commercials

by: Roger Dooley

Most of us have gotten over our short-lived obsession with the 2009 Super Bowl ads, but at neuromarketing firm Sands Research technologists have been slaving away analyzing all 72 of those commercials. Sands measures viewers’ EEG activity to gauge both emotional and cognitive responses to ads. In addition, they collect questionnaires before and after the ads are viewed.

by: John Winsor

What happens when two companies advertise their respective products in the same 30 second spot? It’s intrusive and disjointed. Still, does doubling up on ads boost both brands? What if one brand has poor memory recall or is associated with poor quality? Does it bring down the other brand? It will be interesting to see the effects of “double-branding,” and in particular, on this spot for HP computers and the newly released action-film, “Jumper.”

by: Mark Rogers

by: Roger Dooley

Innerscope Research has released the results of its biometric tests of the 2009 Super Bowl ads, and found that three of the top 5 ads seemed tied to the concerns people have about the current economy and financial security. The top scoring ads were:

1. CareerBuilder.com — It’s Time
2. Cash4Gold — Heeere’s Money
3. Castrol Oil — Monkeys
4. GoDaddy.com — Shower
5. Bud Light — Meeting

by: Roger Dooley

No brain scans or biometrics were used in selecting my winner in the Super Bowl ad sweepstakes: Hyundai. This is a highly subjective choice, based on my guess as to which company might see the most bottom-line benefit from their Super Bowl ads. My pick isn’t supported by the USA Today Ad Meter ratings, or their online viewing/rating measures.

by: David Polinchock

Saw this commercial this morning while watching TV and thought it had a great message for all brands to hear. It's about how all of the employees are passionate about beer and that everyone learns how to brew beer, no matter what their position in the company. We always talk about the importance of putting your employees first and happy to see someone putting it front and center.

by: Ilya Vedrashko

How many of the 41 commercials mashed up into one music video can you recognize? How many brands can you name?
-- thanks, Roni

by: Jonathan Salem Baskin

Ask's latest branding campaign is intended to frighten or offend most of its potential customers. It does the job brilliantly.

The TV spots feature some nerdy guy with his chin resting on a pregnant woman’s shoulder, whether she’s walking down the street or laying in bed. He asks questions that she might predictably ask. The punchline is that Ask.com will help you find the answers.

by: Jonathan Salem Baskin

I've written for the past few years now on my utter befuddlement over Super Bowl advertising.

We live in an age when making a connection between the fleeting exposure of mass-market awareness and subsequent sales keeps getting harder, less dependable, and certainly more expensive. Yet some bold, damn-the-torpedoes brand marketers seem committed to not just thinking otherwise, but putting their employer's/client's money where their, er, bravado is.

by: Jonathan Salem Baskin

Fart jokes. Bad puns. Scantily clad models. 

That's what the commercials on Super Bowl Sunday will give us next month. Created to appear but once in the light of TV, the spots will endeavor to out-dare one another in a virtual arms-race of foolishness, ribaldry, and expense.