Super Bowl Ads the Corporate Jet of Marketing?

This year Super Bowl ads ran a whopping $3 million dollars per 30-second spot. Although ads have run more than $3 million per spot in the past, this year marks the highest starting price to date. The question becomes, in an economy like this, does this kind of marketing convey stability and positive Branding or are Super Bowl ads becoming the corporate jet of marketing?

Few would argue the game this year was more exciting than the commercials, but at such a hefty price tag, consumer cynicism must be on marketer’s minds. It’s simply naive to think consumers won’t find businesses spending this kind of money on ads after massive layoffs shameful.

As the corporate jet was a symbol of corporate success, power and influence in the 80’s and 90’s, so too were Super Bowl ads. They have astonished audiences every year for decades. Today, however, those times are over. The corporate jet is now a symbol of corporate greed, mismanagement and misplaced priorities. Perhaps it’s time marketers understood that $3 million dollar super bowl ads will soon position their Brands in a similar light as the super corporate jet.

Miller’s ads prior to the game say it all. “$3 Millions Dollars per 30 Seconds?! That’s $100,000 a second! Our ads should be 1-second long and just say ‘Yeah!'”

Well said, beer delivery man!