Commercials

What started as a championship game between two distinct football leagues has somehow been transformed into a showcase for advertisements. Everyone watches the game, but everyone pays attention to the ads.

Don Draper: Advertising is based on one thing: happiness. And do you know what happiness is? Happiness is the smell of a new car. It’s freedom from fear. It’s a billboard on the side of a road that screams with reassurance that whatever you’re doing is OK. You are OK.

Tonight there was an hour show just showing famous Super Bowl commercials. They even had some sneak peeks of this year’s ads. If you missed the show, and can’t wait until tomorrow, you can see quite a few of them here: Adweek.com

Roy: So, what do you do, Don?
Don Draper: I blow up bridges.
Midge: Don’s in advertising.
Roy: No way! Madison Avenue? What a gas!
Midge: We all have to serve somebody.
Roy: Perpetuating the lie. How do you sleep at night?
Don: On a bed made of money.

The cost of a 30-second spot for Super Bowl I in 1967 was $42,500 on CBS. Twenty years and 20 games later, the cost had spiraled to $600,000. For this year’s game, CBS is asking $3 million and they have sold out (pun intended.)