Super Bowl Sunday, Advertising Fun Day

The Super Bowl is complete genius. Not only does the entire country come together all at once on a Sunday afternoon to watch twenty two 250-lb men tear into each other for 3 hours straight, but it’s also a time for marketers to get a piece of the hype during the other 30 minutes that are reserved for commercial ad time. Advertising for the Super Bowl is not much different than the game itself. The teams suit up, the advertisers suit up. It’s a day to win, a day to define yourself, and a day to get all eyes on your team…or your brand. And let me just mention the cost, no I’m not referring to the cost of the championship for the Bears, but the cost of $2.6 million spent on each 30-second spot played during the big game. Okay I know it’s a bit absurd to spend that much money on ONE 30-second ad spot, but that’s the business of the Super Bowl and I respect that. But what is even more absurd is the fact that some of the conglomerates didn’t buy up search ads for post game inquiries. Generally, companies rely on the post-game buzz to prolong the life and effectiveness of the ad (hey you’re spending $2.6 million on an ad space alone, might as well get further recognition out of it beyond the lights of the Super Bowl).

Doritos, GM, and even the NFL failed to purchase search ads around their Super Bowl campaigns (even after all the hype about the consumer-generated ad contests and PR buzz prior to the game). So instead of a Doritos paid search ad appearing on top of a sponsored ad list, YouTube and CBS Sportsline paid results were there instead. They were the alternative site for searchers to watch the ads again while the advertisers (again remember paid the big bucks) saw no additional traffic to their websites. This concept of a company capitalizing on another’s Super Bowl ad without spending a penny is known as “drafting”…hmm another way advertising for the Super Bowl is not much different than the game itself.

Even though there were blunders for some of this year’s Super Bowl marketers, 61 % of them bought keywords around their brand name for the game, an improvement from under 50% of marketers who did so for Super Bowl XL.

I just want to get the point across that it is essential to integrate media for an effective marketing plan no matter the budget, the event, or the company. If Doritos or GM had purchased sponsored search ads, they would have been able to further their branding strategy, increase their ad’s effectiveness, and generate additional traffic to their site. It brings me back to the Green Eggs & Ham on a Plate of Web 2.0 blog I posted up recently. Integration is required. Agencies need to be creative and responsive when traditional strategies morph into something a bit outside of their skin. Super Bowl XLI was a perfect example of how some agencies are revolutionizing marketing and how some are standing in the dust.

BLUE FORTY TWO! Go team!