Keller @ Large: Do Super Bowl Commercials Reflect Nation's Mood?

BOSTON (CBS) - In a vast, diverse, politically-fractured country where common cultural denominators are fewer and farther between, there is still one nearly-universal moment of national focus: Super Bowl Sunday.

Super Bowls make up 19 of the 20 most-watched TV shows of all time, with the final episode of "MASH" the only exception.

So when advertisers spend huge sums of money to run their ads on the Super Bowl broadcast, what are they telling us about how they see the nation's mood?

This Groupon ad plays on a hot-button political theme - resentment of the predatory rich.

Looks like the ad makers think anger at the one-percent still thrives.

And in this ad claiming the chicken sandwich at Jack-in-the-Box is just as good as the one pop gourmet Martha Stewart makes, class consciousness is also on display.

Yet another taste of anti-elitist backlash.

But this Stella Artois spot with Matt Damon is just one of many big-game ads stressing social causes and philanthropy, things everyone can admire and rally around.

And maybe these advertisers are making a political statement by avoiding controversy - that charity and community still unite us, even if little else - beyond the Super Bowl - does.

Share your opinion with me via email at keller@wbztv.com, or you can reach me on Twitter, @kelleratlarge.