For the first time, a dot-com, the E*Trade Group, will even sponsor the halftime show, until now the province of purveyors of prosaic products like lunch meat.

Now a far more prosaic product, a brand of motor oil, is boasting about its heritage, too.

Now Viacom is focused on more prosaic products, like a CD-ROM based on the MTV program "Beavis and Butthead."

Mr. Trump's appeal as an endorser has been demonstrated previously in campaigns for Pizza Hut, now part of Yum Brands, and other purveyors of prosaic products.

A COMPANY known, if at all, for prosaic products from coal to cookware is seeking to enliven its dowdy image with a sprinkling of Hollywood stardust.

Imagine a company that for years has marketed a prosaic product that sells well but quietly.

Even that fleeting moment can be crucial when prosaic products are the subject of the sales pitch.

It is taking the risky step of replacing the familiar corporate slogan with one meant to laud its innovations in areas far afield from prosaic products like refrigerators and night lights.

The campaign, which is aimed primarily at men ages 25 to 35, is indicative of the increasing role that humor plays in advertising for prosaic products and services.

The revived commercials are part of ambitious efforts by Bayer to sponsor campaigns that are more creative than is typical for prosaic products like over-the-counter remedies.