(source – Forbes, 2014)
For those of us whose business is marketing and more specifically, advertising, it is always interesting to see a part of it jump into the national spotlight this time of year. For marketing professionals, the agonizing over a campaign – from initial research to strategic development, building of a conceptual framework, creative generation, media selection, measurement of metrics, and revisions for the next cycle – is a daily exercise, constantly hoping to gain traction among consumers for our product or service. Think of the stakes involved, then, if all that planning and creative direction leads to an ad campaign flop. Think of the salaries paid, the hours spent, the cost of purchasing the ad…
Now imagine that SINGLE ad costs more than most companies’ annual marketing budget.
Of course, proponents of the return on a Super Bowl ad investment point to the impressions generated by that single event – per impression, the relative cost of the ad could be considered cheap! A great article in Bloomberg breaks down the metrics in an interesting way.
Super Bowl Ad Insanity Explained in Six Charts
(source – Bloomberg, 2014)
There is some excellent collation and analyzing/interpreting of the data collected over the past 30+ years, from viewership rates to increasing costs. And yes, it truly is an event unlike any other.
But it struck us, that for all the hype and pomp of the Big Game Ads, the core principles of marketing strategy and advertising are the same. Yes, the ads cost more, and no doubt, there is an added pressure to “perform.” But the basic planning models stay the same. When measured relatively, as Derek Thompson succinctly points out in “The Atlantic,” making your company’s presence known is just another part (or at least, should be) of overall marketing strategy. (Super Bowl Ads: Incredibly Cheap or an Incredible Waste of Money?)
What do you think? Given the costs associated with a Super Bowl ad, would you get in the game? What kind of marketing budget and allocation would you need to make this a worthwhile investment? As a current or future marketing professional, does this kind of stage for your work seem thrilling or intimidating?
Have a great start to your week!
Marketing Management 