Do you watch the Super Bowl for the football or for the commercials

According to a new report from Lightspeed Research, a unit of WPP’s Kantar, only slightly more than half of the game’s viewers will be watching for the football. Fifteen percent say they’ll tune in primarily for the ads. Thirty percent will watch because it will let them participate in a social activity with family or friends.

The big game on February 6th has been sold out since October. Advertisers paid an estimated $3 million for each 30-second slot. This is the first Super Bowl in years to sell out all available ad space so early.

What can we expect to see (other than football)
• Advertisers are turning to female celebrities to help promote their products. You’ll be seeing Kim Kardashian, Faith Hill, Danica Patrick and Jillian Michaels just to name a few.
• Pepsi returns to the Super Bowl with three-30 second ads for Pepsi Max.
• Anheuser-Busch will air five spots during the game and, if you watched the NFC and AFC Championship games, you saw two :15 teasers, one for “Outlaw” the other for “Giddy Up”
• Advertisers are moving beyond the big screen. Look for commercials to have a social component/social contest tie-in.
• Best Buy will be making their Super Bowl debut.

Who won’t we see?
There are several advertisers from 2010 that will not be returning to the big game this year. Some of the reasons the companies stated for not returning include: moving in a new direction, under new leadership, and changing goals.
• Papa John’s will not be advertising in the Super Bowl this year, but instead has announced plans to give a free large pizza to every American- if the Super Bowl goes into its first ever overtime. You must sign up for its online   loyalty program before game day.
• Intel is foregoing the Super Bowl. They are said to be looking at different marketing vehicles for its 2nd Generation of Intel Core processors.
• Denny’s, with a new CEO and new ad agency is developing a new integrated marketing program and does not include the Super Bowl.
• Monster.com is said to be moving away from brand awareness.

I confess, I watch mostly for the commercials.