewis, Matt Light and Justin Tuck perform Swan Lake for some reason before the stage gets turned into a lizard dance party. Enjoy!

So so bad, but Ray Lewis turning into a lizard at the end cracked me the hell up. If you want to view some of the other spots to air this Sunday, be sure to head over to Adweek.

Adweek Super Bowl Videos (Ad Week)

Is that not the best quote you've ever heard? Those were the organization's comments on the heels of NBC not allowing them to air an ad which features said pumpkin, and a woman making love to broccoli. You can't write this stuff. Via Metro....

Entitled "Studies Show Vegetarians Have Better Sex", the advert contains shots of a model licking a pumpkin, while another rubs asparagus over her lap.

PETA said: "PETA's ad - which features a bevy of beauties who are powerless to resist the temptation of veggie love - was deemed too hot for the Super Bowl.

"NBC rejected the video because of concerns over 'rubbing pelvic region with pumpkin' and a woman 'screwing herself with broccoli'. Apparently, NBC has something against girls who love their veggies.

NBC has yet to comment on the advert.

Well then! Let's take a look at this whole nonsense shall we?



Ummmmm.....yeah. I would have to side with NBC on this one. Not that veggies, women and Warrant songs don't turn me on, but there ARE kids watching this game. Good lord. I feel like I need to take a shower after that one.

X-rated veggie advert banned for being 'too hot' (Metro)

Mentioned last week that Coke was planning on recreating the Mean Joe Greene ad from the 70s with Troy Polamalu, and First Cuts has your first look at the spot and some behind the scenes footage. If you want to pretend to be surprised with the commercial, don't click below....

Looks pretty spot on, and I still think it's a great idea. Polamalu's dead pan deliver is even pretty Mean Joe'ish as well. It'll be interesting to see the final product on Sunday.

First Look At Polamalu Taking Mean Joe Greene's Place In Coke Zero Spot (First Cuts)

Everyone remembers the Mean Joe Greene ad from 1979 in which the Steeler tosses his gigantic #75 jersey to a kid who just gave the D-lineman his bottle of Coca-Cola. Well Coke is going revive the old ad, but with a modern twist. This time the product will be Coke Zero, and feature current Steelers' player, Troy Polamalu. Via USA Today....

NEW YORK — The Coke (KO) vs. Pepsi (PEP) cola wars will heat up for the Super Bowl. But in a nod to changing consumer tastes, one of Coca-Cola's three Super Sunday ads will tout fast-growing, no-calorie Coke Zero, not Classic Coke.

Having the Steelers in the game is a bonus for the Zero ad: It features Steelers star safety Troy Polamalu.

"We're thrilled about Troy, and we're thrilled about the Steelers. … (It's) going to be a powerful spot in the game," said Katie Bayne, North American chief marketing officer, as she and other executives on Wednesday introduced Coke's new global ad campaign with the theme "Open Happiness."

The Zero ad and two upbeat Coca-Cola ads will air in the second half. The two Coke ads, part of the new campaign, include one in which insects try to steal a bottle of Coke from a young man sleeping in a park. In another, a man walks through a city and people around him turn into computer avatars.

Bayne gave no details of the Zero ad, but people briefed on it said it is a send-up of the 1979 Coke ad in which the Steelers' Mean Joe Greene tosses his jersey to a young fan who gave him a Coke. It aired in the 1980 Super Bowl and remains one of the best-remembered game ads.

The ad is probably one of the most famous Sports ads, outside of some of the old Miller Lite spots, so this is definitely an excellent idea. Plus having Troy in the game, makes it even better. Here's the old ad in case you forgot it....



In a happy coincidence, Coke ad features a Pittsburgh Steeler (USA Today)

USA Today has your first article on the Super Bowl Ads that will be featured on February 1st, and the McPaper is saying that most companies will be going for the funneh this year. Not only will you get spots from the regulars (Coke, Pepsi, Bud Light, Coors Light, Miller Lite, Doritos), but a few new companies are taking the leap. Even in during this iffy economy....

Sure, the economy has become gloomy and unpredictable for 2009, but folks can expect business as usual for one day: Feb. 1, Super Bowl Sunday.

Game advertisers will offer the familiar upbeat mix of punch lines, animal tricks, sentiment and special effects.

Tax service H&R Block thinks viewers will appreciate humor in its ad. "(Consumers) are saying, 'We know times are tough … but we still want to laugh,' " says Steve Wehrenberg, CEO of Block's ad agency Campbell Mithun.

The price tag for a 30-second ad slot also follows tradition: It's up again this year, to an average $3 million from $2.7 million in 2008. NBC says it has about 10% of 67 game ad slots left. Most sold early, though, and sales have been tough since the economy sank in the fall. Companies don't seem to be having second thoughts, however, about buying into an event with 97.5 million viewers in 2008.

