Super Bowl Ads: What to expect

ANHEUSER-BUSCH

Number of Spots: Two 60-second spots, five 30-second spots

Details: Known spots include three using the brand's iconic Clydesdale horses and one starring NBC's late-night host Conan O'Brien.

Two of the Clydesdale spots will feature humor. In one, the Budweiser Dalmatian engages in some friendly competition with one of the horses, and in the other, a Clydesdale falls in love with a circus horse. The last Clydesdale spot will be the brand's annual sentimental favorite and will show newly immigrated Clydesdales trying their luck at a variety of jobs before finding their true calling with Anheuser-Busch. All three spots were helmed by the legendary Joe Pytka, who has shot ads for Budweiser since the 1980s.

In the Conan spot, which will air during the first quarter, the comedian agrees to star in a Bud commercial, but laughs ensue when the filming takes him to Sweden. Two other A-B spots will spotlight the company's Bud Light Lime and Budweiser American Ale beverages. Sources indicated the remaining ads in the Bud line-up will all use humor.

AUDI

Number of Spots: One 60-second spot

Details: The automaker will return to the game with a first-quarter spot featuring action star Jason Statham. The spot, titled "Chase," will promote the company's A6 luxury sedan. An Audi press release says the ad is "inspired by iconic Hollywood chase scenes" and follows Statham as he "rushes from decade to decade to avoid capture, trying to find a vehicle to aid his getaway. He finds that several other luxury vehicles fail to get the job done. That is, until he finds the supercharged Audi A6."

COCA COLA

Number of Spots: Three Spots

Details: Coke is kicking off a new branding campaign for its cola and will use the Super Bowl as a launching pad for the new image. The campaign includes a new tagline -- "Open Happiness" -- which replaces the current "The Coke Side of Life."

The soft drink maker will air two spots for Coke Classic and one for Coke Zero. One of the Classic spots will feature interaction between humans and avatars. In another spot, Coke is remaking (or reimagining) its classic 1980 Mean Joe Green ad, which features the Steelers legend tossing his jersey to a child fan in exchange for a Coke. The new spot will star current Steelers Pro Bowler Troy Polamalu demonstrating his tackling skills.

GENERAL ELECTRIC

Number of Spots: One spot

Details: The Super Bowl rookie will highlight new developments like its Smart Grid energy technology as "innovation you don't have to wait for." The spot will be reminiscent of the "Wizard of Oz" with a scarecrow-like character.

PARAMOUNT PICTURES

Number of Spots: Three 30-second spots

Details: The studio will promote a trio of blockbusters, including "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," "Star Trek" and the long-awaited live-action adaptation of the classic '80s cartoon "G.I. Joe".

Contact staff writer Emily Viviani at emily.viviani@richmond.edu