Majority of U.S. Adults watch Super Bowl for the Ads.

A new survey commissioned by Hanon McKendry/The Brand Consultants and conducted by Harris Interactive Inc. shows that more than half of U.S. adults (56%) watching the Super Bowl on Sunday will be doing so as much or more for the commercials as for the game itself.

The survey, which is aimed to quantify the appeal of Super Bowl commercials, indicates that 20% of viewers will be watching the game mainly for the commercials, while 37% said they watch equally for the commercials and the game itself. Hanon McKendry/The Brand Consultants’ survey confirms the game’s enduring draw, finding that more than two-thirds of U.S. adults (70%) plan to watch Super Bowl XLI.

“The new data show that Super Bowl advertising is increasingly vying for supremacy with the game itself,” said Bill McKendry, Founder/Chief Creative Officer for Hanon McKendry/The Brand Consultants. “Our survey confirms that the Super Bowl is as much or more a ‘must-see’ media event as it is a sporting event.”

Hanon McKendry/The Brand Consultants’ new survey sheds additional light on the preferences of America’s Super Bowl audience. Among the findings:

– The game ads are more likely to appeal to younger viewers: 61 percent of viewers ages 18 to 34 watch as much or more for the commercials, versus 48 percent for viewers ages 55 and older.

– Women said they are more likely than men to watch the Super Bowl for the ads: Among those who plan to watch the game, more than 10% more women (27%) than men (13%) plan to watch exclusively or predominantly for the commercials.