Super Bowl 2010 advertising

The lineup of 2010 Super Bowl advertisers includes many of the usual suspects, but with one notable exception. PepsiCo, after years as a Super Bowl staple, has decided to opt out of this year's advertising bacchanalia. What's interesting is the rationale given by the beverage marketer. Pepsi is in the midst of launching a social responsibility campaign and believes that other venues will be a better forum for this messaging...and not the Super Bowl.

Call me a cynic but I question whether this is truly the reason Pepsi has decided to pass on the Super Bowl. While the social responsibility effort, for corporate brand Pepsi, might make sense, it's hard to see the Gatorade brand bypassing the Super Bowl.

Pepsi made one of the all-time brand head scratching moves when they re-branded Gatorade to "G." Is the fact that Gatorade won't be advertised on the Super Bowl an admission that the re-branding effort, of a year ago, was an absolute wrong move?

Doritos, a PepsiCo brand, will advertise on the Super Bowl. But, after many years of seeing Pepsi spots at the top of the following days Ad-Meter, we'll have to guess at what other brands will claim that prize on Super Bowl Sunday.

Here's a look at a few of the planned advertisers on CBS' broadcast on February 7:

Anheuser-Busch InBev - These guys aren't going anywhere. As usual, the brewery will be a big spender on the Super Bowl although it's unknown whether they will match last year's four minutes and 30 seconds of advertising.

Coca-Cola - Another regular, Coca-Cola has not revealed which brands will get support on the Super Bowl.

Diamond Foods' Pop Secret - One of three Goodby, Silverstein & Partners' clients in the broadcast, Pop Secret will have a spot which involves Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo, stars of National Lampoon's Vacation.

GoDaddy.com - The provocative advertiser will do it again in 2010. As usual, the spot will feature Danica Patrick.

Denny's - Last year, Denny's used the Super Bowl to launch their free Grand Slam breakfast promotion.

Studios - Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures and Walt Disney Pictures will all advertise upcoming major movie releases.

As of early January, CBS only had five spots left in its Super Bowl inventory and has been fetching between $2.5-$3 million per thirty second commercial.