Top spots: digital effects turn in a game-winning performance in this year's Super bowl commercial showdown.(Broadcast)

The Ad Bowl, which takes place during Super Bowl Sunday, is a highlight of the year for advertising agencies, commercial production companies, and all the visual effects, animation, and post houses serving them. The commercials--supposedly Madison Avenue's best--are as much of an attraction as the game itself, and this year was no exception.

The 2006 super spots appeared to be a notch up from last year, when cautiousness prevailed, squelching creative, riskier opportunities. As expected, humor continued to reign supreme, as did commercials featuring animals, particularly those involving Budweiser's iconic Clydesdales.

The draws, as well as the duds, were the culmination of the hardest work in the shortest time, as agencies, production companies, and VFX professionals raced toward a fixed deadline, usually with just days to spare. Aside from being expensive in terms of work and time, the spots were also costly in terms of dollars--with an average price tag of $2.5 million for 30 seconds of airtime. The cost to air a commercial far exceeded the cost to create one, even though some of the special effects-heavy ads reportedly cost upward of $1 million to make.

With so much at stake, some advertisers took a chance ...