Audi has committed $4 million to air a 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl on Sunday — funds the auto manufacturer could have used to take over the front page of Yahoo for a week, to generate 100 million impressions on Hulu or to purchase any number of other high-profile digital ad placements. How come?

Loren Angelo, GM of Marketing for Audi, says it's past years' results that are driving Audi's investment in the Super Bowl for the sixth consecutive year. "We've achieved record levels of awareness and showroom traffic with national consideration numbers showing significant spikes post game," Angelo wrote in an email to Mashable, adding that it's an "ideal time" to tell the brand's story on "one of the world's most-watched stages."

The spot, titled "Prom," is a good one — in fact, it's already racked up more than 4.2 million views since its Jan. 24 debut on YouTube. A teenage boy, who is too frankly too good-looking to be the dateless-to-prom type, is, nevertheless, heading to prom without a girl on his arm, and he's clearly disappointed that that's the case. Before he leaves home, his father tosses him the keys to a 2013 Audi S6, and by the time he arrives at the dance, he's brimming with confidence — dangerously so, as the ad illustrates:

Angelo says the spot, which was created in collaboration with San Francisco-based agency Venables Bell and Partners, was designed to celebrate emotion, individuality and bravery in a way that's not only entertaining, but also relatable. The automaker is encouraging viewers to share their own feats of bravery using the hashtag #BraveryWins on social media leading into and during the game. According to CNBC, about half of Super Bowl ads will feature a hashtag this year.

Angelo said that, for advertisers, the lead-up to the Super Bowl can be just as important as game day, and thus his team decided to release the commercial in full — rather than as a preview, or not at all — more than a week before the game. "It's a unique period in time when audiences around the world are focused on your brand," he observed.

Thumbnail courtesy of Audi