Super Bowl 2013 TV ads integrate social media: Ask consumers for their help

"The Super Bowl isn't for kids, I had a great time though and it was worth every nickel of it because by doing this lame piece about the game I can put it on my expense account."
~~ Andy Rooney , (January 14, 1919 – November 4, 2011) American radio and television writer; Most notable for his weekly broadcast "A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney," and part of the CBS News program 60 Minutes from 1978 to 2011. His final regular appearance on 60 Minutes aired October 2, 2011. He died one month later, on November 4, 2011, at age 92.

With the digital ecosystem (e.g. Twitter, YouTube, Hulu, Facebook, etc.) in constant motion, comes a wealth of options for advertising campaigns. This is becoming more prevalent as more creative advertisements rely on user participation via social media and crowd sourcing.

The decision of whether to release a Super Bowl ad in advance, just have a teaser campaign or hold off altogether until Super Bowl Sunday is what many CMO's consider.

Particularly in light of the fact that the Super Bowl 2012 online audience was 3 times larger than the reported 111 million Super Bowl 2012 TV viewership -- supporting the trend that television audiences are being replaced by the online and mobile audiences and social media's ripple effect spreads information quickly.

Practically all of the Super Bowl 2013 ads have been pre-released online, with the exception of a few who held off and implemented "teaser ads."

Overall, the advertising strategy and theme revolves around user engagement which is why the existing trend of teaser campaigns is slowly but surely being replaced by TV commercials that request consumers help them by casting their vote online through social media.
Besides the obvious increase in exposure, last year roughly 1 and half million consumers viewed Super Bowl 2012 ads on YouTube whereas a total of over 9 million viewed them prior to Super Bowl Sunday. (source: http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2013/01/30/volkswagen-super-bowl-ad/ also listed in "additional information" below)

From Coke asking consumers to choose their favorite ending and Pepsi asking for fan photos that will appear during the Pepsi Halftime show, to Audi asking viewers to share their brave moments, Doritos® wanting consumers to pick which ad should run on Super Bowl Sunday, and Toyota asking consumers to share their wish on Twitter, it is apparent the cultural movement of sports, particularly the Super Bowl, is progressively shifting towards social media and crowd sourcing.

TV advertisers who do not integrate internet relevancy and social media campaigns stand a great chance of losing leverage and compromising the brand.

Of the seven user participation ads, Audi, Coke and Doritos will show the winning TV ad on Super Bowl Sunday with the help of on consumer votes. Budweiser, with a reputation of having he most original and creative, implemented teaser ads only with no user participation.

A total of seven advertisers, roughly a fifth (or 19%) of the total 36 Super Bowl advertisers included user participation that involved heavy social media and crowd sourcing.

Below is a list of the seven advertisers who implemented social media and user participation in their advertising campaigns:
Audi – Prom Night features 3 videos “Worth It,” “Buddies” and “Tradition. Viewers Share your brave moment, and vote online at and can choose how it should end by picking 1 of the 3 videos. The final spot was announced on Jan. 27 and will air during the Super Bowl.

Coke CokeChase contest – a bus of showgirls, caravan of bad landers and posse of cowboys all on a desert compete for a GIANT bottle of coke. Vote on who you want to win the chase on the CokeChase.com Web site. http://www.cokechase.com/index.html



Doritos Frito Lay – http://www.crashthesuperbowl.com/ “Crash the Superbowl” lists the 5 video finalists on Facebook; to name a few - “Fetch,” “Road Chip,” and “Fashionista Daddy,” on Facebook and asks for your vote.


Lincoln – “The Story Behind the Script” ad Stars NFL Emmitt Smith, the DJ voice only talking to the lady in the car. Curated by Jimmy Fallon (who collected the script ideas). The “SteerTheScript.com” and share road trip experience, took 6 million tweets and Jimmy Fallon picked the ones he liked to create the 30 secon spot for the 3rd, quarter; Viewers can also go see the 90 second version online.


Pepsi, Sponsor of the Halftime show, asks viewers to participate by tweeting what’s happening (ended Jan 11th) at #PepsiHalftime pepsi. The photo submission ended 1/21/13


Pizza Hut's "HUT HUT HUT" commercial wants viewers to believe that the "hut" shouted by quarterbacks at the center actually is for the Hut in Pizza Hut. In return, Pizza Hut salutes quarterbacks in this year's Super Bowl commercial “Thanks for the shout outs,” Now share your best "hut hut hut" at facebook.com/pizzahut.

