Super Bowl ads have become an early show via social media

The measure of the magnitude the Super Bowl has become as a cultural event is that the hype for the game is matched by the hype for the commercials that will air during the game.

For some the anticipation of the ads tops that for the game. Viewers who normally reach for he mute button during commercials view the Super Bowl ads as a big part of the show.

In the social media age, it isn?t even necessary to wait for them. Many that will make their television debut Sunday during Super Bowl XLVI have been playing for weeks on YouTube, Facebook and elsewhere on the Web.

Some folks like an early peek at their Christmas presents, but it does take some of the luster off Christmas morning. And what?s the fun of wondering which sponsors will roll out the most entertaining commercials when you?ve already seen all of them? There will be plenty of kill-joys at parties who will spoil the suspense for those who haven?t seen them.

Also seems odd that sponsors who will be paying $3.5 million for a 30-second spot in this year?s game would want to play their hand early. Marketing experts say that companies get more mileage from their investment by making the ads available early.

The ad game has gone from McLuhan?s ?medium is the message? to immediacy of the media. The idea is to get it out early and have it go viral well before game day.

That has happened this year with Matthew Broderick?s ?Ferris Bueller? reprise for Honda and one with Jerry Sienfeld vying to own the first Acura NSX. Ads with a shirtless David Beckham, dogs and polar bears have already have already received considerable play.

It remains to be seen if the strategy pays off for those writing the big checks to get their message across to the massive Super Bowl audience. If it expands their reach, sponsors could care less if it takes some of the fun out of the game.

According to a survey by the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association conducted by BIGinsight, 173 million people will watch the game Sunday, up from an estimated 171 million last year. Consumer spending for the Super Bowl will also reach an all-time high, with the average game-watcher expected to shell out $63.87 on related merchandise, apparel and snacks, up from $59.33 last year. Total Super Bowl spending is expected to reach $11.0 billion.

Nearly three-quarters of viewers (73 percent) say they reard the commercials as entertainment. The survey found 16.9 percent say the commercials make them aware of the advertisers? brand and another 8.4 percent say the commercials influence them to buy products from advertisers ? the highest percentage reported in the survey?s eight-year history.

?Television?s influence on consumers? purchasing decisions is clearly not suffering from web, social and multichannel influencers ? in fact, it seems to be more important than ever before,? said Pam Goodfellow, Consumer Insights Director, BIGinsight. ?Though commercials are king on Super Bowl Sunday, we?ll likely also see many companies use more cross-channel methods to draw viewers? attention, including drawing viewers to their own website and social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.?

Many of the ads and details about them can be found at Superbowl-ads.com. The site also has videos of all the Super Bowl ads from the past 14 years.

Here is the advertising lineup for Sunday, according to Superbowl-ads.com:

Pregame

:30 Century 21
(2) :30 Relativity Media ?Act of Valor?
:30 Hyundai ?Victory Lap?
:30 Hyundai Genesis R-Spec: Faster Acting
:30 Sony Pictures ?21 Jump Street?
:30 Sony Pictures ?Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengance?
:30 Lionsgate ?The Hunger Games?
:30 Downy Unstopables ?Amy Sedaris and Mean Joe Greene?

Coin Toss

Kickoff
:60 Hyundai ?All for One ? Workers sing Rocky theme?

1st Quarter
:30 Budweiser Platinum ?Factory?
:30 Budweiser Platinum ?Work?
:60 Audi ?#SoLongVampires?
:30 Hyundai ?Cheetah?
:30 Mars M&M?s ?Ms. Brown?
:30 Walt Disney ?John Carter?
:30 Coca-Cola ?Superstition?
:30 Lexus ?The Beast?
:30 Best Buy ?Inventors?
:45 General Electric ?Power and Beer?

2nd Quarter
:30 Cars.com
:60 Budweiser ?Clydesdales ? Return of the King?
:30 Teleflora ?Adriana Lima ? Valentines?
:30 H&M ?David Beckham?
:60 Coca-Cola ?The Catch?
:30 Hulu ?Will Arnett ? TV Star?

2 min warning end of first half
:30 Sketchers ?Mr. Quiggly?
:30 Bud Light ?Use Shazam app for free song?

Half-Time Show Sponsored by Bridgestone
:30 Bridgestone ?Time to Perform?

3rd Quarter
:60 Volkswagen ?The Dog Strikes Back? ? ?The Bark Side? Teaser
:30 Century 21
:30 Dannon Yogurt
:60 Budweiser ?Eternal Optimism?
:30 Toyota ?Reinvented?
:60 Acura ?Transactions?
:45 General Electric ?Something Big?

4th Quarter
:60 Kia ?Drive the Dream?
:30 Hyundai ?Think Fast?
:60 Honda CR-V ?Leap List?
:30 Relativity Media ?Act of Valor?
:30 Bud Light ?Here Weego ? Rescue Dog?
:60 Samsung ?Galaxy Note?

Postgame
:30 Relativity Media ?Act of Valor?

First Half
:30 Go Daddy ?The Cloud?
:30 Lexus

Second Half
:30 Go Daddy ?Body Paint?

Schedule Undisclosed
TaxACT ?Feel the Free?
Doritos
:30 Cadillac ?Green Hell?
:60 Chevy Sonic ?Stunt Anthem ? We Are Young?
:30 Chevy Sonic ?Joy?
:30 Chevy Volt ?Aliens?
:60 Suzuki ?Sled?
:30 CareerBuilder ?Business Trip?
:30 History ?Swamp People?
:30 Etrade ?Talking Baby ? Fatherhood?
:60 Pepsi ?THE X FACTOR Winner?
:30 Pepsi ?Pepsi MAX ? Regis Philbin?
:30 Paramount Pictures ?The Dictator?
:30 Paramount Pictures ?G.I. Joe: Retaliation?
:30 Universal Pictures ?Battleship? or ?The Lorax?

Source: http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2012/02/super_bowl_ads_have_become_an.html

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