- Blackout at the Super Bowl inspires advertisers to think on their feet
- Social media provides real time entertainment and connectivity when the unexpected occurs
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My husband is a football fan. He loves the hometown team and thinks the NFL is, without question, the greatest sport. Through the years, my interest in the gridiron has grown so that we can enjoy games together. Naturally, the Super Bowl is a prime viewing event, for the game as well as the commercials.
This year was a bit… different. Of course, I eagerly waited to see what sentiment the Budweiser Clydesdales would muster, raised an eyebrow at how far the Go Daddy camp pushed the envelope and waited to find the most miscast celebrity in a commercial (Stevie Wonder). However, as each spot passed and the quarters ticked by, I was paying more attention to Twitter and less on the television.
Twitter is utterly terrific when something unexpected happens. It quickly becomes a virtual community where an idea can explode in moments, thanks to retweeting (RT), mentioning (MT) and hashtag trends (#). A few companies/agencies were clearly ready to capitalize on events as they happened during the Super Bowl, and the blackout provided some exciting opportunities. Here are a few who had their creative war rooms primed and ready to act fast (and probably did not pay $4 million for air time on CBS).
9 Brands That Thought Fast on Social Media During the Super Bowl
(Author: Samantha Murphy)
Twitter, the Monday morning (advertising) quarterbacks and I declared #Oreos the winner this year. Oh, and “congratulations” to the Ravens and Coach John Harbaugh.
Read Stuart Elliott’s column in the New York Times to see what the advertising guru had to say about this year’s commercials.