There is no other vehicle in the World that reaches more people than the Super Bowl, so it obviously behooves companies to spend the money if they can. USA Today also has a list of some of the plans that the companies have, but none will be more entertaining than the collection of Miller High Life, one-second ads! Here's your first look at the campaign....

"The ads will feature actor Windell Middlebrooks, the Miller High Life deliveryman in ads, and the timing is aimed at boosting sales for Super Sunday.

"The one-second game-day stunt ad — known as a "blink" — will air on 25 local NBC stations reaching about 60% of the TV audience. The ad will (in a flash) promote Miller website 1secondad.com, which has the TV ad, more one-second ads and a buyer loyalty program.

One Second Ad (Miller High Life)
Super Bowl commercials will still go for laughs in 2009 (USA Today)

I mentioned awhile back that "cheating" website Ashley Madison was trying to get its hands on a spot in the official Super Bowl program, and that the chances weren't very likely. Well today, Darren Rovell is reporting that the NFL not only blocked the company from advertising, but they didn't even take the time to look at the ad itself....

Officials for the dating Web site said that they were approached and they signed a six-figure contract for the ad with PSP Sports, which creates and sells ads in many official programs for sporting events.

But we've just learned that, even in this economy, not everything is fair game.

Noel Biderman, CEO of AshleyMadison.com, told CNBC that his ad was eventually rejected and was specifically told that the company wouldn't be allowed to advertise in any NFL game program until the end of time.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said that no one in the league office actually ever saw the ad. "After realizing what the site was, the sales rep called back and told the company there was a mistake and that his company could not sell an ad to the site."

Biderman is once again calling foul, and stating that allowing alcohol related ads and not his company's is "hypocritical". I would tell the guy to give it up, but he's bringing about more press towards his company every time they get nixed from a program. Last year it was the Final Four and this year it's the hype surrounding the Super Bowl.

Cheating Site Denied Ad In Super Bowl Program (CNBC: Sports Biz)

Before I get into the story, I still can't believe that is the logo for Super Bowl XLIII. It's just boring and looks like the Patriots logo to me. Anywho, NBC isn't having nearly the trouble selling ads for the Super Bowl that it was for the Olympics. In fact at the start of the NFL Season they only really have about 10 of the 67 spots left. Via John Ourand at Sports Business Daily....

The strong ad sales market surrounding February’s game underscores the strength that big events like the Super Bowl have, even in a down economy. “We see the end zone right now,” Winter said.

NBC’s enviable ad sales position also marks resurgence of an event that had become a tough sell for networks in fall of ‘05 and ‘06. Last year’s game on Fox seemed to re-energize the Super Bowl, which stood out for its numbers (a 43.1 rating) and buzz factor (with the Patriots vying for an undefeated season against the big-market Giants). Coming off an Olympics ad sales effort that saw NBC sell more than $1B, the Super Bowl is another good news story for the network, and shows that big sports events are not being affected by the overall sluggish economy.

NBC’s $3M rate card marks an unprecedented 11% increase from the $2.7M rate card Fox used for this year’s game. Fox set the market at the end of last year, when it ended up getting around $3M for a couple of late-breaking 30-second spots. The $3M rate usually is paid by advertisers that do not buy spots during the season. “I’d be embarrassed to tell anyone that I paid that much for a commercial,” said one ad buyer, who asked not to be identified because he plans to buy at least one spot.

That's just wild, but it seems to make sense. With the economy as low as it's been in quite some time people are trying every way they can think of to put their money into sure things, and the Super Bowl is certainly one of those sure things. The majority of large businesses use the "shotgun approach" to marketing, which is to get your message out through many avenues as to as many people you can, but saving up for a huge event like the SB or American Idol might become more of the norm.

NBC Has Already Sold 85% Of Ad Inventory For Super Bowl XLIII (Sports Business Daily - $)

Last year Super Bowl spots came to an average of $2.7 million, but that was nowhere near the price FOX started at. Over the years the price usually only increases by a few hundred thousand dollars, but NBC doesn't seem to be worried....

Even with the struggling economy, NBC is confident advertisers will pay higher prices because of the record ratings for this year's game. The nail-biter between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots drew 97.4 million viewers, the biggest TV audience yet for any sporting event in the U.S.

The Super Bowl is one of the few bright spots this year for NBC, which is once again heading into the "upfront" ad-sales season in fourth place.

Of course, just because NBC sets the bar at $3 million doesn't mean buyers will meet it. Several media buyers on Monday declined to comment on NBC's announcement.

It seems to me that as the price for ads go up the quality of said ads goes down. Obviously the more money you spend on the spot takes away from the creation, but I expect next years ads to be just monkeys flinging poo. Wait, that would actually be entertaining.

Also, it maybe too late for this, but can we start a petition to get that logo changed? I still can't get over how ugly that is.

