Newswise — “There is nothing like it in the world for getting attention from consumers and media outlets,” says marketing expert Scott Hamula of the upcoming Super Bowl XLIV, which will be televised by CBS on Sunday, Feb. 7. Consequently, despite the continued difficulties in the economy, plenty of corporations will be shelling out big money to produce and air Super Bowl commercials.
An associate professor of integrated marketing communications in the Roy H. Park School of Communications at Ithaca College, Hamula notes that because of the economy, media budgets and creative executions have both gone under the microscope and have to deliver on accountability. Still, the Super Bowl of football remains the Super Bowl of the advertising world as well.
“Super Bowl commercial time will actually be less expensive than it has been previously. Deals are made right up until game day, so don’t believe everything you hear about how much somebody is paying for 30 seconds of ad time.”
Hamula says that, rather than replacing television commercials, the emergence of new media platforms has actually given those ads added value.
“The Super Bowl and new technology have merged. Advertisers in the big game now combine their traditional 30-second commercial with social media and search engine marketing. They create a separate dedicated website with extra video and other material that adds value to the purchased spot.”
As for the controversy over the planned pro-life ad featuring former University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, Hamula says that’s what Super Bowl ads are all about. “It’s only one commercial among many and it may not be considered a ‘great’ ad on its own, but it will likely be remembered and talked about the next day.”
And though CBS has rejected a proposed ad for a gay dating website, Hamula says the site’s mission has been accomplished. “What a strategy. Submit a commercial for consideration for the Super Bowl, get rejected, then alert the media. This site has experienced a huge increase in traffic and it didn’t have to air a single ad or pay a dime.”
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