I watch the Superbowl for the ads. My favorite ads tell stories and engage us – which is what marketing is all about. This year’s favorite was from Google – a brand that rarely does any traditional advertising – let alone during the Superbowl. Here it is:

What’s fascinating is watching how the various brands combined online and offline advertising. This is the mainstream and what it says to me is: they still don’t get it.

Godaddy gets it and has for years. Their commercials (though often offensive – but marketing to geeks) drive people to their site. It worked great too – see the press release from Godaddy about their results. You have to love a press release about an ad.

Intel measures (and hopefully responds to) reactions on social sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Social networks are an incredible opportunity to engage with people and see reactions. You spend millions on an ad and now you have a way to see how you did – and get immediate feedback. As Gary V points out people watch TV with a laptop and read the newspaper with an iPhone. They’re watching and commenting online. And sometimes the brands they are talking about are there responding. But most aren’t.

NBC announced they are changing how they air the Emmy’s because of Twitter. Instead of going live at different times in different time zones, they are considering making it live. Otherwise people on the East Coast spoil it for the West Coast. Worked for the Golden Globe awards – viewership was up 14%.

We’re going to see more and more merging between TV and social networks. More synchronizing. More tapping into celebrities from 1 medium to transfer some of the star power to another (like Dooce). Yes there are times when a mainstream star like Ashton Kutcher goes onto Twitter and the fame just transfers. There are more crossing over from online stardom to a mainstream reach.

Who or what is next? Have any more examples for me?

Leave a Reply