• by Wayne Friedman , February 8, 2008

Super Bowl spots may be well-liked--but are they well-remembered?

Research company IAG chimes in with its analysis of the Super Bowl and breaks down these spots in two key areas. One glaring example of the differing criteria comes from a NFL commercial--a spot that tells the story of how Ephraim Salaam, a big guy who plays the oboe, finds his way into the NFL.

It was rated the most likable of all Super Bowl spots. But as for being the most recalled--the spot wasn't even on IAG's top 10 list.

A Coca-Cola commercial featuring parade balloons chasing after a Coke balloon also scored well in likeability, with a third-place spot. But it didn't make the top 10 of spots recalled.

Similarly, a Bridgestone commercial--showing critters screaming as a car, traveling at night, misses them thanks to good tires--achieved high likeability with a fourth-place spot, but it didn't make the top 10 of spots recalled.

Conversely, the FedEx spot where one entrepreneurial executive solves his shipping problems with giant carrier pigeons was the most-recalled spot, according to IAG. But it wasn't as well-liked in relation to other TV commercials--not making IAG's top 10 list.

Other spots did well on both lists: The Budweiser spot--featuring a Dalmatian training a Clydesdale to make a beer wagon team, all to the tune of the "Rocky" theme music--scored well in likeability and recall, at second place on both lists.

The Doritos spot where a man looks and waits to catch a mouse and winds up getting attacked by the giant mouse was the fifth-best-liked spot and fourth-best spot recalled. This is the second year that Doritos has allowed consumers to compete to produce a Super Bowl spot. Doritos also did well in other industry surveys.

Other spots on both likeability and recall lists include: E-Trade and its smart investor-talking baby; and Planters and its uni-brow woman in pink who rubs cashews on her like perfume.