• by Amy Corr , Staff Writer @MediaPostOTL, January 30, 2013

Audi launched its 60-second Super Bowl ad on its YouTube page, and it’s my favorite ad so far. “Prom” will air in the first break after kick-off and stars a teenage boy going to the big dance sans date. He’s pretty down about going alone -- even his young sister pokes fun at him -- but his attitude changes when dad throws him the keys to a 2013 Audi S6. It’s like a fire is lit underneath him. First he parks in the principal’s parking space and then he marches inside and plants a big kiss on the prom queen. The music stops, everyone stares and howls, all which draws the attention of the prom king. Does our kid get the girl? No, he leaves alone with a black eye, and a smile ear-to-ear. And 20 years down the road, prom queen will still be telling this story, talking about him and not her prom king. See it here. The ad, created by Venables Bell and Partners, features the hashtag #BraveryWins, encouraging viewers to share their stories of fearless moments.

Shazam! When you rub the hood of a Toyota RAV4, out emerges a stylish genie, eager to grant wishes. This genie is sassy, stylish and portrayed by Kaley Cuoco of “The Big Bang Theory.” “Wish Granted” will air during the first quarter and follows genie Cuoco and her Chihuahua as she grants wishes to each member of the Henderson family. Dad goes first, wishing his spare-tire belly away. Genie instead removes the spare tire from the outside of the Rav4 design. The daughter wishes that animals could talk and that she were a princess with soldiers to “avenge my father’s death.” “I’m right here,” her father shyly replies. Mom wishes she could eat infinite amounts of chocolate; cue an IV bag of liquid goodness. The son wants to be an astronaut, sending the family into orbit. The dad wants a wish do-over and gets a neighborhood filled with flying witches, but notes “I said infinite wishes.” Dad finally just asks for his first wish, removing his spare tire, which sends him on a workout regimen, led by his genie and her little dog, too. Big points for using Skee-Lo’s ‘90s hit, “I Wish,” at the ads’ conclusion. See it here, created by Saatchi & Saatchi LA.

Kia is running a 60-second ad during the fourth quarter promoting the 2014 Sorento CUV and its ability to help one father avoid an awkward question posed by his son: Where do babies come from? The brand launched a 75-second version of the spot on its YouTube channel. In it, a nervous dad tells his son that all babies come from the planet “Babylandia,” where baby children and baby animals stay for nine months, until they board a space ship, penetrate the earth’s surface, and join their new home. The son seems to have heard about a different sort of penetration from his friend at school -- but dad cuts the boy off by activating the car’s voice-activated jukebox feature to play “The Wheels on the Bus.” Crisis averted… for now. Watch it here, created by David&Goliath and directed by Jake Scott.

Parents, returning home to find their home overrun by an insane house party, are easily distracted by the taste of Pepsi Next. If the drink of choice is Pepsi Next, I guess the party can’t be that over-the-top. The ad, running during the first half of the Super Bowl, shows two parents who can barely maneuver through their home. There’s a party indoors and outdoors, with strobe lights, a lucha libre, unicorn, suds and a cooler of Pepsi Next. No one even notices the guy duct-taped to the ceiling. Dad can’t believe that Pepsi Next has less sugar than real cola yet tastes like real cola. He’s even unfazed when the guy taped to the ceiling falls at his feet. See it here. A 30-second spot will run during the Super Bowl and a 60-second version can be found on the brand’s YouTube channel. The long-form, more realistic version features some blurred-out images, bleeped-out swear words and a partygoer dousing himself with a gallon of milk. See it here, created by TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles.