Nationwide Insurance is not advertising in Super Bowl 50, but with endorser Peyton Manning participating in the game, the company might benefit "more than companies that have paid millions to be part of the lineup," according to Tim Feran of the COLUMBUS DISPATCH. Manning has "become the face of Nationwide advertising over the past two years," and his face "will be everywhere this Sunday." Ohio State marketing professor Deborah Mitchell: "In terms of memorability, reach, integration with social media, this has it all. So many companies spend so many millions and don't get the impact they're getting right now." Nationwide last year aired a controversial Super Bowl commercial that drew a wide negative reaction, but Senior VP/Marketing Mike Boyd said that the company bypassed the game this year because it "felt like it didn't need the boost, due to its Manning campaign doing so well." Feran notes in Manning’s "first commercial for Nationwide, he sang in praise of a sandwich, 'Chicken parm, you taste so good,' a line that has gone viral in a big way." The company is "very much aware of the campaign’s viral strength and will be capitalizing on it" during Sunday's game. Boyd: "We do have some fun things planned. We want to show our support for our Nationwide member and spokesman Peyton Manning, and also want to have fun with Broncos fans. Social media gives us the opportunity to have conversations and multiple messages” (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 2/3).
DRIVER'S LICENSE: In Charlotte, Erik Spanberg noted Panthers coach Ron Rivera has had "three-years-and-counting" worth of spots with Mercedes-Benz of South Charlotte. The spots include Rivera "coaching valet parking attendants, sauntering into the dealership in riverboat gambler attire and, most recently, waking to find dealership owner Felix Sabates skulking around his house talking about fresh coffee and complimentary car pick-up and delivery." The "elaborate sponsorship deal" came from a "handshake, a complimentary car and a bottle of wine." Rivera shoots the ads "with Sabates over two days during the off-season." The spots are created in-house at the dealership (CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL, 1/29 issue).
