The reason to watch the game: the commercials or the football?
For some, it’s the former.
Beer, soda, film and car companies are paying millions to try and be remembered – or at least make viewers laugh – during the broadcast of National Football League’s Super Bowl XLII Sunday on Fox at 3 p.m.
But this year’s Super Bowl holds more at stake for advertisers. The Hollywood writers’ strike might make the event more appealing to companies because advertisers are having a difficult time reaching consumers as Americans turn off their TVs and stop watching reruns.
And Sunday’s game may break the 1996 record of 94.1 million viewers because the New England Patriots would finish the season undefeated if the team beats the New York Giants.
The Super Bowl is the only way to reach a mass audience these days, said Kim Sheehan, associate professor of advertising. Audiences continue to become more segmented with more cable channel options.
“Right now, the top-rated drama television show, CSI, reaches about 13 percent of adults whenever it runs,” Sheehan said. “About 20 years ago, the top-rated show would reach double or triple that audience.”
Advertising instructor David Koranda said the Super Bowl reaches all genders and ages.
“There are very few things on television now that go back to what TV was for: to reach a mass audience,” Koranda said. “You have almost 50 percent of males and females watching.”
Viewers are now watching more shows on the Internet, further fragmenting audiences, Koranda said.
Advertisers are also shifting to other media as viewers tune out because of the writers’ strike, Koranda said.
“What it’s doing to some extent is driving people to invest more money in the Web,” Koranda said. “They’re experimenting more with it – more than any time before. The strike is forcing people to do it sooner than they would have otherwise.”
Advertisers may have a difficult time being remembered because viewers often remember the commercial but not the brand, Koranda said. The breaks in a sporting event also makes it tough to be remembered.
“If it’s a huge chunk of your budget, it’s very risky,” Koranda said.
Some companies, however, are willing to pay.
Last year 93.2 million viewers watched the Super Bowl on CBS, and the most the network received was $2.6 million for a 30-second ad. Companies are paying as much as $2.7 million to $3 million for 30 seconds this year, according to Advertising Age.
Sheehan said she expects humorous and light-hearted ads this year.
Viewers won’t see any political ads, though.
Fox announced it would not allow any of the presidential candidates’ campaigns to advertise during the national broadcast because the network said it couldn’t provide equal time to all candidates. More than 20 states hold primaries or caucuses two days after the game.
Koranda said he expects many companies to try to link their commercials to their Web sites.
This method works, too, Sheehan said.
“When the dot-com companies dominated Super Bowl advertising about five years ago, they saw an increase in visits to their Web sites before and after the Super Bowl,” she said. “It can be very effective.”
GPS maker Garmin, which is airing a 30-second spot during the second quarter of the game, is utilizing the Internet in its commercial, company spokesman Jake Jacobson said.
The company created a Web site (www.garmin.com/gameday) that shows the commercial and details how the commercial was created. Users can also link to the company Web site to purchase products or read the company’s blogs.
“People feel like they have a better connection,” Jacobson said. “They can have a conversation and a relationship with us rather than just going to buy a product off the shelf. We try to be very conversational.”
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