Did you catch Indiana colleges' Super Bowl commercials?

Between the flashy celebrity endorsements, doses of Americana and "aww"-inducing puppy love, you might have spotted some local college pride in Sunday night's Super Bowl commercials.

Indiana State University and Marian University both capitalized on Peyton Mania by running 30-second commercials during the game in the Indianapolis market, potentially seen on more than half a million Hoosier television screens.

"What better time to run a commercial?" said John Beacon, Indiana State vice president of enrollment management, marketing and communications.

"You know, you'd be amazed," he added. "There aren't many colleges or universities that take advantage of the Super Bowl or the Olympics that are coming up to do much marketing."

But for those who might be shocked at the expense, hold your Clydesdales: Because the ads only aired locally, the colleges say they paid much less than the whopping $4 million price tag for national 30-second 2014 Super Bowl commercials.

But just how much they spent, they couldn't say.

That's because both universities nabbed the spots in package deals.

Marian University spokesman Mark Apple said an early proposal put the 30-second commercial at $45,000.

But the university waited until last week to close the deal on a bundle including several commercial spots during the upcoming season of "American Idol" and other Fox shows, Apple said.

He declined to name the total cost, saying the television station would not allow him to disclose it.

Indiana State is slated to spend just over $1 million on all its television and radio airtime this year, but a Super Bowl-specific breakdown wasn't available Monday.

But by arranging the Super Bowl spot months in advance, it "wasn't that expensive," Beacon said. The commercials were also broadcasted in Terre Haute.

Both schools say they plan to also air their commercials locally during the Winter Olympics.

Unlike many giant companies that produce special ads just for the football extravaganza, Indiana State and Marian used commercials that have already run.

Still, the prime airtime gives the universities a chance to raise awareness of their brands and sell a new image.

"There are people in Indianapolis who still think we use crank telephones over here in Terre Haute," Indiana State's Beacon said. "That's really not true."

As for Marian, spokesman Apple said: "It's not the sleepy little college on the Westside that it once was."

Out of some 1.1 million households in the Indianapolis television market, about 54 percent tuned in to Sunday night's Super Bowl, said Scott Russell, research director for local affiliate Fox 59.

"Events like the Super Bowl are pretty much gold mines," he said, estimating that the Super Bowl reaches nearly five times as many people as "Idol" or even the Grammy Awards.

Colleges, car dealers, fast food, insurance and cable providers ran 16 local commercials in Indianapolis, according to Fox 59.

Without hesitation, Apple said he would run another Super Bowl commercial for Marian University. Both schools saw lots of chattering about the commercials on Twitter.

But Indiana State might not repeat the feat next year: "I'm always looking for something new," Beacon said. "I'm probably not going to do it again. I'm going to do something better."

Watch Indiana State's commercial and Marian University's commercial.

Call Star reporter Stephanie Wang at (317) 444-6184. Follow her on Twitter: @stephaniewang.