You may not remember what you did last Sunday, but it’s likely you’ve got a rock solid plan for this weekend. Super Bowl Sunday is kind of like a national holiday. In fact, 111 million watched last year’s big game, making it the most watched television event in history. Thanks to the launch of new TV commercials, we can certainly expect to see some memorable moments, even if the game between the Giants and Patriots turns out to be a dud.
One ad for a certain automotive company that will feature Matthew Broderick reprising his role as Ferris Bueller has been generating a lot of buzz during the week. Others may be less impressive, but each 30-second spot cost $3.5 million just for the air time. Paying actors like Broderick (or lesser known talent) costs a big chunk of change too and the production costs aren’t cheap either.
It’s one of the rare times you actually look for the commercials rather than ignoring them. As you watch the broadcast on Sunday evening—at home, at a friend’s house or your favorite Tampa Bay gathering place—you’ll know the hits and misses pretty quickly. You may even be surprised by a few of them.
The active way we approach ads on the day of this enormous television event can be a reminder to look more carefully at the messages we receive daily from advertisers. Often when we’re buying goods and services, we may become singularly focused on one aspect of the “sell”, such as the price of a product. That narrow focus can cause us to overlook key elements of the transaction, the so-called “fine print” we’re often warned about.
When you’re watching the big game on Sunday and evaluating the messages from major advertisers, try giving some thought to more than humor or surprise elements. Did the ad tease you but leave out vital information? Was the ad too creative that you forgot what was actually being advertised?
Consciously evaluating these multi-million dollar commercials can help you more effectively assess the messages you receive daily from Tampa Bay’s local stores and service providers. When you become an actively engaged consumer, you’ll ask more informed questions and make better decisions. Just be careful not to spill the nachos on your lap while you’re in “consumer training” on Sunday night.
