Big Brands are sitting out the Super Bowl? Tell me another one…

14 November 2008 | Internet, Marketing, Media | Comments

[Cross-posted with the iMedia Connection blog.]

Suzanne Vranica’s Wall Street Journal article from earlier this week is worth a look by all digital media people: “Tough Times Complicate the Case for Buying Super Bowl Ads” (subscription required).

Yes, it’s true: in the face of a global economic collapse that is taking down mega-corporation after mega-corporation and causing CEO’s everywhere to put posters of Henry Paulson in sexy lingerie up on their office walls even hoary old media institutions like the three million dollars NBC is charging for Super Bowl ads are coming under scrutiny. (It’s always worth noting that it does actually cost something to make the spot as well.)

Why is Suzanne’s article worth a look? Two reasons.

First, for digital folks it’s bracing — like the aftershave slap on the face in the old commercial — to realize that traditional people are still having the “should we or shouldn’t we?” Super Bowl conversation year after year. Famously, American Express CMO John Hayes has observed that only in television ads does an advertiser pay more and more each year while getting less and less reach for the dollar.

For iconic brands, new car launches (although not GM this year, according to Vranica), movie debuts, beer and cola… sure the big game makes big sense. But a web domain registrar like GoDaddy (famous for its scantily clad and scantily brained spokesmodel) or a GPS navigation device like Garmin seem out of place? (Garmin too is taking a pass this year.)

Second, even in these dismal economic times what the Super Bowl loses might be digital’s gain. Three years ago — when the asking price for a Super Bowl ad was a mere $2.5 Million — I reached out to a superstar bunch of digital people with a simple question: “What would you do with $2.5 million?” if you could spend that money on something other than one thirty second spot.

While some of them have moved on to new positions, the 2006 list is still impressive, as are their insights:

Brand Marketers

• Ian Beavis, VP Marketing, PR & Product Planning, Kia Motors America
• Kirk Iwanowski, SVP, Marketing, Sundance Channel
• Gordon Paddison, EVP, Integrated Marketing, New Line Cinema

Agencies

• Reid Carr, President, Red Door Interactive
• Sarah Fay, U.S. President, Isobar
• Gay Warren Gaddis, President and CEO, T3 (The Think Tank)
• Jeff Lanctot, VP and GM, Avenue A/Razorfish
• Elias Plishner, VP of Digital Marketing, Universal McCann
• Tony Quin, CEO, IQTV
• John Ragals, Managing Director, 360i
• Doug Schumacher, President/Creative Director, Basement, Inc.
• Mark Silva, Principal and Founder, Real Branding
• David L. Smith, CEO, Mediasmith, Inc.
• Cory Treffiletti, SVP, Engagement Architect, Carat Fusion

Publishers

• Michael Barrett, EVP, AOL Media Networks
• Aaron Cohen, CEO, Bolt Media
• Cameron Death, Dir., Branded Entertainment & Experiences, Microsoft Corporation
• Mark Friedler, CEO and co-founder of Gigex, Inc./GameDAILY
• Peter Horan, CEO, AllBusiness.com
• Peter Naylor, SVP, Sales, iVillage
• Matt Wasserlauf, President and CEO, Broadband Enterprises

Technology Providers

• Matt Arkin, SVP Advertising Sales, TACODA
• John Battelle, Founder and Chairman, Federated Media
• Adam Gerber, VP of Ad Products and Strategy, BrightCove
• Jeff Weitzman, President and COO, Coupons.com

Thought Leaders

• Andy Sernovitz, President, Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA)
• George Simpson, President, George Simpson Communications
• Doug Weaver, President, Upstream Group

Check it out!