Super Bowl Sunday in America is the closest thing to a national holiday without the official designation. On February 6th 2005, ninety million people tuned in to watch the New England Patriots beat the Philadelphia Eagles. Most watching might claim to be die-hard football fans. Some admit to having tuned in to the 39th Super Bowl just to watch the half-time show and commercials. It was one day that the TiVo fast forward button rarely got used. Companies paid FOX an average of $2.4 million for a thirty-second spot. In all, about 30 sponsors enabled us to watch the Super Bowl from the tv room in our house, our favorite bar (usually not open on Sundays) or church (always open on Sundays) -- free-of-charge. Actually, there was a charge. Our time. But this year, it was worth it ... for the most part. Here is Rugged Elegant Living's take on the most inspirational commercials shown during Super Bowl XXXIX.

The Most "Tempting To Buy" Ad

The New Volvo XC-90 V8 SUV

Where FedEx Kinko's tried to pull together all the elements of a successful commercial, Volvo succeeded.

The exhiliration of a space ship taking off always works for me.

Did you catch the rocket's "license plate"?

"My other vehicle is a Volvo XC90 V8" it said.

Richard Branson also made for an intriguing celebrity tie-in.

As much as we love Bert Reynolds, Branson's celebrity status is more "current" and perhaps appeals to a broader audience.

Besides Branson had something to offer that only his company can make good on. One of the first virgin commercial trips into orbit.

"How powerful is it?" he asks from inside the rocket wearing his Virgin Galactic space suit. "Powerful to get you into space," he states.

Virgin's Richard Branson

To win a trip on Virgin Galactic, go to:

Sweepstakes ends on February 22, 2005.

Great co-branding ad!

Other Great Co-Branding Ads

Pepsi and www.Apple.com/iTunes

One song in three bottles.

I wonder how many people have since tried to download "If I Were A Rich Girl" by Gwen Stefani and Eve. I tried, but no luck.

Three of The Funniest Ads

Anheuser-Busch's Bud Light

A pilot jumping out of a plane leaving behind two parachuters to catch a falling six pack of Bud Light doesn't sound funny. But you had to see this one.

At least the two guys left behind were wearing parachutes.

AmeriQuest Mortgage Company

Their "Don't Judge To Quickly" ads were hilarious.

"You're getting robbed" is not a statement you want to make wearing your cell phone earbud when you're at a convenience store, especially one whose owners have a hidden camera, mace, an electric zapper and other paraphernalia to protect themselves.

Their second ad had all the elements too. You can hear them saying this week: "Did you see the one with ...?

The white house cat responsible for spilling the pasta sauce on the stove.

The bread knife.

The wife walking in the door and seeing her husband holding the pasta stained cat in one hand and the knife in the other.

These two ads are likely to be two of the most talked about.

Cindy Crawford

Best Ooh La La Ad

Diet Pepsi

Of course any ad with Cindy Crawford, a good looking guy drinking my favorite diet cola and Staying Alive playing in the background is sure to be a winner!

The Most Likely To Succeed Ad

GoDaddy.com

The old man's oxygen mask made the ad funny.

And while the busty woman whose top was falling off made it memorable, at least for the guys in the room, as a mother of two impressionable daughters, it also made it embarassing.

We still had to laugh, though.

The bottom line: Their message could make it one of the more effective ads of the afternoon.

After all, who pays only $8.95 a month for web hosting?

If GoDaddy.com can really deliver, the "never heard before" domain registrar may now actually have a business.

Then again, it looks like they already do -- with 5.3 million domains registered with Go Daddy Software, Inc. since 1997.

Best Football Heroes Ad

The NFL Network

The "limber" legendary quarterback & three-time Super Bowl MVP, Joe Montana and the Steelers' rookie Ben Roethlisberger showed up on a beach and started singing the Broadway song, "The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow" from Annie.

Joe Montana & Ben Roethlisberger

Former Raiders coach Jon Gruden, the New York Jets' Curtis Martin, the Tennessee Titans' Steve McNair, the Minnesota Vikings' Daunte Culpepper, Cincinnati Bengals' Marvin Lewis & Chad Johnson, the Dallas Cowboys' Roy Williams and the Jacksonville Jaguars' Byron Leftwich & Ephraim Salaam chimed in along with some of the most famous retired football heroes.

"Tomorrow, tomorrow. I'll love you tomorrow," they sang.

And then the punch line:

"Tomorrow, we're all undefeated again."

