Published March 2004

Super Bowl ads a primer
on marketing mishaps

The Super Bowl ads taught us a lesson — a lesson on what not to do. Super Bowl ad rates returned to their 2000 peak of $2.3 million a pop (depending on placement). The advertising dry spell is definitely over, but we’re still in the midst of a creative drought.

Sure, I had a few laughs, like most of the 89.9 million viewers — highest-rated Super Bowl in four years. But, as Tobi Elkin, executive editor of MediaPost, put it, “It was the most underwhelming, least creative set of Super Bowl ads in memory.”

Following is my wrap-up of the good, the bad and the ugly (in reverse order).

• The Ugly (or at least the most painful): Budweiser may be the “King of Beers” but they’re also the king of potty humor. Even though audience surveys showed Bud ads were favored, I think they stimulated more sales for Gas-X than beer. Unless you’re targeting men 18 to 34, I’d avoid using farm animals.
• The Bad: AOL was betting their Super Bowl sponsorship would help them pull out of an incessant nose dive. In hindsight, they would have been better off buying lottery tickets. They were more effective at promoting a cult cable show than pushing broadband. AOL’s just now getting around to selling speed? Where have they been the past four years?
• The Good: My pick for the Super Bowl ad winner was Mitsubishi. They pitted their new Galant against a Camry in a high-speed “Road Warrior” style cliffhanger. The two cars, neck and neck, got everything but the kitchen sink thrown in front of them. A split second before the big crash, the spot cuts to a Web address to view the conclusion. The Web site (www.seewhathappens.com) received over 30 million visits. What’s more, you had to log in to preview their next spot. Mitsubishi will be mining that database for a while. Can you spell “cha-ching”?

So, where’s the lesson? Unless you have ad bucks coming out your “horse and buggy,” don’t let the “art” overshadow the “action.”

The key to crafting an effective advertising message is to make sure your audience grasps the selling proposition. Institutional branding is fine when you’re in a mass-market battle over mind share. But if you want to sell stuff, your message needs to be meaningful and memorable.

Here’s a five-step formula that works for many advertiser categories:

1. Start with a hook or attention-getter — text, photo/video or graphic.
2. Identify with the target market — make sure they know it’s for them.
3. Communicate a relevant benefit — emotion works better than logic.
4. Incorporate a strong call-to-action — incentives improve response.
5. Direct your audience on what to do — call here, click there, etc.

The Mitsubishi ad did all of the above, and in a very creative way. Their integrated marketing strategy clearly delivered.

It’s OK to use humor, action or other attention-getters. But don’t lose sight of the objective: get your audience to remember the advertiser, not just the advertisement.

Andrew Ballard, President of Marketing Solutions Inc. in Edmonds, develops brand leadership strategies for businesses and teaches strategic marketing through Edmonds Community College. He can be reached at 425-672-7218 or by e-mail to andrew@mktg-solutions.net.

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