It’s a fact: there is a giant segment of people out there who watch the Super Bowl every year for one reason and one reason only: for the commercials. Companies like Anheuser Busch and E*Trade think up of ways to capture the wild imaginations of the public and deep way down their pockets to score spots between all the football action. This year a 30-second spot costs companies on average $3.5 million! In the end it’s all about attracting eyeballs and that’s what the Super Bowl spectacle does best. Last year a record-breaking 111 million viewers tuned into the game. And with a matchup like the Patriots versus the Giants this year’s viewership is bound to jump even higher.

With the world watching and so much money spent, this year’s commercials are expected to go above and beyond what we’ve ever seen before. Prior to the big game, companies have released teasers and even full-length ads that will be aired on Sunday. The two most popular ones so far have been Honda’s Ferris Bueller-inspired spot and Volkswagen’s Star Wars-themed “The Bark Side” starring a collection of dogs barking the Imperial March. Watch these now after the break.

Following the game on Sunday, check back here to revisit your favorite Super Bowl 46 commercials. They will all be embedded after the break!

Update: The game is over (the Giants beat the Patriots, YEAH!) and the most buzzed about commercials are posted after the break, along with the theatrical trailers that aired (Avengers, anyone?).

Update 2: What did I tell yah? A whopping 111.3 million people tuned into the Super Bowl yesterday, topping last year’s viewership (111 million) to become the most watched program in TV history. Continue reading Super Bowl XLVI: The Commercials! [Update: record ratings] →