Toyota, Let’s Go Places #WishGranted Asks viewers to tweet their wish at #wishgranted where Kelly Cuoco will grant some wishes. http://youtu.be/iymBRSUfz9U Embedded video

What do you think? Are the social media and pre-releases of Super Bowl 2013 ads good thing for user engagement or do you prefer to be surprised on Super Bowl Sunday?

There’s still time for some advertisers to participate and to join as an online panelist to rank the Super Bowl with USA Today’s Ad Meter. http://admeter.usatoday.com/


For a FREE pdf of an updated CBS Super Bowl 2013 TV ad grid, email gmbdaly [at] gmail [dot] com.
All photos courtesy of Wikimedia and screen shots taken from video and websites. All other photos will be credited as required.


Please visit this blog frequently and share this with your social media and professional network. Thanks.

Additional resources:
♦ Spoiler alert: Super Bowl ads are already on YouTube
♦ Super Bowl 2013 TV ads
♦ Super Bowl 2013 Ads on Facebook
♦ Super Bowl Commercial Time Is a Sellout, The New York Times
♦ AdAge Advertisers in Super Bowl 2013, AdAge
♦ UPDATED: Everything We Know About The Super Bowl ad Lineup So Far, Business Insider
♦ GM to Forgo Pricey Super Bowl Ads, Wall Street Journal
♦ Be a part of the USA TODAY Ad Meter panel!, USA TODAY
♦ Advertisers Give Sneak Peek of Super Bowl Commercials Online, CBS San Francisco
♦ Should Super Bowl Ads Be Released Early?, Sports Business Daily
♦ Some SUPERBOWL Ad Resources 2012, AllThingsDigitalMarketing Blog
♦ Kate Upton Mercedes Benz Super Bowl 2013 ad video, ABC
♦ Best Buy Banking on Amy Poehler To Break Its Super Bowl Ad Losing Streak, The Consumerist
♦ The Big, Big Business of Super Bowl XLVI, The Fiscal Times
♦ Super Bowl ads: Coca-Cola says goodbye to bears, hello to 'Mirage', Newsday
♦ Coca Chase 2013 Ad, Youtube; Vote on who you want to win at cokechase.com
♦ Doritos® Teddybear Prison themed ad “Crash The Super Bowl,” YouTube; This year a public vote will choose one Doritos ad to air during the Super Bowl
♦ How much did the 2013 finalists spend on their Crash the Super Bowl entries?, Video Contest News
♦ Super Bowl’s Greatest Commercials 2013, CBS Press Express
♦ Kate Upton stuns in a 'leaked' Super Bowl commercial, WTSP.com
♦ The Best Super Bowl AdMeters Ever, USA Today Ad Meter
♦ Super Bowl XLVII New Orleans Host Committee

Super Bowl XLVII commercial TV ads sold out

“The truth is the Super Bowl long ago became more than just a football game. It's part of our culture like turkey at Thanksgiving and lights at Christmas, and like those holidays beyond their meaning, a factor in our economy.”
~~ Bob Schieffer , American television journalist who has been with CBS News for 44 years and principal anchor since 1973. Schieffer has a total of 56 years as a reporter and was selected to be inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame alont with CBS CEO Les Moonves.

This year, the Super Bowl XLVII will be held at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana on Sunday, February 3rd where NFC champion San Francisco 49ers will play the AFC Baltimore Ravens. Super Bowl Sunday is known as the biggest day of the year for TV ads and known as an American cultural phenomenon.

Besides the excitement of the football game and the commercial TV ad spots, CBS 2013 Super Bowl halftime show is the most watched musical event of the year.

This year features 16-time Grammy Award winner and Pepsi spokesperson, Beyonce, who will perform during the Pepsi Super Bowl XLVII halftime show. Will Beyonce “lip sync” or not?

According to a recent The New York Times article, "Super Bowl Commercial Time Is A Sellout," CBS has sold all available commercial time for Super Bowl 2013 with record-breaking prices. Les Moonves, CEO of CBS, has also said that he anticipates raking in more than $225 million in advertising revenue.

So how much do these ads really cost? Ad Age states that the costs have increased slightly from the "casual $3.5 million to an average of $3.7 to $3.8 million." Some spots cost as high as $4 million. This calculates to an average rate of $126,667 per second using the $3.8 million per 30-second spot ad.

A total of six automakers are expected to advertise eight car brands during the game, while six additional companies will advertise eight beverages.

Super Bowl first-time-advertisers include The Lincoln Motor Company (Ford), Soda Stream, The Milk Processor Education Program (i.e., famous for the “Got Milk” print ads), and a few other notables.

