Super Bowl game? Super! The ads? Not so much...

Many advertisers justify their Super Bowl ad spending in such a tough economy by reasoning that spending $3 million dollars for a 30-second spot to reach 100 million viewers is cost effective—only $.03 per person.

However, if the marketing creators had taken into account the diverse viewing audience and fashioned ads that would resonate with them, the ROI would most likely be greater.

Since advertisers seem to miss the mark every year, you have to question the wisdom of many of the more than 40 spots, not counting the movie trailers and network shows.

A few basic thoughts advertisers should consider for the 2010 Super Bowl:

  • Who watches the Super Bowl? Approximately 100 million viewers, with more than 40 percent of them women.
  • Who spends the most money as a consumer? Women spend approximately 85 percent; men spend only 15 percent.
  • Who focuses more on the game—and who on the commercials? Though many women love football, and a lot of men enjoy seeing the new commercials, women focus more on the commercials... and men more on the game.

The 2009 Super Bowl commercials were far below my expectations.

Most were extremely male-oriented, and many for only a young demographic. Few women were used in the commercials—and when they were, such as Danica Patrick, they portrayed sex rather than substance. Both GoDaddy.com commercials were on my worse-commercial spots list for their blatant sexism and unoriginal ideas.

Another I found just plain mean was the Teleflora "rude" spot, depicting flowers received by a female office worker that insulted her in front of her coworkers.

The CareerBuilders.com and Monster.Com ads were adequate, but most were not particularly memorable. The "moose" ad did have a touch of humor at the end, and many might have seen the mockery of the elegance in the CEO's office versus the dreary worker's cubicle as a sign of the times.

Most of the commercial spots were ordinary and not worth the $3 million price. There was a lot of violence, slapstick, and male-oriented humor and themes. Not a lot of creative dialogue, intriguing story lines, or visually interesting graphics.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gerry Myers is CEO, president, and cofounder of Advisory Link (www.advisorylink-dfw.com). She is co-author of Leading the Way to Success and specializes in marketing and selling more effectively to women.