What Recession? Super Bowl Ads Cost $3 Million For 30 Seconds

Over the years, the Super Bowl commercials have become -- to casual or non-football fans -- as big a spectacle as the game on Super Bowl Sunday. You could always count on Coke, Pepsi, and the beer companies to bring it strong on the mother of all advertising nights. Oh, and Terry Tate ...

The insanely-priced 30-second spots became newsworthy, especially when they finally eclipsed the million-dollar threshold. This season is no different, despite our nation's current economic woes. NBC is collecting as much as $3 million per 30 seconds for commercial spots during the Super Bowl.

While some of the larger companies like Federal Express and General Motors have decided against advertising for the Cardinals/Steelers tilt, some first-timers like Pedigree (dog food) and Denny's (Ricky Manning's favorite restaurant) have thrown their hats in the ring.

One item of note for this year is that an animated movie will air a 90-second 3D commercial during the game.

The movie studio partnered with PepsiCo Inc. to make and distribute in supermarkets more than 125 million pairs of glasses that will allow viewers to see the enhanced image. The "Monsters vs. Aliens" ad will be immediately followed by a one-minute, 3-D commercial for PepsiCo's SoBe beverage that features football players Justin Tuck, Ray Lewis and Matt Light.

Finally, worry not, Anheiser-Busch commercial fans. The company who brought us the frogs, Bud Bowl, the "wazzup" guys, and many other Super Bowl favorites has purchased four and a half minutes of time for the game.

Better make those bathroom breaks and beer runs strategic.