Super Bowl XLIV Car Commercial Collection

Yeah, yeah: If you're anything like me, the best part of watching the Super Bowl are the collection of unique advertising and entertainment showcased during the game.

I may have been the only person in the room who witnessed Janet Jackson's "costume malfunction," not because I was so interested in what she was wearing, but because I was waiting for the next commercial break. I also love the giant halftime entertainment, which this year will star the legendary rock band, The Who, during CBS's telecast of Super Bowl XLIV on February 7 from Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida. Multi-platinum quintet Daughtry will perform at the NFL's Super Tailgate Party outside Sun Life Stadium before the kick off of Super Bowl XLIV and is expected to air at approximately 3:45 pm Eastern. The Super Tailgate party's star-studded lineup also includes Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Steve Winwood.

Besides all the rockin' entertainment, we car fans can also expect a great assortment of auto-focused advertising, including spots from Audi, Bridgestone, Hyundai, and Volkswagen. And don't forget the silly and sexy ads filmed by driver Danica Patrick for her sponsor, GoDaddy.com. If you're feeling the need to get warmed up, you can review highlights from last year's car campaigns here.

Very few televised events have the advertising cachet of the Super Bowl. Watched last year by more than 100 million viewers in the U.S., the Super Bowl is annually the nation's highest-rated TV program and the most-watched single-day sporting event. "When it comes to getting your message out there, no advertising opportunity compares to the reach and impact of the Super Bowl," said John Baratta, President, Replacement Tire Sales U.S. and Canada Consumer tire Sales Division.

Every year, advertisers cough up big bucks to spotlight their products. According to MoonDog Sports "The cost of a 30-second commercial for Super Bowl XLIV will be approximately $3.01 million, up $10,000 from last year's Super Bowl. That amount excludes production costs and fees for actors, equipment, ad agencies, directors, crew and other personnel." Yikes! (Watch the videos after the jump)

Bridgestone returns this year as title sponsor of the Super Bowl XLIV Halftime Show and will showcase two commercials: "Whale of a Tale" and "Your Tires or Your Life." You can watch these ads as well as behind-the-scenes snippets at Bridgestone's website.

Audi's Super Bowl ad series provides an uncommon avenue in the fourth quarter for green advocates, anteaters, Styrofoam, the legendary rock band Cheap Trick, and the 2010 Green Car of the Year to find their inner connectivity. Audi is already hoping its Audi Green Police ad series will win top honors for "Best Use of an Unusual Animal in a Super Bowl Ad." You can check out their entire collection of "Green Police" themed advertising at www.youtube.com/greenpolice

Hyundai promises to be one of the most visible sponsors of Super Bowl XLIV with a total of eight ads airing throughout the day, though Hyundai's Super Bowl blitz will be highlighted by two in-game ads. The first, titled "Paint," will kick off an aggressive campaign supporting the 2011 Sonata. Slotted for the first quarter of the game, the spot will feature the all-new sedan, which boasts 200 horsepower while maintaining best-in-class fuel economy of 35 mile-per-gallon highway. The 2011 Sonata will reach dealerships this month.

Hyundai's second in-game ad, titled "10 years/Favre," scheduled for the second quarter, will feature Brett Favre, quarterback of this season's NFC North champion Minnesota Vikings. Favre, who holds the NFL "iron man" record for most consecutive games started, will be included in a spot featuring Hyundai's 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty. In the 30-second ad, Favre accepts the Most Valuable Player award after the 2020 football season.

As part of her duties as official spokesperson for her sponsor, Danica Patrick will depict Marilyn Monroe and other iconic movie stars in a series of celebrity-themed GoDaddy.com commercials. These commercials are typically edited to be more family friendly for the at-home audience, with "spicier" versions online at GoDaddy.com

Volkswagen returns to the Super Bowl after a nine-year hiatus. VW's ad during the third quarter will feature 13 of its vehicles in an advertisement that shows people playing the children's game "Punch Buggy," in which players punch each other in the shoulder upon first sight of a Beetle and call out "Slug bug!" or "Punch buggy!" The ad also encourages viewers to play the game whenever they spot any VW model. "Everybody knows about Volkswagen, but most people think it's about one or two cars," says Tim Ellis, vice president of marketing for Volkswagen of America. Ellis says the ad is an attempt to expand knowledge of the brand in the U.S

Want to see ALL the ads, not just the automotive focused ads? Then check out the YouTube/Superbowl video page where you can watch them all, then vote on your favorite 2010 commercials.

We hope you'll have a great party! If you're planning a giant get-together, you can checkout the American Tailgaters Association for party tips and recipe suggestions. Their goal is to bring together the nation's tailgating community to enhance that whole parking lot experience; connecting attendees with other like-minded tailgaters both online and in the lot; and provide them with promotions and information that tailgaters value whether it has to do with sports, cooking, entertainment, tailgating gear, tailgating trends, or tailgating culture. I'm not sure the fried bologna sandwiches would be at the top of my menu, but serve me up a few of those bacon wrapped parmesan breadsticks and a nice cold lemonade, and I'll be quite happy, thank you!

By Brandy Schaffels
AskPatty.com Editor