Are Super Bowl Ads Worth The Cost? Maybe, but what can we learn from them?

This year if you wanted to advertise during the Super Bowl, you had to pay CBS almost $3 Million dollars for 30 seconds worth of time. That's a lot of money for only 30 seconds - but you do get to advertise to almost 100 million viewers. However, with only 30 seconds, you better have a great elevator pitch!

To me the answer is easy - it is worth the cost, if you get it right. If you have a great message and have it presented in a way that people are going to either a) Talk about it constantly the next week or b) Have it replayed on YouTube on different 'best of' lists - then it is money well spent

However, what you can learn from Super Bowl ads when it comes to communication is important. What made those ads memorable: Were they funny? Did they have great visuals? Was it a great story? Usually they combine a combination of those elements added with some name recognition.

For example, the Career Builder commercials. This website has had some of the most memorable commercials over the past few years - they are funny while relating to a good majority of their viewers. A lot of viewers are stuck in jobs they don't like and have to deal with a lot of things they wish they didn't. It has great humor in it because it puts people in a 'typical' setting, but in a funny surrounding. This year was no different.

What we can learn in public speaking from those commercials is this: know your audience and try to adapt to them, while remaining true to yourself. If you can be funny - be funny. If you are not - don't even try. Keep true to yourself and your brand if you are representing a company (especially your own). If you can adapt to your audience a little and try to appeal to them, then your 'commercials' will be a success and will be money well spent.

Comments

[Brett Duncan]

Travis -

You're clarifying some thoughts I had swimming in my noggin just earlier today. You just do it so much better.

As much of a bad rap as advertising takes these days, the cost of a Super Bowl ad is probably more worth it now than ever. Especially if you can tailor the ad to a specific and limited call-to-action, like Denny's free Grand Slam on Tuesday.

And to your point, ever shift on the local sports radio station here in Dallas had at least one segment dedicated to grading the ads. Makes $3 mil. seem a little reasonable.

bd
@bdunc1