Discover hadn't been in the Super Bowl since 1986 ("Dawn of Discover"), when its ad showed a high jumper trying to reach new levels and William "The Refrigerator" Perry was in the game for the Bears. The 2015 return pivots on a surprise for a man who hates surprises. Even advertising something as unfunny as credit scores, Discover managed to leave them laughing.

The spot, created by the Martin Agency, is actually an escalation of an earlier commercial in Discover's "We'd Treat You Like You'd Treat You" campaign featuring a man who hates surprises and is startled by a surprise birthday party. 

"We wanted to keep everything that was working with the campaign, but we wanted to add a little surprise," Julie Loeger, senior VP-marketing at Discover, told Ad Age as the company revealed its ad just before the game. "It's the Super Bowl, so we have to be somewhat entertaining and humorous."

Discover managed to be the only credit card company to run an ad during the game, only announcing its appearance a few days beforehand and posting the ad on game day itself. "Timing is everything," Ms. Leoger said then.

BRAND: Discover

YEAR: 2015

AGENCY: The Martin Agency

SUPERBOWL: XLIX

QUARTER AIRED: Q2