Great ad. But boy did it makes us miss those guys.

Good Ad But Bad Branding

Olympus

The ad for the new Olympus m:robe digital camera & music player had us interested.

But the impulse buy on Google or Yahoo! must have been non-existent given the lack of branding to the commercial.

What's with the OlympusGroove.com at the end of spot when the product name is m:robe?

And speaking of which, what does M:Robe mean, anyway?

Most Clever Ad

Heineken

Brad Pitt stars in Heineken Paparazzi Ad.

"We're still on," Pitt says after ducking out of his high-rise apartment to grab a six pack of beer at his local package store, cleverly skirting the paparazzi, before returning with his Heineken.

Does that means he was calling Jennifer?

Sure hope so!

Word has it Pitt was paid $5 million to run from the media and buy a six pack of Heineken. Director, David Fincher shot the Dutch brew ad.

Best TV Show Pump-Up Ad

24

But then I've gotta be one of the biggest Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) fans on the planet. So, is that fair?

Thump-Thump. Thump-Thump. Thump-Thump.

Fasten your seat belt. Monday nights at 9pm on FOX. Be there. Or TiVo it.

24 fans agree; $2.4 million was worth every penny to pump us up.

Then again, FOX probably didn't pay itself to run an ad for a show on FOX ...

Best Sequel Ad

Anheuser Busch

If you remember from last year's Super Bowl, a donkey became a Clydesdale.

As hordes of animals, from osterichs, to giraffes, to elephants, to pigs, came to the Clydesdale audition this year, one of the Anheuser Busch stage coach drivers said, "Now look what you've started?!"

Best Movie Trailer Ads

Be Cool

Of course, anything starring John Travolta has got to be cool. At least that's what I was thinking.

My husband had a different view point, however.

"Gotta love Uma Thurman," he said.

Paramount Pictures' remake of The Longest Yard and 20th Century Fox's upcoming animated film Robots -- are also worth mentioning.

The War of The Worlds

Speaking of super stars, Tom Cruise captured our attention as did the name Steven Spielberg.

Their new movie, coming June 29th, The War of The Worlds got us intrigued.

Unfortunately, it also got the kids scared.

Just hope we don't have nightmares this week.

For the adults, the 29th of June is now on our calendar. By then, I should be able to read the book.

Best Free-Be by The Host Ad

American Idol

My folks are now even considering watching our favorite family show.

Way to go, Fox.

Best Advertiser

Anheuser-Busch

I wouldn't have mentioned the Budweiser Select ad. But a previous commercial, mentioned below, was so outstanding, they deserve the plug.

Also, Cedric, the star of Budweiser's ads, had the moves in Bud's dancing dj ad.

Definitely a contender for one of the more memorable ads of the day.

Anheuser-Busch claims they are the King of Beers. Their ad agency deserves the title the King of the Super Bowl Ads.

I may even give Budweiser Select a try. So how's that for effective advertising?

In all, Anheuser-Busch aired nine spots during Super Bowl XXXIX.

Every one, save the "rich guy not smooth and the smooth guy not rich" ad was stellar.

Best Ad By Far

Anheuser Busch Heroes Salute

Anheuser Busch created the biggest tear jerker, applause inspiring ad of Super Bowl XXXIX.

Their Salute to the Heroes had the magic.

It had the sound.

It had the best celebrities you could ask for -- our U.S. troops.

It had the best supporters you could ask for, especially the old lady.

You didn't know who made the ad or what it was really about until the very end.

Branding is what it was all about. Class act branding.

We all said, "It almost doesn't matter who created this ad, theirs wins!"

It could have been about President Bush selling the American people oil, and it would have had impact. However, this ad wasn't about beer or oil.

Or A-Busch becoming A-Bush.

It was about appreciating our troops.

And Anheuser-Busch spent millions of dollars to say how the American public feels.

To all our military people around the world, we share Anheuser Busch's sentiment:

And thank you Anheuser Busch for saying it.

Inspire & Be Inspired.

Here's to healthy, adventuresome, soulful "one day a year we actually look forward to commercials" living!

~ Jennifer Carolyn King

P.S. In case you are wondering about that other competition held on Sunday -- the New England Patriots beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 24-21.

Super Bowl XXXIX Ads: Heineken & Brad Pitt, Anheuser-Busch & American Soldiers Win Big

Sir Paul McCartney Delivers An Inspirational Super Bowl XXXIX Halftime Performance