Yes, we’re talking about Super Bowl commercials.
The Super Bowl presents a rare opportunity where fans are just as interested (if not more interested) in the content that airs in between game action, and advertisers looking to take advantage of that heightened awareness pay big time. The companies insist, however, that the hefty price tag is worth every penny, msnbc.com reports.
GoDaddy.com is one of those companies that saw a huge boost in business with their Super Bowl ads, which first ran during Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005. Though their ads hardly reveal anything about their actual services, the viewers’ interest is peaked, and they immediately head to their website.
Though many viewers are only visiting their site to view the attractive women featured in the advertisement, GoDaddy.com founder Bob Parsons insists the $3 million is worth it since they’ve seen a significant increase in market share since they started running ads during the Super Bowl.
Careerbuilder.com also quickly learned just how effective a few funny ads are. The numbers from their first Super Bowl ad helped them surpass their internet rival, Monster.com, and they’ll be back again this year with more ads during the Steelers-Packers matchup.
“What we’ve found year in and year out is that it effectively moves our business,” chief marketing officer Richard Castellini said.
Sometimes the ads are too successful, especially those that offer free giveaways. Last year, Denny’s offered a free Grand Slam breakfast in their ad, which in turn created serious logjams in restaurants across the country. Denny’s will advertise again this weekend, but will avoid the freebies this time around.
This year’s Super Bowl ad slot sales have seen a dramatic boost from last year, as Fox sold all 68 spots in October. Last season, there were still ad slots available six days before kickoff in Miami.
