Advertisers should be smarter about using (or NOT using) SuperBowl ads. If you must, then at least pair it with digital and social ‘followups’ so at least you get some feedback loop about whether it worked or not.”

1. Superbowl Ads
are less effective
than you think
Dr. Augustine Fou
http://linkedin.com/in/augustinefou
Marketing Science Consulting Group, Inc.
May 31, 2012 1

2. 2009 – Forgotten by Day 3
“it’s over after it’s aired”
Even Superbowl ads stimulate only fleeting
recall – of the top 100 daily Google searches
how many were related to Superbowl ads?:
• Feb 1 (day 0): 20 of 100
• Feb 2 (1 day after): 6 of 100
• Feb 3 (2 days after): 1 of 100
• Feb 4 (3rd day): ZERO of 100 (forgotten )
Source: Marketing Science Blog, February 3, 2009
May 31, 2012 2

3. 2010 – Hitwise: Superbowl
Ads drive generic searches
People searched for the ads not
the brands; Google and YouTube
got all the free traffic lift.
Source: Hitwise Feb 22, 2010
May 31, 2012 3

4. Largest Super Bowl advertiser..
1988: 50.4M barrels
2001: 33.4M barrels
2010: $555 million ad spend
1996
“bud”-”why”-”zer”
1999
“whassssuuuuup?”
2012: 17.7M barrels
…Anheuser-Busch’s 24 yr sales slump.
May 1, 2012 4

5. 2012 – Can you name the
Hint: they are ALL 2012 Superbowl ads
…companies behind these ads?
May 1, 2012 5

6. GM: Super Bowl Spots Not
Worth The Cost; Skips 2013
“ … at $3.5 million for 30
seconds, with the significant
increase in price, we simply can‟t
justify the expense,” said GM’s
marketing chief Joel Ewanick in a
statement.
Source: Wall Street Journal May 21, 2012
May 31, 2012 6

7. So what?
“Advertisers should be smarter about using
(or NOT using) SuperBowl ads. If you
must, then at least pair it with digital and
social „followups‟ so at least you get some
feedback loop about whether it worked or
not.”
- Dr. Augustine Fou
May 31, 2012 7

8. Dr. Augustine Fou – Chief Digital Strategist
“I advise clients on creating
„unified‟ marketing campaigns that
leverage both traditional and
digital channels optimally.”
FORMER CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER, HCG (OMNICOM)
MCKINSEY CONSULTANT
CLIENT SIDE / AGENCY SIDE EXPERIENCE
PROFESSOR AND COLUMNIST
ENTREPRENEUR / SMALL BUSINESS OWNER
PHD MATERIALS SCIENCE (MIT '95) AT AGE 23
ClickZ Articles: http://www.slideshare.net/augustinefou
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/augustinefou
May 31, 2012 acfou@mktsci.com 8