HAPPY MONDAY!

While many of us here at A&W are wishing "Super Bowl Monday" was an official holiday, since we made our way into the office this morning, we thought we'd kick off Monday Madness with a Super Bowl Commercial Recap - our favorites, and why.

Volkswagen: The Force
This one did well with us for a number of reasons. You can't deny the effect the Imperial March has on the audience (even those who may not be Star Wars fans), and despite never actually getting a look at the man behind the mask, viewers undoubtedly were imagining a cute little boy. This spot managed to say it all, without anyone saying a word. Will it help Passat sales? Maybe. But from a brand standpoint, it has everyone talking.

Chrysler: Imported from Detroit
Celebrities are an often-used tool when it comes to Super Bowl spots and Eminem actually had a role in two this year (albeit one in Claymation-form). However in this commercial, Chrysler not only marked its return to advertising during the big game, but the reemergence of its brand and Detroit as the Motor City as well. This spot tugged at the American heartstrings and effectively reminded people where the auto industry began.

Doritos: House Sitting
There were a number of funny spots from Doritos, but the favorite here at A&W was by far the "House Sitting" one. A more traditional, go-for-the-laughs Super Bowl campaign, this series worked well and the concept of using Doritos to nurse everything back to life - even dearly departed grandpa - succeeded in doing just that. It was also a bit more appetizing than watching a grown man lick another man's fingers, as highlighted in one of their other commercials!

Bridgestone: Reply All
We've all been there . . . you hit send on an email and then that fear grabs you that it was sent to someone other than the intended recipient, or perhaps even worse, you hit "Reply All." Bridgestone found a way to take this all-too-familiar feeling and use it to highlight the performance of its tires as the sender frantically tries to beat the system (literally) and stop the email from going through. Since he makes it in time-only to learn that he had not actually hit Reply All-thanks, in part, to the tires on his car, the ad got viewers' attention and the brand recognition Bridgestone desired.

There were a number of runners-up among the A&W favorites as well, including Teleflora's "Help Me Faith," Pepsi Max "Love Hurts" and CareerBuilder "Parking Lot."

What were your favorites? If you need a refresher, you can find them all here.