OK, it is official.  According to Fox Television, 97.5 million people tuned into the Super Bowl Sunday night and during the 4th quarter alone, 107.5 million viewers tuned in.  That makes Super Bowl XLII the MOST watched Super Bowl in history. So if you advertised during Super Bowl XLII, one would think that it would be money in the bank…right?  Well, not so fast.

As is the case most of the time with marketing, the message being sent was not being understood by the target market.  One of the most overlooked concepts in the ad world today is the message.  I mean give me a break.  I might be dumb, but I am certainly not stupid.  Unfortunately most of the ads didn’t send a clear Unique Selling Proposition, nor did they communicate what the specific product or service was that was being pitched.  How many people reading this knew that Sobe was a MAJOR sponsor of the Super Bowl?  Instead, you gave me Thriller and dancing lizards!?!?!?!?!?!!?  By the way, I checked out your website (I think it is your website) and I do not see the corelation between your Super Bowl Ads and the website.  (Readers: You tell me…click here for the Sobe website.)

Marketing is the message you send your target market about your business. Advertising is the medium used to reach your target market.  What MESSAGE is your business sending your target market?  If a 5th grader can not understand it, trash the message and start over.  Stick to your Unique Selling Proposition.  It is the reason people buy you anyway.  Just ask the guys below from Miller.

On a side note, anyone want to go in together and advertise in next year’s Super Bowl?