The Super Bowl is the quintessential American spectacle
Jamie Thomson
Issue date: 2/8/08 Section: Ed-Op
This heroic story is juxtaposed with the other highlight of the year: Super Bowl commercials.
The Super Bowl is not just a championship for football; it is a battle of the brands, the ultimate advertising showdown in major arenas of American consumption: cars, beers, snacks, and (a recent addition) the Internet. As perhaps the most-watched TV event yearly, the ad space during this broadcast is valued more than any other, this year clocking in at $2.7 million per 30-second spot.
Advertisers are challenged to focus their brand message to create the most poignant, attention-getting reel that will have the masses abuzz about that adorable, intense, or hilarious moment (whether or not they consciously recall the brand that ran the ad). While watching most TV programs, commercials are a nuisance; but during the Super Bowl, they are a highlight, and for some people, the primary purpose in watching.
The attention given to Super Bowl ads has allowed a unique opportunity for the underdog industry of the Internet to deliver its message for those who are willing to fork over the cash. GoDaddy is infamous for its risqué ads, and this year's installment forwarding viewers to the Internet to see the ad that wasn't allowed on TV resulted in a record-breaking two million hits to the web hosting company's site.
Though GoDaddy rarely advertises on TV outside the Super Bowl, I'd be willing to bet they have the most name-recognition of any hosting company in America, even if a lot of people don't know that's what they're selling.
The final aspect of the Super Bowl that absolutely fascinates me is the peculiar loyalty that spectators develop for teams they generally wouldn't care about. What makes us pick the Giants over the Patriots?
Other than the standard reasons for fandom - regional loyalty, family history, bitter rivalry - what causes us to jump into ad hoc fandom on game day? What makes one team "deserve" to win more than another? We all have our reasons, whether it's the color of their jerseys, the personality of their coach, or our "gut feeling."
The Super Bowl is not just a championship for football; it is a battle of the brands, the ultimate advertising showdown in major arenas of American consumption: cars, beers, snacks, and (a recent addition) the Internet. As perhaps the most-watched TV event yearly, the ad space during this broadcast is valued more than any other, this year clocking in at $2.7 million per 30-second spot.
Advertisers are challenged to focus their brand message to create the most poignant, attention-getting reel that will have the masses abuzz about that adorable, intense, or hilarious moment (whether or not they consciously recall the brand that ran the ad). While watching most TV programs, commercials are a nuisance; but during the Super Bowl, they are a highlight, and for some people, the primary purpose in watching.
The attention given to Super Bowl ads has allowed a unique opportunity for the underdog industry of the Internet to deliver its message for those who are willing to fork over the cash. GoDaddy is infamous for its risqué ads, and this year's installment forwarding viewers to the Internet to see the ad that wasn't allowed on TV resulted in a record-breaking two million hits to the web hosting company's site.
Though GoDaddy rarely advertises on TV outside the Super Bowl, I'd be willing to bet they have the most name-recognition of any hosting company in America, even if a lot of people don't know that's what they're selling.
The final aspect of the Super Bowl that absolutely fascinates me is the peculiar loyalty that spectators develop for teams they generally wouldn't care about. What makes us pick the Giants over the Patriots?
Other than the standard reasons for fandom - regional loyalty, family history, bitter rivalry - what causes us to jump into ad hoc fandom on game day? What makes one team "deserve" to win more than another? We all have our reasons, whether it's the color of their jerseys, the personality of their coach, or our "gut feeling."
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