Dr. CK Lin | Productivity. Innovation. Entrepreneur Profiles

Super Bowl Ads: Money Marketing

The countdown is on. We are now less than a week away from Super Bowl Xtra Large Part 3: Whisenhunt with a Vengeance.

Media Week in Tampa Bay has begun and the hype-machine is beginning to warm.

We know the teams and players, but what about commercials? There is a fair amount of speculation as to exactly how many celebrities and Clydesdales will be featured in this class of Super ads, but the real story is how steep a price the execs will be paying for airtime.

So, just how much will ad space cost this time around? A record, $3 million for a 30-second spot. That breaks down to $100,000 a second.

Marketing strategists and executives are hoping to capture the hearts and minds (and wallets) of the millions of viewers and would-be consumers watching around the globe.

GE is certainly exhausting all avenues of publicity, to insure proper bang for their considerable buck. General Electric is using its commercial to launch their “innovation you don’t have to wait for” campaign–in print, on television and on the Web.

E*Trade, is buttressing its Super Bowl spot with a variety of campaigns– in newspapers, movie theaters and online. Their Internet initiatives will span the social media spectrum. The online brokers are scheduled to blitz Facebook and YouTube this Friday and Twitter sometime next week.

Sure E*Trade, I’ll listen as long as the message is adorable. (Read: bring back the talking baby)

Marketing Must-Dos: Tips (in bullet-form)

Times are tough. Economic challenges have required marketers to change their approach. Ad teams are being forced to get smarter.

If you are struggling to keep pace, don’t fret. There are numerous cost-effective programs and basic strategies to expand your reach that won’t break the bank.

For starters, White Horse, a digital marketing agency with a proven business-to-business (b2b) strategy, is inviting marketers to attend a live Webinar, entitled “Going Global without Going Broke: An Evolutionary Path to a Global Web Presence” on Feb. 4th.

Their round table discussion will show you some inexpensive tactics to expand your existing repertoire of global Web marketing practices through first-hand testimonials and case-studies.

Here’s a list of very basic things every business should consider and re-consider for the New Year.

• Website. In the words of Jerry Seinfeld you must be the “master of your domain.” Be sure your Web site includes all pertinent information on how to locate and contact you. Your site should be easy to navigate, simple and aesthetically pleasing. No more Dreamweaver.
• Keywords. Maximize your chances of being found. Identify popular keywords that your target audience would most likely be searching for. Integrate these words or phrases throughout the content of your website.
• Database. Don’t forget your existing customers. Keep in contact and remind them how great you are. Use your database of e-mail or postal addresses to communicate with customers and at the same time reduce the cost/need for advertisements. You have an idea, based on past history, how to better target each customer’s needs.
• Social Media. Collaborate. Give your people a way to interact with one another, either on your Web site or on a third-party site. Also give them something to talk about. Keep things fresh and interesting. These include- chats, mailbags, Twitter, podcasts, videos, photos, bulletin boards, blogs, wikis and webinars (like the one White Horse is offering next week).

Marketing doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Just be smart about it. Know what works, do what works and eliminate what doesn’t.

Keep up. Innovate your marketing strategy.