• Los Angeles Times, Friday, February 22, 2008 11:30 AM

This year at the Oscars, the advertisers are better known than the movies. Only "Juno" has topped $100 million at the box office among the films that have been nominated for top honors.

MasterCard, American Express, JC Penney and Mars' M&Ms are introducing new ads and marketing campaigns during the show. General Motors, Coca-Cola, McDonald's and L'Oreal are among the advertisers that are also returning to the red carpet. And two advertisers--including Unilever's Bertolli frozen foods--will make their first appearance during the Oscars.

Marketers say the show remains a magnet because nearly two-thirds of the TV audience are women, who often make household buying decisions. Moreover, most viewers watch the show as it happens--rather than recording it to watch later on--because they don't want to go to work the next day clueless about who won.

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