More Companies Launching Super Bowl Ads Early, But Is It Really A Good Idea?

Super Bowl advertisers over the past couple of years have "started to play with the idea of releasing their ads ahead of the game," but the move is a "bad mistake," according to Darren Rovell of CNBC. When a company "pre-releases an ad or even a teaser, the chance of garnering that white hot momentum that every advertiser craves is significantly lessened." If a company "believes that it will break through the clutter, and most who have Super Bowl ads do, the value of the ad is worth more if it's a surprise." And the value of "those YouTube hits are worth more as well" (CNBC.com, 2/1). In Detroit, Hoffman & Trop note Honda on Monday "dropped its much-anticipated homage to 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' on YouTube" after it released a 10-second teaser. Other automakers also "have released teasers, too." However, Univ. of Detroit Mercy marketing professor Michael Bernacchi said that that can be "dangerous, noting many viewers are already complaining that the Honda ad did not live up to their expectations." Bernacchi: "Sometimes you drive expectations too high. You have to watch out for that. With the Super Bowl, expectations already start at the ceiling" (DETROIT NEWS, 2/2).

TRYING TO GROW THE BUZZ: Audi of America CMO Scott Keogh, whose company pre-released a full version ad online ahead of Sunday's game, said, "We wanted to get the buzz going, and I think the way we look at it now is we want to put our flag on top of Everest first. You want people talking about your ad coming into the Super Bowl, anticipating your ad in the Super Bowl and then boom! It's sort of like before a race you want to be in pole position, not last" (ESPN.com, 2/1). Keogh: "Historically, Super Bowl ads were a two-day hit. Now it's a six- to eight-week event." Century 21 CMO Bev Thome said, "There are so many opportunities now in social media like Facebook and Twitter" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/2). H&M North America Dir of Marketing & Advertising Steve Lubomski said, "The Super Bowl has gone well beyond the 30-second spot. We can sort of use this week in advance to build traction" (WASHINGTON POST, 2/2). Meanwhile, Association of Independent Commercial Producers President & CEO Matt Miller said of the $3.5M average cost for a 30-second ad, “It's actually a bargain when you look at the number of eyeballs and amount of attention” ("Today," NBC, 2/2).

EVERYDAY PEOPLE: BLOOMBERG NEWS's Alex Moore noted while singers Ozzy Osbourne and Justin Bieber appeared on Best Buy's Super Bowl ad last year, company Senior VP/Marketing Drew Panayiotou this year "opted to hire innovators who could personify Best Buy's selling premise: that no one knows more about gadgets and how they work together than the chain's blue-shirt sales force." The ad, via Crispin Porter + Bogusky, is slated to run in the first quarter and "will spotlight inventors such as Philippe Kahn, who developed one of the first camera phones." Kevin Systrom, who "developed Instagram, a free photo-sharing application, will also appear" (BLOOMBERG.com, 2/1).

PLAYING ON EMOTIONS: GE Dir of Corporate Communications Leigh Farris said the company is "running two new spots as part of a new broader company initiative that starts with the Super Bowl." She noted that one spot is "set to run in the first slot of the fifth break of the first half of the game, while the second is slated to air in the third break of the second half." AD AGE'S Brian Steinberg noted Super Bowl viewers "looking for cuddly dogs, flashy celebrities or other glitzy hallmarks of Super Bowl advertising will not find them in GE's work, which was created by BBDO." Farris noted that instead, the company "hopes to draw an emotional response with commercials that show how the work of General Electric employees creates ideas and products that help people and even the United States." One spot will "focus on GE's work with energy -- even touting its role in powering Budweiser breweries -- while the other will feature the company's appliances" (ADAGE.com, 2/1).

DINNER AND A MOVIE: ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY's Aly Semigran noted Paramount Pictures' trailer promoting the release of "The Dictator" shows star Sacha Baron Cohen's character, Gen. Aladeen, saying he "not only has he purchased NBC, but he knows 'the final score.'" Cohen then "shows previously seen trailer footage -- including Megan Fox’s appearance and his own unsportsmanlike conduct during a track meet -- from the upcoming comedy" (EW.com, 2/1). The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER'S Todd Gilchrist noted in advance of its trailer during the Super Bowl, Paramount released its "G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation" trailer online yesterday. The 30-second clip features Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson "mobilizing the film's team before it goes into action in a fast-paced montage of footage" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com 2/1). Disney and Marvel have "released a 17-second teaser" for their Super Bowl trailer for the upcoming movie "The Avengers" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 1/31). DAILY VARIETY's Marc Graser noted a 30-second spot will air during NBC's Super Bowl pregame show to "kick off the ad campaign for 'Transformers: The Ride 3D', which Universal Studios Hollywood opens in May." Universal Studios Orlando "similarly used the Super Bowl in 2010 to launch its marketing effort for the 'Wizarding World of Harry Potter.'" A trailer for Universal Pictures' action movie "Battleship" will also air during the game (VARIETY.com, 2/1).

IN ITS CROSS HAIRS: In Michigan, Michael Wayland noted in a sneak peek of its upcoming Super Bowl ad for the '13 Cadillac ATS, GM "tells the BMW [it's] gunning for it." A voice over says, "If anyone tells you Cadillac can't beat the world's best, just tell them to go to the green Hell and see for themselves." Wayland noted "Green Hell" is a nickname for Germany's "famed Nurburgring test track" (MLIVE.com, 1/31).