Leadership

Kellogg Profs: Superbowl Advertisers Walking a Tightrope

By Jessica Stillman

Updated on: January 7, 2009 / 10:19 AM EST / MoneyWatch

The Find: This year Superbowl advertisers are walking a tightrope, trying to make an impression without looking wasteful, but that doesn't mean GM's decision to sit out the game doesn't constitute "a huge mistake," according to two Kellogg School professors.
The Source: Comments on the Superbowl advertising review blog of two Kellogg School marketing professors, Tim Calkins and Derek Rucke, on the FT Management blog.

The Takeaway: As a recent BNET feature package pointed out, the NFL is big business, as is, of course, the business of Superbowl advertising. This year, however, advertisers are facing more than just the usual challenge of coming up with a huge and memorable ad. This year they have to do it without looking profligate. Rucke asks:

Can advertisers successfully deliver a message with the right tonality to resonate with consumers' current emotions? This feat requires a strong understanding of the consumer mind.... can brands walk the tightrope of spending an approximate $3 million on a 30-second spot without looking wasteful?

Facing this challenge, GM, along with FedEx, has decided to sit out the opportunity to reach some 140 million viewers. Big mistake, says Calke:

What GM really needs, now, is to get people to buy its cars. And the only way GM will get people to buy its cars is to give them a reason to buy. Simply put, GM needs to explain to people why this is a great time to buy a car.

More importantly, GM has to project confidence.... The best way to project confidence and get the company moving is to invest in the Super Bowl and portray GM as a refocused, determined, confident company.

For much more on Superbowl advertising, check out the profs' blog.

The Question: PowerAde is planning to show a racy ad to lighten the mood - is that a good idea in the current climate?

(Image of tightrope walkers by Ian Muttoo, CC 2.0)