The Super Bowl ads began early this year - more than a week before Sunday's game - with a subtle tease from Anheuser-Busch that would have done an old-time burlesque dancer proud.

The US brewer revealed that it had decided against running an advertisement for its Budweiser brand that poked fun at the big scandal of last year's American football championship - Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction", which left her breast bare during the televised half-time show.