Brands Butting Heads in Super Bowl Ads

Coke and Pepsi aren’t the only corporate rivals in the Super Bowl. Leaders in other industries will be competing for attention during the professional football championship Sunday in spots laced with humor or celebrities.

Fila, a fast-growing footwear company, makes its first Super Bowl appearance with a 30-second spot showing Philadelphia 76ers player Jerry Stackhouse jumping off the side of a building after a basketball to promote the Stackhouse II sneakers. Nike has been airing teasers for its 60-second spot, a Super Bowl party hosted by Orlando Magic player Penny Hardaway’s animated sidekick, Little Penny.

Three auto makers are using the game to introduce new cars. General Motors uses model Cindy Crawford in a 45-second spot for its entry-level Cadillac, the Catera. Porsche promotes the Boxster, a new sports car, in one of two 30-second spots it has in the game. Honda is using a 60-second spot to launch its first sport-utility vehicle, the CR-V. Nissan continues its “Enjoy the Ride” campaign in a spot with music from Kenny Loggins.

Computer makers are leaping into the fray, though they will make an appearance during the pregame show rather than the game itself. Gateway is airing three 30-second image spots, one featuring a cowboy herding PCs in a field. IBM is using one 30-second spot to continue its “solutions for a small planet” campaign.