Pre-Super Bowl blog chatter predicted that this year's spots weren't going to be stellar enough to warrant any extra attention, that is unless you were watching the Super Bowl for the actual game and not the ads, in which case we heard it pretty much kept you glued to your seats. Spot-wise, however, we were expecting to yawn our way through ads that were light on creative and heavy on "we really need to sell shit... and fast." After all, we are in an unstable "economic climate".

Now, while there weren't any epics, there were a few clever marketing twists, such as Miller High Life's "1 Second Ad". The name says it all but the premise - rebuffing the game's $3 million for :30 price tag in favor of touting High Life as a common sense everyman's beer - really hit home with cost-conscious consumers. Doritos found a way to legitimize UGC when the winner of its Crash the Super Bowl contest also topped USA Today's Ad Meter, netting the winners $1 million. Finally, there was confusion around Pepsi's MacGruber spots. Were they ads or Saturday Night Live skits? Both, apparently. In what NBC Entertainment co-chairman Ben Silverman told The Associated Press was "un-advertising advertising", Pepsi paid the network to collaborate on the campaign.

But it wasn't all marketing twists, there was also zany creative on the comedy side of things and from clients you wouldn't expect. Anyone up for a subtle ode to S&M and bestiality? Apparently, motor oil brand Castrol is with its spots "Jimmy" and "Grease Monkeys"! The good creative didn't stop there. Boards rounds up its top picks from the Super Bowl pack.

1. Hulu "Alec in Huluwood"

There's a reason 30 Rock is so addictive: Alec Baldwin is an alien bent on turning your brain into "mushy-mush".

2. Careerbuilder.com "Tips"

This just might be the only instance when PETA wouldn't object to punching a koala in the face. Or not.

3. Castrol "Jimmy"

Every time each unsuspecting victim was lashed with that dipstick, it almost felt like a crazy Scottish priest exorcising the underwhelming creative out of traditional Castrol spots.

4. Monster.com "Double Take"

Never has a more visceral metaphor for the office hierarchy been created. Ever.

5. Bud Light "Conan O'Brien Swedish"

"Big in Sweden" just may be the new "Big in Japan".

6. Denny's "Thugs"

Why pancakes with whipped cream smiley faces don't go hand-in-hand with contract killing.

7. E*Trade "Wings"

Everything is prone to overkill, even a precocious baby. The sure-fire anecdote: add another precocious baby and have him sing Mr. Mister's "Take These Broken Wings".

8. Sprint "Roadies"

As it turns out, roadies are good for more than just supplying the band with weed.

9. Pepsi "Refresh Anthem"

If Will.i.am is the new Bob Dylan, does that make Fergie 2009's Joan Baez?

10. Doritos "Free Doritos"

The Doritos might have been free, but this UGC spot's directors, Joe and Dave Herbert, are now $1 million dollars richer.

11. Coke "Avatars"

Second Life meets real life, providing what we can only imagine is a field day for existential philosophers.

12. Miller "1 Second Ad"

With the continuing trend of slashed ad budgets, will we start seeing millisecond ads in the near future?

13. Heineken "Warrior"

John Turturro is not an actor, he's a beer Yoda.