US★ Super Bowl's Most Talked-About Commercial

The average viewership for the 48th Super Bowl, the NFL championship game broadcast by FOX TV on February 2, surpassed the 2012 record of 111.3 million viewers, setting a new U.S. television record of 111.5 million. Last year's viewership was 108.4 million.
This year, the Seattle Seahawks dominated the Denver Broncos 43-8, but according to Ad Age, the lopsided game did not affect viewership. The Pepsi-sponsored halftime show, which began with the score at 22-0, featured singer Bruno Mars and rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, drawing the highest on-air viewership of 115.3 million. FOX TV also reported that tweets related to the event reached 25.3 million.

Creativity.com, a sister brand of Ad Age, has selected this year's standout commercials from the annual lineup of Super Bowl ad masterpieces.
Creativity's Top 5: The Super Bowl Edition→　http://bit.ly/1f98RaG

Here are four of those picks.

Budweiser "Puppy Love"
http://bit.ly/1a1oDo6

Topping the charts with overwhelming online views is Budweiser's "Puppy Love," depicting the bond between a puppy and a horse.
According to the ranking by ad research firm Visible Measures, which compares "True Reach" (total video views including original and copy videos), it achieved an overwhelming 43.24 million views—roughly double that of the second-place spot. The puppy, born at a breeder's, becomes best friends with the Clydesdale horses living on a nearby ranch—Budweiser's mascots. Even on stormy days, it escapes its kennel to visit them. As the puppy prepares to be taken home by its new owner, the horses chase after the car carrying the puppy, determined to bring it back. Last year, a Super Bowl commercial depicting the "brotherly bond" between horses and their trainer was a hit, and this year's ad was highly anticipated. Like its predecessor, this year's heartwarming story—now featuring a puppy as the protagonist—went viral worldwide. As of February 3rd, it recorded 71,000 tweets on Twitter and 1.344 million shares on Facebook. Budweiser's series of commercials featuring the distinctive-looking Clydesdale horses rarely show the beer itself. Instead, they skillfully promote Budweiser as a national brand by depicting settings reminiscent of America's original landscape and portraying the strong bonds considered one of American values.

Cheerios "Gracie"
http://bit.ly/1nhayX0

Another emotionally resonant ad was General Mills' popular cereal Cheerios' "Gracie."
A Black father sits beside his White mother, arranging Cheerios on the table to represent their family while telling their daughter Gracie she's getting a little brother. Gracie then adds one more Cheerio and asks, "Can we get a dog too?" It depicts a warm "American family" of an interracial couple and their daughter.

Honda "#hugfest"
http://bit.ly/1iq0yrA

Honda cast actor Bruce Willis in "#hugfest".
Willis quietly tells Super Bowl viewers, "Hug the important people you're watching the game with." As the camera pulls back, comedy actor Fred Armisen is clinging to Willis. Willis adds, "The person you hug isn't a crash test dummy, it's a real human being." Amid flashy Super Bowl commercials, this understated tone stood out, skillfully promoting the safety of the company's vehicles—ranked #1 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

RadioShack "The Phone Call"
http://bit.ly/1aUGwFO

RadioShack's "The Phone Call" takes a comedic route.
A store receives a call from the "1980s." Suddenly, iconic 80s figures appear: the alien from the TV show "Alf," former gymnast Mary Lou Retton, Eric Estrada from "Knight Rider," wrestler Hulk Hogan, and the heavy metal band Twisted Sister. They rush in and take all the merchandise. The emptied store was remodeled into a sales floor focused on IT products. This showcased a new marketing strategy and image change.