• Forbes, Wednesday, January 28, 2009 9:15 AM

Perhaps this is the future for all big-budget TV campaigns. Companies advertising during the Super Bowl this year are looking to get more for their $100,000-a-second ads. They are using their pricey, high-profile 30-second spots to kick off promotional campaigns that may last for weeks or even months.

Among the 17-plus companies taking the plunge, Mars' Pedigree dog food is making its first Super Bowl appearance. It hopes to extend the buzz from its TV spot to the company's Web site, which will feature behind-the-scenes videos related to the TV ad. The plan is that 4 million people will view the videos and download a photo of their dog next to a Pedigree logo on their iPhone. The dog barks every time the user shakes his phone.

"A Super Bowl ad has got more legs than just game day," says John Baratta, president of Bridgestone, which is sponsoring the halftime show and running two spots. "It's about the buzz two weeks before the game and several months after it."

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