NBC Super Bowl Ads to Cost $3 Million (Wall Street Journal)

To be completely honest with you I don't even remember a single commercial from last night. I think I saw the baby, and the unibrowed redhead, but I for sure remember the Sales Genie spots. There were about 8,000 before the game that were just plain dumb, but they saved the best one for the big game.

I give you racist pandas....

Are you kidding me? How can this get passed and the stupid "Go Daddy Beaver" commercial got axed??? Amazing. People continue to blow my mind every single day. I hope Sales Genie is happy with the millions of dollars they spent today.

Ling Ling's House of Bamboo Furniture. Come on.

This clip is of a Diet Pepsi Max commercial that will air during Super Bowl XLII. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman kick off the nonsense and Buck ends it the only way he can....by being annoying. Enjoy!

Well that was craptastic wasn't it? I don't really know what to say so I'll just quote the reader who sent the clip in....."Tell me if it doesn't look to you like Joe Buck is fellating the microphone in this first shot!"

Yes....yes it does.

Is it just me or have the Super Bowl ads been terrible the past few years. The only ones I can remember are the K-Fed one and the Snickers one with the guys kissing. The big timers are now paying upwards of $2.7 million per 30 second spot, and here are the early highlights from some of the spots airing on February 3rd. Via Sports Business Daily and others....

Victoria's Secret: Plans to air an ad during Fox' coverage of Super Bowl XLII, the brand's first ad on the game since '99, aiming "to give a boost to its struggling business," according to Amy Merrick of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. The 30-second spot is scheduled to air during the second half and will promote the retailer's Valentine's Day merchandise. Victoria's Secret CMO Jill Beraud said that the company "spent 'a little less than the average' going rate" of about $2.7M for the spot. The ad will be posted on the company's Web site after the game.

The in-house-produced ad features model Adriana Lima, "a football and words that will scroll across the screen." (Wall Street Journal)

Pepsi: Through a Super Bowl spot featuring musician Justin Timberlake, will advertise a new promotion in which "consumers who buy Pepsi drinks will receive points that can be redeemed for music downloads" on Amazon.com. Amazon and Pepsi "will give away up to a billion songs" and other prizes including DVDs and electronics.

The ad would mark Timberlake's first appearance affiliated with the Super Bowl since he performed with Janet Jackson at halftime of the '04 game

PepsiCo recently in L.A. filmed two ads for its Amp Energy drink brand featuring NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., whose No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet is sponsored by PepsiCo's Amp brand. The two spots, created to raise "awareness and sales" for the energy drink, are "in a pool of ads in testing" to determine which will make the Super Bowl; PepsiCo has bought two minutes of ad time on the game. In one of the spots, Amp "gives Earnhardt the energy to take on a camel," and in the other a "human powered" gorilla. (USA Today)

Drugs: The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, which "has a history of running grim, discomforting commercials" during the Super Bowl, will run "at least one commercial" during the game. The "edgy, serious ad [via Draft FCB] is bound to stand apart from the bulk" of typically humorous Super Bowl ads (Ad Age)

Can you just leave that photo above up during every single commercial break FOX? Thanks! Oh and Go Daddy.....I love you because I used you to buy AA.com, but can you at least TRY to create something funny this year (and Amanda Beard is soooo last year).

Quick Note before I get into the story. I hate MySpace. There I said it....I've purposely not created a page to spite some of my friends and I think that's great. Yes I still have one of those stalker accounts so I can search other people, but I think you get my point. I'd love to hear if others feel the same way....maybe then we could start an online community to gather and complain about MySpace.

Anywho, came across this chunk of info and thought you'd get a kick out of it...

Fox Sports is partnering with MySpace and the NFL to create a MySpace page where users can view commercials from Super Bowl XLII. The site will be promoted during each half of Fox’ Super Bowl XLII broadcast. Advertisers will have the option of offering customers “calls to action” after their spots run online including links to their own sites, coupons and contest offerings. An ad for a movie would be able to show an extended trailer.

The thing that cracks me up about this is how far behind the times mainstream media is. Couldn't they have done this 3 years ago, and shouldn't they have? I guarantee you some intern came up with this in 2002 right when MySpace was taking off, and some d-bag suit shot it down. That same suit probably went to Rupert Murdoch the other day and said, "Hey Rupey...what about this MySpace dealie?", and got a $100K raise.

Looks like the NHL is starting one as well......NHL MySpace.

(Above quote from SBD)

Man Wash.....



Bud Light Slaps....



"When they spread the field like this it's either going to be a draw or a pass"- PS, Thanks Phil....great insight there....run or pass.

Taco Bell Lions....

Why is Phil Simms yelling at me?

“He’s a sack specialist”- JN

Here's the Bud Light ad for you.....pretty funny......



Rules of Engagement Promo with Patrick Warburton, Oliver Hudson, and Davey Spade promo was special

Phil Simms imitation of Jim Nantz was even more special

“You can’t throw back across the field. WHO SAID THAT!?!?!?!”- PS, He is absolutely yelling at this point.

Snickers Kiss......