5 Super Bowl Commercial Ideas: Farts, James Franco and Disney?
Has Super Bowl advertising become a wasteful marketing tactic? In the era of popular online social networks, one educator thinks so.
“A Super Bowl ad is not going to be noticed as much as a catchy e-mail or viral campaign that spreads organically among users,” said Seethu Seetharaman, a marketing professor at Olin Business School at Washington University.
Regardless of the commercials’ return on investment, viewing Super Bowl ads has become an American tradition. “The audience pays attention to the advertising breaks, expecting the fun, the unusual, the creative or the daring,” said Seetharaman’s colleague and marketing lecturer John Norton.
Of course, not every business can afford to create or promote a commercial during the Super Bowl. But every business can dream. Several businesses told BusinessNewsDaily how they would approach creating or promoting an ad for the Super Bowl if they were given unlimited funding and the chance to be “wasteful.” Here are five of their ideas:
Web site employs juvenile humor: If CarWoo, a site that gives consumers more control over the car-purchasing process, were given infinite dollars, the company would run this ad “multiple times.”
Chocolatier casts Tina Fey and James Franco: Deb Morris, owner of Barkeater Chocolates, would take the concept of her existing video (watch below) and use Tina Fey in the lead role. “There would be no animation, no talking animals, no babes in bikinis, no beer and no voiceover,” Morris said. “The spot would show a frazzled Tina having a miserable day with a virtually non-existent husband and ridiculously undisciplined kids until she takes refuge in a delicious box of gourmet truffles from Barkeater Chocolates. At which point, in her mind, her life magically transforms to a well-ordered home with beautifully manicured children who dance to their chores and a well-dressed husband who does housework. Perhaps in my new, sleek version, the husband would transform into say, James Franco.”
Consulting company stimulates controversy: “If I had a limited budget for the Super Bowl I would make a highly controversial ad so that it gets rejected,” said JR Griggs, owner of RGE Media Group. Griggs said commercials that have been rejected in the past have received nice press coverage. “But on a more serious note I would use direct response techniques. Create an ad that gets attention, builds interest, creates desire and then has a call to action. Then watch the profits roll in while everyone else goes broke and collects ‘funniest commercial’ awards.”
Business that creates apps also makes dreams come true: SmartyShortz, a company that creates educational mobile applications, would hire a handful of celebrities’ children and her two daughters to star in a commercial that takes place on a first-class flight to London. “The kids (would be) sipping juice out of martini glasses and playing on iPads and iPhones our games,” said Jill Mikols Etesse, the company’s creative director. “The kids (would be) served by those Zack and Cody (from the Disney Channel) and the Jonas Brothers while Taylor Swift was singing in the upstairs lounge.” The ads tagline: Ever wonder what your kids dream at night? To be smarter!
Online jewelry store keeps things simple: “We believe in reverse thinking,” said Sue Madi, Diamond Club International’s public-relations representative. “Just a black screen with our company info on it. That is all. And a time clock winding down from 30 seconds.”
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Reach BusinessNewsDaily staff writer Brian Anthony Hernandez at Bhernandez@TechMediaNetwork.com. Follow him on Twitter: @BAHjournalist.