We watch the Super Bowl for the action and the ads, many of which debut on the unofficial national holiday. Indeed, the following day armchair quarterbacks take to the field to critique the ads as much as the game itself.

So it's always interesting to find out who is taking the plunge on Super Bowl Sunday. By plunge I mean an estimated $3 million for a 30 second spot!

Automotive News reports that Hyundai is planning a major splash during this year's game on Feb. 7 in Miami. Noting that the South Korean auto maker ran five commercials in last year's Super Bowl, it quoted Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik's reasoning behind spending that kind of money.

"It's really been helpful for us in terms of broadening our appeal and increasing overall acceptance of the brand," Krafcik said of advertising to such an enormous audience.

Automotive News said other auto makers planning to run Super Bowl ads include Audi, Dodge (the only domestic so far), Honda, Kia and Volkswagen.

Peter C.T. Elsworth