Five winning half-time adverts more memorable than the games themselves.

When the New England Patriots run in their fifth touchdown midway through the second quarter against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, the temptation to channel-hop may become overwhelming. But this urge must be resisted, because for many viewers the real excitement at the Super Bowl occurs off the field anyway.

The television commercials that punctuate the action are a national obsession – which in recent years have become an international event, thanks to the power of the internet and social media. These guaranteed non-lopsided entertainment-fests generate pretty much the same levels of analysis as the match itself. It’s said nearly half the 112-million-strong TV audience tunes in just to view these $8m-per-minute ads, which is why the Super Bowl is still compulsive viewing, even if one team racks up an unassailable lead before the not-at-all-fat Lady sings. (Lady Gaga is headlining the half-time show.)

The anticipation for this Sunday’s main event is off the scale. But with cultural immortality at stake, will any of Super Bowl LI’s offerings live up to the classics of old? Here Mr Porter takes a wistful look back at these celebrated offerings from yesteryear.

Mr “Broadway” Joe Namath made his mark on Super Bowl history all right: he’s still the only quarterback to win the MVP award without throwing a touchdown pass, a feat he accomplished while leading the New York Jets to victory in 1969. And yet he arguably worked up a bigger lather four years later, soaping himself into a beyond-camp frenzy with the help of Ms Farrah Fawcett – a future Charlie’s Angels star, but then unknown – for Noxzema shaving foam. “I’m so excited! I’m gonna get creamed!” Wardrobe malfunctions have nothing on this saucy whoop-fest.

Barely remembered final score: Miami Dolphins 14-7 Washington Redskins

One of the most famous Super Bowl ads wasn’t even a bespoke production for the big event. This one ran throughout the 1979 NFL season, but was so popular it played during Super Bowl XIV, too, and is now mainly remembered for that, so hey, print the legend. And speaking of legends, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Mr Roger Staubach was the initial pick to throw his jersey to the young Coke-proffering lad, but Pittsburgh defenseman Mr “Mean” Joe Greene got the gig instead when the agency had a change of heart. It was quite a season for Mr Greene: as well as cultivating his nice-guy image on screen – “Hey kid, catch!” – he also won his fourth Super Bowl with the Steelers.

BRFS: Pittsburgh Steelers 31-19 Los Angeles Rams

With a timely allusion to Mr George Orwell’s dystopian masterpiece, Apple announced their new range of Macintosh computers during the 1984 Super Bowl. A sledgehammer, hurled by the woman who would later play Nikita in a video for Mr Elton John, crashed into the looming, booming face of Big Brother. Yeah! Down with conformity! And three decades later, thanks to the likes of Apple, here we are, staring all day every day at little screens full of fake news. If you want a picture of the future, imagine a hand swiping a smartphone forever.

BRFS: Los Angeles Raiders 38-9 Washington Redskins

Mr Lester Speight never realised his NFL dreams, but he became a famous linebacker anyway as “Terrible” Terry Tate, policing the offices of Felcher & Sons and restoring order with a series of bone-crunching tackles. “When it’s game time,” ran one of his maxims, “it’s pain time.” A bizarro companion in the canon to Mr “Mean” Joe Greene.

**BRFS: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48-21 Oakland Raiders **

Budweiser have long understood the emotional pull of animals in marketing: they first hitched up their trademark Clydesdale horses in the 1930s to celebrate the end of Prohibition. Nowadays these faithful steeds are part of heartfelt Super Bowl tradition. In recent years, they’ve reunited a pair of Dalmatians separated at birth, rescued a puppy from a wolf, and dipped respectfully in graceful tribute to the victims of 9/11. Pick any to get the tears flowing, though we’ll plump for the Super Bowl XLVII effort in which a Clydesdale runs after the trainer who raised it from a foal to say hello. (Uncontrollable sobbing is also permitted.)

BRFS: Baltimore Ravens 34-31 San Francisco 49ers

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