To request a pdf of the Excel spreadsheet of Super Bowl 2013 advertiser $ ad spend (screen-shot above left), simply email gmbdaly@gmail.com with "CBS Super Bowl 2013 Spreadsheet" in subject line.

Since 1989, the USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter has been bringing viewers together to rate the commercials on hand-held meters. There’s still time for those interested in participating go to http://www.admeter.usatoday.com.


According to Nielsen, last year, 111 million viewers tuned in to watch the Super Bowl 2012 game, and this year more viewership is expected.

The usual big players, Pepsi and Budweiser (Anheuser Bush) as well as other popular brands Taco Bell, Best Buy (starring Amy Poehler), Century 21 and GoDaddy.com are returning to the game .

Super Bowl 2013 Ads have interactive user experience include Toyota, Pizza Hut, Lincoln, Coke, Audi, Pepsi and Doritos Frito Lay.

Last year NBC reached a record $250 million in total Super Bowl 2012 advertising as reported by The Fiscal Times.

The Wall Street Journal reported last May that General Motors, who has spent $135.2 million from 2002 – 2011, and only 4.7 million for Super Bowl 2012 will not advertise at all in 2013. They will however have pre-game ads.

Here's the iconic, E*Trade Baby ad for Super Bowl 2013:

Doritos® contest included quite a few ads on their Facebook page asking viewers to participate by voting for their best. Here's my pick.


Doritos® also has the Teddybear Prison themed ad “Crash The Super Bowl” is also out on YouTube and this year a public vote will choose one Doritos ad to air during the Super Bowl;

A few advertisers already with ad-teaser campaigns include Coca-Cola who gave up the signature pristine, Polar Bears for a "Mirage" on the desert with Badlanders, Cowboys and Showgirls all racing for a giant bottle of Coke and there's still time to cast your vote.

Mercedes Benz released "Slow Motion Car Wash" teaser ad that stars swimsuit model Kate Upton in a tank top and jeans.


Here's the controversial GoDaddy.com "Perfect Match" ad (Refaeli kissing Nerd)


There is a January 2012 release on YouTube of "The 25 Best Super Bowl Commercials of All Time,” in descending order (25 down to 1 last). Most on the list are repeat advertisers including PepsiCo, Etrade “Babies”, Doritos, FedEx “Caveman," Bud Light, Toyota, etc.

In economic times, regardless of consumers pocket sizes, do you think famous celebrity, entertaining and

Additional resources:
♦ Super Bowl 2013 TV ads
♦ Super Bowl 2013 Ads on Facebook
♦ Super Bowl Commercial Time Is a Sellout, The New York Times
♦ AdAge Advertisers in Super Bowl 2013, AdAge
♦ UPDATED: Everything We Know About The Super Bowl ad Lineup So Far, Business Insider
♦ GM to Forgo Pricey Super Bowl Ads, Wall Street Journal
♦ Be a part of the USA TODAY Ad Meter panel!, USA TODAY
♦ Advertisers Give Sneak Peek of Super Bowl Commercials Online, CBS San Francisco
♦ Should Super Bowl Ads Be Released Early?, Sports Business Daily
♦ Some SUPERBOWL Ad Resources 2012, AllThingsDigitalMarketing Blog
♦ Kate Upton Mercedes Benz Super Bowl 2013 ad video, ABC
♦ Best Buy Banking on Amy Poehler To Break Its Super Bowl Ad Losing Streak, The Consumerist
♦ The Big, Big Business of Super Bowl XLVI, The Fiscal Times
♦ Super Bowl ads: Coca-Cola says goodbye to bears, hello to 'Mirage', Newsday
♦ Coca Chase 2013 Ad, Youtube; Vote on who you want to win at cokechase.com
♦ Doritos® Teddybear Prison themed ad “Crash The Super Bowl,” YouTube; This year a public vote will choose one Doritos ad to air during the Super Bowl
♦ How much did the 2013 finalists spend on their Crash the Super Bowl entries?, Video Contest News
♦ Super Bowl’s Greatest Commercials 2013, CBS Press Express
♦ Kate Upton stuns in a 'leaked' Super Bowl commercial, WTSP.com
♦ The Best Super Bowl AdMeters Ever, USA Today Ad Meter
♦ Super Bowl XLVII New Orleans Host Committee

Please share this with your social media and professional network. Thanks.

To request a pdf of the Excel spreadsheet of Super Bowl 2013 advertiser $ ad spend, simply email gmbdaly@gmail.com with "CBS Super Bowl 2013 Spreadsheet" in subject line.

All photos are courtesy of Wikimedia unless otherwise indicated.