As a die-hard Ravens fan I swore that I would not watch this year’s Super Bowl next Sunday February 4th. However, as a media buyer I can’t help but be excited to see the new creative elements being used in the commercials, specifically social media.
Over the past few years companies have slowly started to integrate social media into their marketing campaigns but in 2012 the advertisers in Super Bowl have taken it to a new level. While investing millions of dollars to create the most entertaining commercials, advertisers are taking time to invest in the two way communication with their consumers.
Volkswagen for instance has already begun their Super Bowl commercial buzz by creating a teaser for “The Bark Side”. With the success of last year’s “Small Darth Vader” commercial dubbed to be one of the best of 2011, VW had a challenge of competing with their own commercial. One way they succeeded was by building off last year’s theme.
Not only has the advertiser given their customer a preview of their multi-million dollar commercial spot, they have received over 7 million hits on YouTube and started a buzz that they hope to continue through next week’s game.
Advertisers more than ever are incorporating their Facebook and Twitter accounts by including hashtags (#) in hopes of becoming a Twitter trend topic during the game and posting previews of their spot on profile pages to engage customers and increase overall awareness.
By using these social media platforms, advertisers are building a familiarity with their brands, concepts, and products. Companies are looking to create an interest and form a loyal customer before the commercial even airs.
Since reaching the consumers has become so fragmented, marketers are getting creative by reaching their audience on a more personal level. The 2012 Super Bowl commercials will be just the beginning of a new wave of advertising campaigns that are not so traditional.
The Inside Scoop 