The Super Bowl draws in an audience estimating over 90 million each year, making it a prime opportunity for companies to advertise new and exciting products, ideas, and services to one of the largest TV audiences each year. The average 30-second commercial that airs during the 2011 game is roughly $3 million. A new outlet of Super Bowl advertising will open this year, with the help of social network powers including Twitter and Facebook. The use of social media for serious business tactics, especially trying to expand markets as well as publicity, has increased in popularity and respectability greatly within the last year. This year, many advertising companies will be closely watching to see the effectiveness of online and social network advertising results during the Super Bowl.
Some companies’ strategy involves beginning a campaign through a Super Bowl commercial and continuing via social network advertising. Other companies are using the reverse approach, and using their social networks accounts to promote their Super Bowl commercials. These techniques are hoping to gain much more success for the high price of advertising during the game. To expand online involvement, companies will be encouraging viewer participation in some form of an online promotion or feedback.
Even, luxury car maker, Mercedez Benz is getting in on social media marketing. Not only is this the first year ever for the company to be advertising during the Super Bowl, but they are also using twitter to expand their advertising efforts via promotion announced during their commercial. Bud Light is one of the most well known Super Bowl advertisers, so naturally they are stepping up their game this year as well, with the link between social media and traditional TV commercials. Their strategy involves viewers and fans to guess the storyline of the commercial based upon pictures posted on Bud Light's Facebook page. The Super Bowl itself even has its own Facebook page, which has information, contests, and celebrity sitings updates.
What do you think about the involvement of social media for advertising use?
